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Medical Conditions

  • Giardia is sometimes confused with worms because they invade the gastrointestinal tract and can cause diarrhoea. They are not worms; instead, they are one-celled parasites classified as protozoa and have been largely overlooked until recently.

  • Glaucoma is an increase in IOP i.e a raised pressure within the eye. The cause of glaucoma is always related to inadequate drainage of aqueous humor rather than its over production.

  • Gut stasis is common in the rabbit. It may frequently be referred to as bloat.

  • This is one of many similar tumours that arise by disordered growth of the hair follicles. These tumours are almost all benign and can be permanently cured by total surgical removal.

  • Raising an orphaned kitten can be a rewarding experience. However, kittens are very fragile, and raising them can be difficult, time consuming, and not always successful. Included are basic considerations and frequently asked questions in regards to hand rearing kittens.

  • The harvest mite (Trombicula autumnalis) is a mite the larval stage of which causes considerable discomfort to cats and dogs during the late summer and autumn. The mite is not common in Australia and only rural cats are usually affected. The fluid injected by the mite is very irritant causing the cat to scratch, bite and lick which may result in extensive self-inflicted injury. Your vet will give you appropriate treatment.

  • Heart disease can be divided into two groups, congenital and adult onset forms. In congenital disease the defect is present at birth. The cause of most types of adult onset heart disease is unknown. Heart disease is relatively common in cats, and treatments will depend on the cause of the problem.

  • When the heart fails to pump sufficient blood around the body it tries to compensate by changing the rate and sometimes the strength of contractions. Pooling of blood in the organs and tissues of the body leads to signs of congestion.

  • Cardiomyopathy is degeneration of the heart muscle so that the heart, which is basically a muscle pump progressively fails.

  • Heart failure is the inability of the heart to maintain a circulation sufficient to meet the body's needs. Heart failure most usually describes a failure of the heart muscle (myocardial failure).