As in humans, diseases in pets can be genetic or due to wear and tear. Osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, and also hyphertonic cardiomyopathy are among these animal diseases.
Osteoarthritis
Joints wear out over the course of a lifetime. Osteoarthritis is said to occur when joint wear exceeds normal, expected wear and tear. However, not only humans but also animals can suffer from osteoarthritis. Dogs and cats in particular, but also rabbits or guinea pigs, are affected by the pathological wear and tear of the joints. If an animal suffers from arthrosis, the joints deform over a long period of time. This is accompanied by wear of the cartilage and often the joint capsule also reduces in size. The development of bone-like growths is also not excluded, due to the unhealthy load. These can be recognized by thickened knees, elbows, shoulders and hips. As can be seen from the guidebook “Bone Diseases in Dogs”, older dogs in particular are affected by this disease. But also unhealthy load, as a result of incorrectly healed bone fractures or an injury to the cruciate ligament can promote the development of osteoarthritis. Cats or guinea pigs also suffer from arthrosis, especially in old age. Under meerschweinchen-ratgeber.de is to be read up besides that Arthrose can be also genetically caused and that predominance or lack nutrition promote their emergence likewise. Unfortunately, osteoarthritis is not curable and pet owners can only try to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, for example, with the help of heat.
Spondylosis
Spondylosis refers to a progressive stiffening of the spine due to a degenerative change in the vertebrae. This is caused by wear and tear of the articular ligaments and intervertebral discs, resulting in a loss of flexibility. As a result, the animal’s body forms so-called spondylophytes, small outgrowths on the vertebral bodies. These outgrowths then connect several vertebrae together, causing the mobility of the spine to decrease. Dogs and cats are particularly affected by this bone disease. The more vertebrae are affected, the stiffer the spine becomes. Affected animals lie down a lot or make a high curved back when walking. Lameness of the dog or cat can also be a sign.
Hip dysplasia
Unlike osteoarthritis, which can basically affect the whole body, hip dysplasia is a deformity in the hip or pelvis area. Hip dysplasia occurs when the socket of the joint is not deep enough, so that the femoral head does not find proper support. Again, painful bone deformities are the result. As with the other wear and tear diseases, hip dysplasia primarily affects older pets. If young dogs and cats are diagnosed with hip dysplasia, it is usually genetic and not due to wear and tear. In dogs that carry the predisposition of hip dysplasia, food that promotes rapid growth can also promote the development of the condition. Not only large dogs and cats, but also smaller breeds can be affected by this disease. If the animal lies around a lot, does not play and tires quickly, a veterinarian should be consulted.
Herniated disc
Dachshunds are particularly prone to herniated discs due to their body build. Just as in humans, a jerky movement can be enough to trigger a herniated disc in a pet. Again, dogs are primarily affected, but cats are often affected as well. If the animal refuses to climb stairs or can no longer be stroked over the back, this can be a sign of a slipped disc. In particular, dog breeds that have a long back, short legs and a large head for breeding reasons often suffer herniated discs. Since this also includes dachshunds, the herniated disc in dogs is also called dachshund lameness. A herniated disc, whether in humans or animals, occurs when the gelatinous mass between the vertebrae protrudes or becomes completely dislodged. Surgery can relieve the animal’s suffering in some cases. However, depending on the extent of the surgery, the animal may be in severe pain following the procedure and may even have to relearn how to walk.
Gangliodose
Gangliodoses are degenerative, fatal neurobiological diseases that can affect certain breeds of cats and are genetically determined. Gangliodosis is caused by an abnormal accumulation of lipids in the central and peripheral nervous system. There are two forms of gangliodosis, GM1 and GM2. Korat and Siamese cats may be affected by GM1, and the occurrence of GM2 is possible in the Korat and Burmese breeds.
HCM – hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Cats are more commonly affected by HCM than dogs. HCM stands for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and is a disease of the heart. While cats often suffer from HCM, it is rare in dogs. This disease is a pathological inward thickening of the heart muscle. HCM can be hereditary, at least this is proven by US-American studies on Maine Coon cats. The first symptoms usually appear between the ninth month of life and the fifth year of life. Animals affected by HCM are not very resilient, often have fluid accumulation in the lungs, which can lead to respiratory distress and sometimes paralysis can be observed. Although this disease cannot be cured, the suffering of affected animals can be alleviated by administering certain medications, such as ACE inhibitors.
SMA – Spinal Muscular Atrophy
SMA is a disease of the nerve cells that affects the muscles. Spinal muscular atrophy can affect cats as well as dogs. The disease is very similar to that seen in humans (SMA III). SMA is inherited, but both parents must pass one mutated gene each to their offspring. At about twelve weeks of age, the disease can be detected, manifested by increasing muscle atrophy, leading to permanent disability in the animal.