Any abnormal change in your pet’s eating habits should never be ignored. The medical term for a loss in appetite is called anorexia (not to be confused with the human eating disorder called anorexia nervosa). It can be normal for a picky cat or dog to skip a meal or two so long as they are acting normally otherwise. If the change in appetite is sudden or accompanied by other clinical signs, this can indicate a medical problem.
Xylitol is a sugar substitute that is found in everything from chewing gum to peanut butter to ice cream to toothpaste. It’s often listed under other names, including birch sugar, birch extract, or wood sugar. While considered safe for humans, xylitol is highly poisonous to dogs. If a dog consumes xylitol, blood sugar can drop dangerously low, resulting in seizures, liver failure, and even death.
Dogs shake for a variety of reasons, some of which indicate a physical or emotional state of being, and some of which indicate a veterinary emergency. Shaking or shivering should not be confused with seizures, which are sudden neurological events that cause involuntary muscle movements and may result in your dog becoming unresponsive.
Named after Thomas Addison, the Scottish physician who first described the disease in humans, Addison’s disease (more correctly known as hypoadrenocorticism) occurs when there is an underproduction of the steroid hormones by the adrenal glands. The most common cause of canine hypoadrenocorticism is the destruction of the adrenal glands by the pet’s own immune system, although adrenal gland tumors or certain medications can also result in steroid hormone deficiency. Hypoadrenocorticism is extremely rare in cats and is less well characterized than the disease is in dogs.
In a normal dog or cat, the two major steroid hormones produced by the adrenal gland are cortisol and aldosterone. Cortisol is a stress hormone that regulates metabolism and the production of glucose. A deficiency in cortisol can result in low blood sugar. The hormone aldosterone regulates the body’s electrolytes, specifically the levels of potassium and sodium in the blood, both of which are important for normal nerve and muscle function. Aldosterone deficiency causes potassium to build up in the blood which, in severe cases, can lead to an irregular heartbeat or stop the heart entirely. The atypical form of hypoadrenocorticism occurs when there is only a deficiency in cortisol while aldosterone levels remain normal.
Zoonotic diseases or zoonoses are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. Zoonoses are caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. These microbes spread between animals and people in the following ways:
Direct contact – spread directly through immediate contact with an infected animal, including its saliva, blood, urine, mucus, and feces. Infections can spread through a direct touch, bite, or scratch.
Indirect contact – spread indirectly through contact with contaminated areas or objects, such as soil infected by an animal’s feces or a pet’s food dish contaminated by bacteria.
Vector-borne – spread through a “middleman” that carries the disease from animals to people. Common vectors that spread disease between people and pets include fleas, ticks, and mosquitos.
Foodborne – spread through eating contaminated food, such as raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurized milk, or fresh produce contaminated by the feces of an infected animal. Either pet food or human food can be contaminated and cause illness.
Waterborne – spread through drinking or direct contact with water contaminated by the urine or feces of an infected animal.
It is possible for an animal to be infected with a microorganism and show no signs of illness. However, the animal will still be able to pass along the microorganism to people and cause illness or vice versa.
