Encephalitis: Brain Inflammation in Dogs

Encephalitis in Dogs

The term encephalitis refers to an inflammation of the brain. However, it also may be accompanied by the inflammation of spinal cord (myelitis), and/or the inflammation of the meninges (meningitis), membranes which cover the brain and spinal cord.

German short-haired pointers, Maltese, and Yorkshire terriers are all found to be predisposed to encephalitis.

Symptoms of Encephalitis

Although symptoms may vary depending on the portion of brain affected, they typically appear suddenly and are rapidly progressive. Such symptoms include:

• Fever

• Seizures

• Behavioral changes (e.g., depression)

• Decreased responsiveness

• Head tilt to either side

• Paralysis of face

• Uncoordinated movements or circling

• Unequal size of pupils (anisocoria)

• Smaller sized pinpoint pupils

• Decreased consciousness, which may worsen as disease progresses

Causes of Encephalitis

• Idiopathic (unknown cause)

• Immune-mediated disorders

• Post-vaccination complications

• Viral infections (e.g., canine distemper, rabies, parvovirus)

• Bacterial infections (anaerobic and aerobic)

• Fungal infections (e.g., aspergillosis, histoplasmosis, blastomycosis)

• Parasitic infections (e.g., Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis)

• Foreign bodies

Diagnosis of Encephalitis

You will need to give your veterinarian a thorough history of your dog’s health, including the onset and nature of the symptoms, and possible incidents that might have precipitated the unusual behaviors or complications. Your veterinarian may then perform a complete physical examination as well as a biochemistry profile, urinalysis, and complete blood count (the results of which will depend on the underlying cause of the encephalitis).

If your dog has an infection, the complete blood count may show an increased number of white blood cells. Viral infections, meanwhile, may decrease the number of lymphocytes, a type of white cells (also known as lymphopenia). And abnormal reduction in platelets (small cells used in blood clotting) is a good indicator of thrombocytopenia.

To confirm lung involvement and related complications, your veterinarian may require chest X-rays, while MRIs and CT-scans are used to evaluate the brain involvement in detail. Your veterinarian may also collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is then sent to a laboratory for cultures. This is necessary for definitive diagnosis and to determine the severity of the problem. If culture assays are unsuccessful, a brain tissue sample may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis, but this is an expensive procedure.

Treatment of Encephalitis

Your veterinarian will focus on reducing the severity of the symptoms, such as brain edema and seizures, and halt the progression of the disease. Severe forms of encephalitis require immediate hospitalization and intensive care. For instance, those suspected of having bacterial infections will be given broad spectrum antibiotics, which can reach the brain and spinal cord.

Living and Management

With proper treatment and care, symptoms gradually improve within two to eight weeks; however, the overall prognosis depends on the underlying cause of the condition. For example, in some dogs, symptoms may reappear once treatment is discontinued. In such instances, a second round of treatment (or long-term treatment) may be required to save the dog's life.

Your veterinarian will schedule regular follow-up exams to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment and the dog's state of health. Your vet may even recommend a new diet for the dog, especially if it is frequently vomiting or severely depressed.

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dog health

5 Signs Your Pet Has an Eye Emergency

It's not uncommon for a veterinary clinic to field plenty of questions concerning pet eye problems on the daily. “Watchful waiting” is advised with some minor complaints, but never with eyes.

A non-vet pet owner cannot assess an eye problem’s severity, and a description over the phone just doesn’t cut it. In other words, when someone calls in and says their pet’s eye “looks funny,” it’s time for a trip to the vet.

Your vet may even direct you to a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist for immediate assessment if the emergency requires it.

Red, inflamed or swollen eyes? Each of these symptoms can be caused by different ailments.

1. Red Eye

The white of the eye should be pristine white, with the odd lazy blood vessel meandering across the surface. If you’re not sure what this looks like, check out your own eye in the mirror.

Red eyes are not normal.

Gently lift the upper eyelid to check, and you’ll see anything from a rosy pink to a livid red. As a rule of thumb, the angrier the eye looks, the more urgently it needs checking.

Causes of red-eye range from irritation and infection to a condition called glaucoma.

Glaucoma: Pressure builds within the eye, like blowing too much air into a balloon. The most common cause is a problem within the eye and is often breed-related (Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, terriers and northern breeds are at greatest risk). The pressure can damage the retina and cause blindness, so swift action is essential.

Conjunctivitis: Infection causes reddening of the eye. Sometimes the problem can be self-limiting, but — especially if there is a sticky yellow-green discharge, too — please see a vet.

2. Yellow-Green Discharge

It’s normal to have a white gloop in the corner of an eye first thing in the morning. Just wipe this away with a clean, damp cotton towel.

Also, rust-colored gloop is fine. This is a normal gloop that’s been exposed to the air for a while and oxidized (like when you cut an apple in half and it goes brown).

What isn’t normal is a thick, yellow-green discharge from one or both eyes. This is commonly a sign of infection.

Have the vet check the eye because some infections need antibiotics, while others can occur as a complication of another problem that needs attention.

3. Swollen Eye

If there’s something odd about your pet’s face, compare one eyelid with the other to see if one side is swollen. Eyelid swelling can be the result of an allergy, trauma, or infection. It’s best to seek vet attention because the eyeball needs checking to make sure it wasn’t damaged.

4. Dull Eye

Is the eye lackluster? A normal eye is bright, and you can see reflections on the surface— but sometimes the surface is dull and reflections aren’t clear, or those images are broken up or haphazard.

The most common reasons for this are either a dry eye or a corneal ulcer:

Dry eye: Our eyes are kept comfortable by the production of tear fluid. A pet with dry-eye fails to produce enough tear fluid, which leads to the surface drying out. One consequence is a dull surface, and another is the eye tries to protect itself by producing a thick, glue-like discharge. In the long term, scar tissue forms, impairing the vision.

Corneal ulcer: This is like a burst blister on the surface of the eye. In some cases, it heals on its own, but other times it can be dangerous and cause perforation of the eye.

5. Closed Eye

A closed eye is painful: Just think of the last time you had grit in your eye.

The pain might be due to a corneal ulcer, a knock to the eye, or a foreign body — anything from dust to grass particles or even a twig. When our pets are sniffing around, it’s not uncommon to get something lodged behind the eyelids.

Your vet will put drops of local anesthetic into the eye to get a better look and remove the object.

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5 Most Common Eye Emergencies (in Dogs)

Here, we go into more detail about some of the top ophthalmologic emergencies we see with dogs in general practice.

1. Corneal Ulcers

Corneal ulcers are the most common acute eye problems seen. (This goes for cats as well.) The cornea is the outer “skin” of the eye; an ulcer occurs if this layer has been damaged.

Corneal ulcers are often traumatic in origin, although certain diseases of the cornea can result in an ulcer. Trauma to the cornea can occur with a scratch from a bush, a stick or even another critter.

Treatment involves early diagnosis of the severity of the ulcer and the administration of appropriate eye medications.

More serious ulcers may require surgery, and frequent re-checks are needed to ensure the cornea is healing nicely. When a corneal ulcer goes from bad to worse, the cornea can actually rupture — this is a true emergency indeed.

2. Proptosis

Proptosis occurs when an eye literally bulges out of the socket and the eyelids entrap the globe. This occurs most frequently in brachycephalic breeds and is a true emergency.

Even with immediate care, the dog may lose the eye depending on the extent of trauma sustained by the extraocular muscles, nerves, and blood supply.

Many of these eyes can be replaced and vision saved in about 20% of dogs, but only if you act immediately.

3. Corneal Laceration

Corneal laceration occurs when there is a complete tear through the cornea. The most common offender from a cat claw.

A sharp object, like a stick, can also puncture the cornea. The dog is almost always holding the eye completely shut and is in significant pain. Again, immediate surgery may save the eye.

Get to the vet. There is a very small window of opportunity when it comes to repairing these eye injuries.

4. Lens Luxation

Lens luxation is over-represented in certain breeds like the Russell Terrier and other terriers. In these dogs, due to a genetic disorder, the lens can spontaneously luxate, or become dislocated. In other breeds, causes may vary — head trauma is one example. This is a difficult diagnosis and may require a visit to an ophthalmologist.

Compared with the normal eye, a lens luxation can look like a very dilated pupil or a blue or whitish eye. Removing the lens can save the eye and save the dog from pain and total blindness.

5. Acute Glaucoma

Acute glaucoma looks like a discolored, a “red” or an inflamed eye. There may be discharge and painful blinking (called blepharospasm).

Glaucoma occurs when, for whatever reason, the pressure in the eye elevates, leading to pain, secondary changes, and blindness. The condition is usually obvious in just one eye, but both eyes are at risk.

Again, this is over-represented in certain breeds like the Cocker Spaniel, Basset Hound, Shih Tzu, Great Dane, and northern breeds.
As with every other eye problem discussed here, acute glaucoma should be assessed and treated immediately. Both systemic (oral) and ophthalmic drugs are used. Get an opinion from a veterinary ophthalmologist to help you and your primary care vet manage the case.

Don’t mess around with the eyes. Ophthalmic problems need early diagnosis and treatment.

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DOG HEALTH

CAT HEALTH

Dealing With a Shedding Dog

Dog shedding can be frustrating for all of us, no matter how much we love our dogs. The mess of dog hair can be enough to drive dog owners nuts. All dogs shed to some degree, with the exception of completely hairless dogs. Certain breeds (so-called hypoallergenic dogs) shed very little, while others (namely heavily double-coated breeds) shed large amounts.

Year-Round Shedding

All animals with hair shed on a regular basis. This is part of the natural life cycle of hair shafts within the follicles. All hair shafts go through phases of growth and shedding. The phases affect the rate of hair growth and will vary by breed, age, hormones, environment and overall health of the dog. These factors also contribute to the length and texture of the hair, though genetics is the predominant factor.

Dogs with continuously growing hair, like Poodles and Yorkshire Terriers, have hair shafts with longer life spans and shed very little. On the other hand, dogs like Labradors and Huskies have a shorter hair shaft lifespan and more abundant undercoats, resulting in greater shedding.

Shedding Season

In general, most dogs will shed extra during spring and fall. Most dogs have two coats; they have undercoats and top coats. The top coat is what you see and feel on the outside. The undercoat is made up of secondary hairs that grow around the primary hairs and tend to be shorter and softer. Seasonal shedding occurs as a result of temperature change. This process is sometimes called "blowing coat." When the weather warms, dogs shed their old winter undercoats to make way for a lighter summer coat. Then, when it begins to get cool again, dogs shed their lighter undercoats and grow thicker, warmer coats for winter.

Not all coat types are affected the same way by temperature changes. For example, dogs like Bichons and Shih Tzus have less undercoat, so they shed less when seasons change. The old coat must still be removed by grooming the dogs. However, dogs like Newfoundlands and Malamutes have heavy, thick undercoats that make shedding much more obvious. Basic brushing is important for both coat types.

Other Reasons for Shedding

Your dog's health can affect the shedding rate, so it is important to take note of unexplained excessive shedding. Skin problems, endocrine diseases, nutritional or vitamin deficiencies, and other metabolic disorders can cause hair loss or change the rate of hair growth. It is important to contact your veterinarian if the rate of shedding seems unusual for your dog. Keep your dog healthy with routine vet visits and proper nutrition. Contact your vet immediately if you notice any signs of illness.

Get Control Over Shedding

There's no way to completely stop shedding. It's a healthy and natural process that is necessary for dogs. Shaving your dog down is not a good idea, as it can interfere with your dog's natural self-cooling and self-warming mechanism. In the long run, it will not make shedding occur any less. In rare cases, the hair in shaved areas will grow back abnormally or not at all. The key to preventing excessive shedding is to keep up with it with brushing.

Routine grooming is absolutely essential for all dogs. Brushing or combing your dog helps to remove dead hairs before they can fall on your carpet, bedding, and upholstery. It will also prevent those dead hairs from forming mats on your dog's coat that can eventually harm the skin. Brushing also distributes the natural, healthy oils produced by the skin throughout the hair coat. Using the right grooming tools can make a great difference. For heavy shedders, a special shedding tool like the FURminator can work wonders. For some coat types, the dead hairs don't shed as much, but they cause the dog's coat to appear ragged and can eventually become matted. Some owners prefer to take these dogs to a professional groomer periodically for coat care. For some coat types, hand-stripping is a technique that is often preferred over trimming the dog's hair.

Managing the Aftermath of Shedding in Your Home

Shedding makes a mess, no doubt about it. As a dog owner, you have probably come to terms with the fact that regular house cleaning is the norm, especially during shedding season. The key is to remove hair before it has a chance to embed itself into your carpet and upholstery. Keeping a pet hair tape roller around for touch-ups throughout the day is an excellent idea.

For a deeper cleaning of upholstery and small areas, consider using a handheld vacuum designed to pick up pet hair, like the Dyson DC31 Animal. When it comes to cleaning carpets, Panasonic's Pet-Friendly JetSpin Cyclone does the job well. For non-carpeted floors, some excellent options include the Swiffer, the Fur-Be-Gone Broom, and similar style products.

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