Just like in humans, Diabetes Mellitus is relatively common in dogs.  The disease in dogs is most like Type 1 Diabetes seen in children, where there is a lack of insulin produced in the body.

In the absence of insulin, the body’s fat and protein are broken down instead, resulting in muscle wasting and weight loss, despite the animal being ravenously hungry.

Implicating factors in Diabetes include chronic pancreatitis.  This is a condition that results in the progressive destruction of the pancreas, usually associated with a high-fat diet and obesity. 

In clinic, we see a-lot more skin issues during Spring and Summer, however some animals have skin issues all year round.  We are lucky as residents in the northern suburbs, that we have many parklands and pet areas for our animals, but this also means exposure to more environmental issues.  This is evident, with a 30% increase in dogs presented with environmental allergies between 2008 & 2018. Contrary to what we have believed, 90% of skin issues are not caused by food allergies.

We regularly discuss the benefits of joint support in our animals.  This may be through high quality diets, surgical intervention, or medicinal support.  The dog stifle joint is not unlike the humans. We rely on this joint for ease of mobility and when in pain we seek advice.  This is the same way our dogs require treatment and support.

Healthy joints allow your dog to run and play without pain. Joints involved in motion are surrounded by lubricating synovial fluid and the ends of the bone are covered in elastic articular cartilage. These joint structures allow bones to glide over each other as your dog moves.  When this gliding action is not flowing with ease, the cartilage may be degrading causing inflammation, leading to arthritis.

Many of us personally know how painful arthritis can be, it is also a painful joint condition for dogs and cats.

Hip dysplasia is a deformity of the hip joint (coxofemoral joint) that occurs during an animal's growth period. Many large breed dog owners have heard of it, but the fact is that anyone owning a dog should become familiar with this condition.

In essence, the ball of the femur can’t fit properly into the hip socket. An affected dog may show absolutely no signs of this condition, whilst others may show severe signs.

PennHIP is a scientific method to evaluate a dog for its susceptibility to develop hip dysplasia. The radiographic procedure involves a special positioning of the dog so that the dog's "passive hip laxity" can be accurately measured. In simple terms, passive hip laxity refers to the degree of looseness of the hip ball in the hip socket when the dog's muscles are completely relaxed.

Research has shown that the degree of passive hip laxity is an important factor in determining susceptibility to develop Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) later in life. Radiographic evidence of hip DJD, also known as osteoarthritis, is the universally accepted confirmation of CHD.

Incidence
Mast cell tumours (MCT) in dogs are very common, accounting for approximately 20% of all skin tumours in dogs. For most dogs, the underlying cause promoting the development of the tumour is not known.

The Newest Treatment for Canine ACL Rupture. Rupture of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in the knee (stifle) is the most common Orthopaedic Injury in the dog.

The patella is the small ovoid shaped bone located at the front of the knee (stifle) joint. It is located within the tendon of the powerful quadriceps muscle and slides within a groove on the lower end of the femur, known as the femoral trochlea. Patella luxation occurs when the patella slips out of this groove.

Itchy skin is a common problem for many dogs. It can range from the occasional scratch through to severe, debilitating, generalized irritation and infection. Some dogs may have localized skin problems such as just the ears, paws or belly, while other animals may suffer from an all over itch.