Install
Dog Cancer & Chronic Illness terms
Serious illness: cancer in dogs, cancer drugs and vaccines, diabetes, allergies and skin disease.
Addison's disease A hormone disease in which the adrenal glands make too little cortisol and often too little aldosterone, causing vague illness and sometimes crisis. Atopic dermatitis An inherited tendency to develop itchy skin and ear disease from allergens in the environment such as pollen, dust mites and molds. Biopsy The removal of a small piece of tissue, or a sample of cells, for examination under a microscope to find out what a lump or abnormal tissue is. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome A set of airway abnormalities in flat-faced breeds that make breathing hard, causing noisy breathing, poor heat tolerance and collapse. Cataracts Cloudiness in the lens of the eye that blocks light and can lead to blindness, often inherited or linked to diabetes. Cherry eye A red, swollen lump at the inner corner of the eye caused when the gland of the third eyelid pops out of place. Chronic kidney disease A gradual, permanent loss of kidney function that causes increased thirst and urination, weight loss and poor appetite, mainly in older dogs. Cruciate ligament tear A tear of the cranial cruciate ligament, the main stabilizer of the dog's knee, and a leading cause of sudden hind-leg lameness. Cushing's disease A hormone disorder in which the body makes too much cortisol, usually in middle-aged and older dogs, causing thirst, a pot belly and thin skin. Diabetes mellitus A disease in which the body cannot make or use enough insulin, so blood sugar stays high, with increased thirst and urination. Dilated cardiomyopathy A heart muscle disease in which the heart chambers stretch and the muscle weakens, so the heart pumps poorly; some breeds inherit it. Dry eye A condition in which a dog does not make enough tears, leaving the eye sore, red and covered with sticky discharge. Ear infection Inflammation of the outer ear canal, often with yeast or bacteria, causing head shaking, scratching, odor and pain. Elbow dysplasia A group of developmental problems in the elbow joint that cause front-leg lameness, usually starting in young, fast-growing large-breed dogs. Epilepsy A brain disorder that causes repeated seizures, most often the inherited kind with no other cause found, usually starting in young adult dogs. Food allergy An immune reaction to a protein in the diet that usually causes itchy skin and ear problems, and sometimes digestive upset. Glaucoma Raised pressure inside the eye that damages the optic nerve; it is painful and can cause permanent blindness within hours or days. Hip dysplasia An inherited, developmental malformation of the hip joint in which the ball and socket fit loosely, leading to wear and arthritis. Hot spot A fast-appearing, red, wet and painful patch of skin that a dog creates by licking or scratching, usually because of an underlying irritation. Hypothyroidism A condition in which the thyroid gland makes too little hormone, slowing the metabolism and causing weight gain, lethargy and coat and skin changes. Intervertebral disc disease A spinal condition in which a cushioning disc between vertebrae bulges or bursts and presses on the spinal cord, causing pain or weakness. Luxating patella A condition in which the kneecap slips out of its groove, common in small breeds and often seen as a brief hop or skip in the stride. Lymphoma A cancer of the lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, that most often appears as firm, painless swelling of lymph nodes. Mast cell tumor The most common skin cancer in dogs, which can look like any lump, so every new skin lump should be sampled by a veterinarian. Mitral valve disease A slow wearing of the heart's mitral valve that lets blood leak backward, the most common heart disease in older small-breed dogs. Obesity Excess body fat that shortens lives and raises the risk of arthritis, diabetes and other disease; it is the most common nutrition problem in pet dogs. Osteoarthritis A long-term, painful wearing down of joint cartilage that causes stiffness and reluctance to move, common in older and overweight dogs. Osteosarcoma The most common bone cancer in dogs, an aggressive tumor that mainly affects large and giant breeds, often in a front leg. Pancreatitis Inflammation of the pancreas that causes vomiting, belly pain and loss of appetite, and can range from mild to life-threatening. Progressive retinal atrophy A group of inherited diseases in which the retina slowly degenerates, causing night blindness first and then total blindness, without pain. Pyometra A life-threatening bacterial infection of the uterus in unspayed female dogs, usually in the weeks after a heat cycle, and a surgical emergency.