More and more dogs and cats are living well into their senior years and just like elderly humans, pets can suffer from a kind of dementia called cognitive dysfunction syndrome, or CDS. CDS is a syndrome associated with brain aging. It leads to changes in a pet's responsiveness, learning, memory and can cause anxiety with age.

Anal Sacs (or Anal Glands) are two small glands located just inside your pet’s anus (bottom), at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions. Each of these glands has a tiny duct or tube, which has an opening into the rectum. The secretion that comes from these glands is very smelly, often brown in colour and is about the consistency of water or oil. Anal Glands serve no real purpose in domestic pets, just like your appendix, however in past times they were used primarily for territorial marking, as a defence mechanism (i.e. like a skunk) or as a form of communication.

Old age arthritis (or osteoarthritis) is very common in both humans and dogs, and can be regarded as the same disease. It is usually a result of the ongoing wear and tear and instability in the joints, although other factors such as injury, genetic makeup, infection, immune disease and cancer can also affect the progress of the disease. Commonly in dogs arthritis will affect the hips, shoulder, elbow, knee and spine.

An aural (ear) haematoma is a collection of blood similar to a large blood blister which results from a rupture of a blood vessel in the ear. The collection of blood usually occurs between the skin and cartilage on the inner side of the ear.

Feline Bronchial Disease is also known as feline asthma, allergic airway disease, chronic bronchitis, allergic bronchitis or feline chronic small airway disease. These terms all describe a condition where the airways in the lung tissue become inflamed. This may cause the airways to constrict, reducing airflow which causes a classic "asthma" attack in some cats. In other cats the airways become thickened and secrete large amounts of mucus which also restricts the movement of air in and out of the lungs.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

This is the most common blood test performed on pets and people. A CBC gives information on hydration status, anaemia, infection, the blood's clotting ability, and the ability of the immune system to respond. This test is essential for pets with fevers, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, pale gums, or loss of appetite. If your pet needs surgery, a CBC can detect some bleeding disorders or other unseen abnormalities.

Cancer is a disorder of cell growth (uncontrolled cell division) that results in an abnormal mass of tissue (tumor) without a purpose. The growth exceeds that of normal tissue, is un-coordinated and persists after the cause has gone. There are many different types of cancers.

What is cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy is a term used to describe diseases of the heart muscle. In cats, three classes of cardiomyopathy have been described: hypertrophic, dilated and restrictive cardiomyopathy. However, more commonly cats will have an intermediate form which can be a combination of the above forms. In all classes, the heart disease usually results in clinical signs of heart failure
and may be seen as a primary condition or secondary to other diseases.

The diagnosis of cancer is stressful for pet owners, and the prospect of chemotherapy treatments can be equally difficult. However, the fear that animals will spend most of their time sick from chemotherapy is unwarranted. Knowing how anti-cancer chemotherapy drugs work and what to expect from the treatments can help pet owners decide on whether such therapy is appropriate for their pets.

Diabetes Mellitus is a medical condition where there is an excessive amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. This is caused by a deficiency of the hormone insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas. Insulin helps the body to use glucose as an energy source. Diabetes Mellitus is an uncommon disease in cats. When it is seen, it is seen more frequently in overweight, middle aged to older cats, and more commonly in males than females. Brown burmese cats are more commonly affected than any other breeds.