Coccidiosis in Dogs

Coccidiosis is a gastrointestinal disease in dogs caused by a parasite from the Isospora species. Dogs are infected with I. canis, I. ohioensis, I. neorivolta and I. burrowsi. Infection occurs when the animal ingests the infective form (sporulated oocyct) of this parasite in stool. It can also be contracted by eating an intermediate host for Isospora such as a …

You Make The Diagnosis: Thickened Black Skin in Dogs

The pictures below are of the abdominal skin of a dog. The skin is black in color and thickened like an elephant’s skin. Although this dog developed it on the abdomen, it can also commonly occur around the anus, underarms and muzzle. Look closely at the pictures and then answer the following questions: What is …

Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs

Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a neurologic condition that usually leads to paralysis. It is similar to ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in humans. The myelin sheaths that insulate the nerves degenerate disrupting the transmission of electrical impulses to muscles. The disease  usually affects the nerves of the lower spinal cord. It starts with weakness in the rear legs that makes it …