Category: Felids

𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 refers to inflammation of the pancreas, and can be 𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 (sudden onset) or 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 (low levels of inflammation over a long period).

𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚 are an orange-brown area of 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 (cell death) on the 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐚 (outer, clear layer of the eye). They can be 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 (well defined borders) or more “fuzzy” looking. Typically only one eye is affected, however both eyes can be affected either at the same time or at different times.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐚 is a red to brown discolouration of the bones and teeth, starting from birth, due to the accumulation of 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐬 (compounds that bind metals, such as heme in red blood cells). The name porphyrin derives from the Greek word prophyra, which means purple, and tells you a bit about what colour these compounds are!

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐜𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞, or PKD, is an inherited disease of kidney development where multiple large 𝐜𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐬 (fluid filled structures with a lining) form within the kidney.

Aortic thromboembolism is when there is a blood clot that obstructs part of the aorta. In particular, this type of thrombus tends to lodge where the aorta splits into two arteries to run down each hind leg, an area referred to as the 𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞.

𝐄𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 is infection with either Echinococcus multilocularis or Echinococcus granulosus. These are species of 𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬, little internal parasites that can have some serious consequences. Here in North America, E. multilocularis is the most important, and the one that we’ll be talking about today.

𝐏𝐲𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐱 is when pus (pyo-) accumulates within the thoracic cavity. Usually, this looks like large amounts of cloudy, yellow or red fluid that contains long strands of 𝐟𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧 (one of the main clotting materials in the bloodstream).

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐨- refers to the peritoneum, which is the membrane that lines the abdomen. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥 refers to the pericardium, the membrane sac that covers the heart. 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐬 are when some part of the intestinal tract or abdominal organs 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 (protrudes) through the 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐦, the muscular border between the abdomen and thorax that aids in breathing. So putting it all together, we have a hernia of abdominal organs through the diaphragm, due to a connection between the peritoneum and pericardium. Weird!

FIP is a viral infection of cats that is characterized by 𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 (leaky vessels) and inflammation. It has two forms, 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞/𝐰𝐞𝐭, where excess fluid accumulates in the body cavities, and 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞/𝐝𝐫𝐲, where the inflammation forms distinct nodules.

Diabetes mellitus is a 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞, meaning that it impacts how the body processes certain materials. In diabetes mellitus, 𝐠𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐞 (the major sugar in our body) is not able to move through its normal metabolic cycle, causing it to accumulate in the blood stream causing 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐥𝐲𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚 (too much glucose in the blood).