Articles

Feline hyperaesthesia syndrome (FHS) was first described over 35 years ago and, unfortunately, it remains a disease with an unknown etiology that is difficult to diagnose. Clinical signs may vary but presentations include excessive vocalization, skin rippling over the dorsal lumbar area, episodes of excitability, overgrooming, and self-trauma. In the most severe forms, animals might […]

Buprenorphine is an important analgesic due to its possibility of being administered orally and its reduced side effects when compared to other opioids. Gingivostomatitis in cats is a frequent multifactorial condition that causes severe pain and discomfort so it requires sturdy symptomatic treatments.  Because it can be absorbed orally, and because it has fewer side-effects […]

The evaluation of renal concentrating ability is an important function in veterinary medicine. The gold standard for the assessment of urine concentration is the measurement of urine osmolality, but this requires expensive equipment that’s not readily available in clinical practice. The measurement of urine specific gravity (USG) is commonly used since it closely correlates with […]

While surgical intervention is recommended in many cases of canine hip dysplasia, particularly in young patients and in those with debilitating osteoarthritis (OA), there are times when multi-modal conservative management is preferable. Several physical rehabilitation protocols can be implemented in the conservative management of canine hip dysplasia. Manual therapy, therapeutic exercises and other modalities, such […]

Laser therapy (LT), also known as cold laser therapy or low-level laser therapy, is an increasingly popular modality and a useful complement to physical therapy protocols. The energy of the laser light interacts with cells and tissues and this leads to biochemical changes, known as photobiomodulation.  While the exact interaction mechanisms are still being studied, […]

The authors of this study set out to measure the effects of a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acid and of physical rehabilitation on the onset of osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs which suffered from cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCL). 48 dogs with unilateral CCL disease were selected for the study.  They were submitted to tibial […]

While cats may not seem the most likely candidates for therapeutic exercise (TE), it is possible to create treatment plans that can benefit most patients. TE aims to increase the range of motion in joints, improve muscle strength and limb use, as well as improving proprioception and mobility. TE consists of three sorts of exercise: […]

Electrical stimulation is an attractive option for veterinary physical therapy as it’s a cost-effective way to support recovery following injury or surgery.  It can be used to: not only to control pain improve the range of motion in damaged joints, reduce oedema and wound healing time increase muscle strength. One of the most common modalities […]

Cairn Terriers can suffer from a hereditary form of bilateral ocular melanosis (OM). It causes the accumulation of large and darkly pigmented melanocytes in the anterior uvea which may damage ocular structures. The progression of this pathology is slow but the cells can migrate to other structures and cause thickening of the iris root, form […]

Corneal ulcers are commonly found in cats suffering with feline herpesvirus infection with medical therapy is often indicated.  Because of the delicate anatomy of the cornea and the complexity of the surgery, the decision between medical and surgical treatment needs to be evaluated carefully. A recent review suggests that surgery should be considered in 4 […]

Evidence suggests that some anesthetic drugs increase intraocular pressure (IOP) which could lead to complications, including the loss of globe contents through surgical or traumatic wounds and/or blindness. A study set out to establish the IOP cut-off values that could be used to diagnose glaucoma, as well as to observe the effects of propofol anesthesia […]

Chinchillas are nocturnal and had been thought of as animals with a pure rod retina – but new research has shown that this is not true. Few animals have no cones at all in their retinas and, aside from some species of deep-sea fish and nocturnal reptiles, most nocturnal animals possess some form of color […]

As dogs age, they can develop benign hepatic masses. Fortunately, few of these require special treatment but some do and it is important to be able to distinguish them from benign neoplastic growths. CT scans and ultrasounds can be used to characterize hepatic masses and highlight the distinction between benign and malignant lesions. This study […]

Ultrasound and survey radiographs can be useful for the diagnosis of urinary function but their value is limited. Survey radiographs offer little insight into renal and upper urinary issues because of low tissue contrast while ultrasounds can be made difficult due to the gas build up common in gastrointestinal disease. Contrast radiography and CT scans […]

The ‘tree-in-bud’ pattern found during Computed Tomography (CT) scans is used in human medicine to help diagnose problems in the bronchi. It is characteristic of centrilobular bronchiolar dilation that could be caused by bronchial/bronchiolar plugging with mucus, pus or fluid. The authors considered that this pattern might also be relevant to feline medicine, especially since […]

Leopard geckos are a popular species of small reptile. They suffer from common conditions including gastrointestinal impaction, follicular stasis, dystocia, neoplasia and lesions in the hemipene. Ultrasound imaging is very accessible and can be used to diagnose these conditions. It is more cost-effective than MRI but little information is available on the ultrasonographic anatomy of […]