Category: Species

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.

𝐔𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐬 is the presence of 𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢 (stones, basically) in the urinary passages, typically in the bladder or urethra. You can also get calculi in the kidney, called 𝐧𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬, as part of the same disease process. The stones are made up of precipitated urine contents, proteins and debris, which clump together and can obstruct normal flow of urine.

𝐄𝐌𝐒 is an endocrine dysfunction of 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧, the body’s main hormone it uses to get 𝐠𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐞 (the main sugar used for energy) into cells. In normal horses, insulin levels increase when blood glucose levels increase, to help store the glucose away in cells and provide the cells energy. In EMS horses, they typically have 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚, which is when there are high levels of insulin despite normal levels of blood glucose.

𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐃 is an endocrine dysfunction caused by an 𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐚 (a benign tumour) in the pituitary gland of the horse. The pituitary gland’s main job is to produce hormones that control the other hormone-secreting organs, such as the adrenal glands or thyroid gland. So when it develops an adenoma, the tumour can interfere with the normal hormone production of the pituitary gland, causing issues like PPID.

Hemangiosarcoma is a tumour of 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬, which are the cells that line blood vessels. They are most commonly originate in the spleen, skin, heart and liver, but can send metastases anywhere in the body. They are very highly aggressive, and often by the time they are diagnosed, there are already metastases somewhere in the body.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is when one piece of the intestine (called the 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐦) telescopes into another piece of intestine (called the 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐬), forming a multi-layered intestinal segment.

EPM is a nervous disease of horses that is caused by protozoan parasites, most commonly 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐚. Affected horses have 𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐚 (irregular gait due to nervous disease), weakness and depression. Horses also often have head tilt, facial nerve paralysis with drooping of the ears and lips, and difficulty swallowing. These clinical signs tend to get worse over time, progressing to seizures, recumbency and death.

A 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐬 is basically a giant blood clot that completely blocks blood flow through a vessel. An 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐬 is a more broad term, covering everything from smaller thrombi, bacteria, parasites or foreign material. Put them together, and you get 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦, which is a blockage of a vessel from either a thrombus or an embolus. Today, we are talking about what happens when a thrombus forms within the pulmonary veins or arteries specifically.

𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 is when the blood supply to a tissue is blocked, causing that tissue to die. Infarcts in the kidney are somewhat unique because of their characteristic shape: each vessel in the kidney supplies a wedge shaped section of tissue, so when an infarct occurs, only that wedge of kidney is affected. So when you look at the kidney 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐲 (without a microscope) you are able to see distinctive wedge shapes of infarcted tissue!

Gastric ulcers are areas where the stomach 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐚 (the lining) has become eroded, exposing the underlying tissue. This often associated with hemorrhage and inflammation.