Archives: Conditions

Fitzpatrick Referrals is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy and research, and has published data showing the efficacy of stem cells and platelet rich plasma in improving lameness, pain and quality of life in dogs with osteoarthritis.

A brain tumour is a form of cancer affecting the covering of the brain tissue or the brain itself.

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a malignant tumour of bone and it is the most common bone tumour found in dogs. It mostly affects the limbs (appendicular skeleton) but it can also develop in the skull, spine and the ribs (axial skeleton).

What is total hip replacement? Total hip replacement (THR) is reserved for animals that have painful conditions of the hip joint that have proved unresponsive to conventional surgical techniques or conservative management using pain relief and rehabilitation.

Total elbow replacement (TER) is reserved for animals that have painful conditions of the elbow joint that have proved unresponsive to conventional surgical techniques or conservative management using pain relief and rehabilitation.

What is canine degenerative myelopathy? Canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) is characterised by a non-painful progressive hind limb paralysis in older dogs. Canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) was previously known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy (CDRM) and is a progressive degenerative spinal cord disease.

Fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE) is a sudden onset spinal cord injury as a result of a sudden blockage of a vessels blood supply to an area of the spinal cord. Fibrocartilaginous emboli are believed to be associated with intervertebral discs.

Neuromuscular disease is a wide range of diseases that affect the peripheral nervous system i.e. affects motor and sensory nerves that connect brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. They can occur at any point along the peripheral nervous system i.e. peripheral nerve (causing neuropathies), neuromuscular junction (causing junctionopathies) or the muscle itself (causing myopathies).

What is feline orofacial pain syndrome (FOPS)? Feline orofacial pain syndrome is a disease characterised by face and tongue mutilation and other behavioural signs suggesting oral and facial discomfort (for example exaggerated licking and chewing movements). The apparent discomfort and/or mutilation are disproportionate to any possible causes for the pain (for example teething).

What is epilepsy? Seizures are the physical manifestation of uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain and are the most common neurological problem in canines and felines. They can be very distressing and cause anxiety for you and your pet.

Chiari-like malformation alters the flow of cerebrospinal fluid between the skull and spinal column resulting in a collection of fluid pockets (singular: syrinx, plural: syringes) within the spinal cord. Descriptively known as syringomyelia (Sih-rin-go-my-ee-lee-a).

Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia are complex conditions that affect the brain and spinal cord in dogs, and may be found in some brachycephalic (‘short-faced’) feline breeds e.g. Persians.

MUA is a group of autoimmune conditions where the body’s immune system attacks the nervous system for an unknown reason.

Inflammation of the brain and its lining is called ‘meningoencephalitis’. MUA is a term for a group of inflammatory brain conditions that can affect dogs of any age, sex and breed; although small breed, female, young to middle-aged dogs are more typically affected.