Doxycycline is a semi-synthetic antibiotic derived from oxytetracycline. As with all members of the tetracycline family, doxycycline is essentially bacteriostatic.

This means that rather than killing susceptible bacteria and certain other microbes, it inhibits bacterial growth by interfering with protein synthesis and thus microbial reproduction.

Doxycycline and other tetracyclines are effective against many species of microorganisms.

These include Chlamydia species that cause specific ailments in cats and dogs, Haemobartonella, Bartonella, and the rickettsiae, one of whose members causes Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Although bacteriostatic agents tend to work slightly slower than bactericidal drugs that actually kill bacteria, the time of response to treatment with doxycycline depends on the condition being treated.

For example, if patients are acutely lame with fever due to a rickettsial infection, many patients are better in 48 to 72 hours after commencing treatment with doxycycline.

Doxycycline also has anti-inflammatory properties that are separate from its antibiotic or antimicrobial properties, so it is possible for a cat or dog treated with doxycycline for lameness to improve without a specific infection present.

Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects of doxycycline in cats and dogs.

Administering this drug with food helps prevent or improve these adverse effects. Diarrhea is not uncommon, but occurs less than with other tetracyclines.

Since the tetracycline drugs can retard fetal development and discolor tooth enamel, doxycycline should be avoided in pregnant animals, nursing mothers, or puppies or kittens younger than six months of age, unless absolutely necessary.

Doxycycline, unlike other tetracyclines, appears safe to use in animals with renal problems.

Generally the drug is quite safe: reports of photosensitization, skin eruptions and liver toxicity are uncommon.

A

ABCESS- bacterial pus-filled pocket caused by bite, scratch, wound. Should be drained & on antibiotics to clear infection, fever.

ABRASION – scraped skin surface

ACTH – adrenal gland test – pituitary gland stimulates adrenal gland to product cortisone-like hormones

ACUPUNCTURE – ancient oriental system of medicine w/needles inserted into body areas to heal

ADDISON’S DISEASE – disease of fatigue, low blood pressure, affected by malfunction of adrenal gland

ADENOVIRUS – respiratory infection like a cold

ADHESION – abnormal sticking together of tissues, i.e. ruptured abscess; surgical procedure in abdomen or chest

ADRENAL GLAND – gland producing adrenaline & cortisone

ADRENALINE – epinephrine hormone produced in adrenal gland

ALOPECIA – loss of hair

ANAL GLAND – small glands on either side of rectum, fill w/fecal matter and when full are squeezed by fecal movement, scooting across floor. Infection or impaction occurs when sac cannot be drained naturally and must be surgical opened or removed.

ANEMIA – decrease in red blood cells

ANESTHESIA – isofluorane (aerrane) used at CAH-pet goes under fast and comes up fast- monitored throughout w/respiratory monitor.

ANGINA – pressure of suffocating, strangulation

ANOREXIA – loss of appetite

APNEA – temporary cessation of breathing

ARRHYTHMIA – abnormal heartbeat

ASCARIDS – round worms – live in intestines

ASPIRATE- draw out fluid from under skin, nasal, etc. in body; suction

ASPIRIN – Do NOT tell clients to give – only can be told by a vet

ASTHMA- difficult breathing, wheezing

ATAXIA – loss of muscle coordination

ATROPHY – shrinking of normal organ or tissue

AUTO-IMMUNE – unable to create immunity to disease

AVID MICROCHIP – tiny microchip implanted under skin to ID a pet if it is lost. Number scans on electronic scanner

B

BENIGN – mild, not cancerous

BILE – yellow fluid produced in liver – important to absorb fats, make the intestines alkaline

BILIRUBIN – pigment of bile – lab test determines function of liver

BLOOD PROFILE – blood chemistry to test function of organs, body parts and blood components. Includes glucose, total protein, calcium, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, chloride, kidney & liver functions, etc.

BORDETELLA – kennel cough

BRONCHITIS – inflammation of lining of lungs

C

CALICIVIRUS – feline respiratory disease- affects ulceration’s in mouth

CASTRATION – removal of testes in males

CAUTERY – apply heat to destroy or seal bleeding tissue

CERVICAL – pertaining to neck region

CHEMOTHERAPY – treatment of cancer with chemical drugs

CHLAMYDIA – feline respiratory disease

CHRONIC – long term disease, illness

COAGULATION TEST – time it takes for blood to clot

COCCIDIA – bacterial parasite found in stool

COLITIS- inflammation of large bowel (intestine)

CONGENITAL – present at birth

CONJUNCTIVITIS – thin membrane(film) over eye

CONTACT DERMATITIS – skin eruption, redness, inflamed skin

COOMBS TEST – test for allergic disease to own body

CORONA – intestinal virus of dogs. Symptoms – extreme vomiting & diarrhea

CROSS MATCH – test for compatibility for transfusion

CRYPTORCHID – testes not descended from abdominal cavity

CUSHING DISEASE – excessive cortisone output of adrenal gland due to adrenal gland malfunction

CYANOSIS – blue tinge of skin, mucous membranes by lack of oxygen

CYTOLOGY – study of cell structure and functions

D

DEBRIDE – cleaning wound, remove dead tissue

DECIDUOUS – baby teeth, canine tooth

DECLAW – removal of feline claws. CAH does only front paws

DEWCLAW – claw on side of paw

DEHYDRATION – drying out, loss of body fluid

DERMATITIS – inflammation of skin (eczma), i.e. skin allergies

DEXTROSE – sugar

DISC DISEASE – neuro disease causing pain; paralysis

DORSAL – back

DUODENUM – first part of the small intestine

DYSPEPSIA – disturbed digestion

DYSPNEA – heart or lung difficulty in breathing

DYSURIA – painful, difficult urination

E

ECTROPION – eyelid turns out

ECZMA – inflamed skin

EDEMA – fluid swelling of tissues

EEG – brain-wave activity test

EKG – heart activity test

EMBOLISM – obstruction of blood vessel

ENCEPHALITIS – inflammation on brain

ENTERITIS – inflammation of intestine

ENUCLEATION – removal of eyeball

EPIPHERA – chronic tearing of eyes

ERYTHEMA – redness of skin

EXCISE – to cut out

EXPECTORANT – softens bronchial distress

F

FELV – virus affecting white blood cells, causing cancerous tumors, lesions

FIBROIDS – tumor of uterus

FILARIASIS – threadlike worms

FIP – virus w/swollen abdomen, affects circulatory system, breathing & nervous system difficulty

FISSURE – break in skin

FLATULENCE – gas

FLORA – bacteria in intestine

FUSION – union, merging together

FVRCP – feline vaccine covering the following respiratory diseases a cat can get. (Rhinotracheitis, Caliccivirus, Paneleukopenia)

G

GRAND-MAL – severe seizure

G.I. – gastro intestinal

H

HEARTWORM – worms living in the heart, transmitted by mosquitoes

HEATSTROKE – serious reaction to exposure to extreme heat, high temp.

HEMATOMA – blood swelling in ear (cauliflower ear)

HEMATACRIT – percentage of red cells in whole blood

HEMATURIA – blood in urine

HEMOGLOBIN – coloring matter of red cells in blood

HEMOLYSIS – breakdown of red blood cells

HEMORRHAGE – bleeding

HEPATITIS – disease of the liver

HERNIA – protrusion of organ part through weak tissue of that organ

HOOKWORM – parasites of the intestines; they suck blood off intestinal walls

HYPERPLASIA – overgrowth of organ or tissue

HYPERTENSION – high blood pressure (opposite – Hypo)

HYPERTHYROIDISM – overactivity of thyroid gland

HYPODERMIC – under the skin

HYPOGLYCEMIA – low blood sugar

HYPOTENSION – low blood pressure

I, J, K

IAD -inhalant allergy disease

ICTERUS – jaundice

IDIOPATHIC – unknown causes

ILEITIS – inflamed ileum (small intestine)

IMPACTED – lodged in place

INCISORS – cutting teeth

INCONTINENCE – cannot restrain feces or urine

IRRIGATION – washing out

KERATITIS – inflamed cornea

L

LACERATION – wound, tearing of tissue

LACRIMAL – tears

LAPAROTOMY – opening abdomen

LARYNGECTOMY – surgical removal of larynx

LARYNGOSCOPE – endoscope on throat

LAVAGE – wash out stomach

LEPTOSPIROSIS – canine virus causing jaundice

LESION- scratch, abscess, injury altering tissues

LEUKEMIA – feline cancer of the blood by increased WBC(white cells)

LEUKOCYTES – white blood cells

LIGATE – tie up

LIPOMA – fatty tumor

LUMBAR – mid spine

LYME DISEASE – joint disease caused by tick bite

LYMPHOMA – lymph gland cancer

M, N

MALAISE – listless, depression

MALIGNANT – life threatening ; cancerous

MASTITIS – inflamed breasts

MELANOMA – dark color mole

METASTASIS – spread of the disease; cancerous

MYELITIS – inflammation of spinal cord

MYOCARDITIS – inflammation of heart muscle

NARES – nostrils

NECROPSY – autopsy

NECROSIS – death to a portion of a tissue

NEOPLASM – abnormal new growth

NEPHRITIS – inflammation of kidney

NEURALGIA – nerve pain

NEURITIS – inflammation of nerve

O

OCCLUSION – close or shut off blood vessel, meeting of upper & lower teeth

OCCULT – hidden, not seen

OCULAR – pertaining to eye

ONCOLOGY – study of tumors

OPHTHALMIC – pertaining to eye

OPIATES – narcotics

ORTHOPEDIC – bones, joints, muscles, tendons

OSTEITIS – inflammation of bones

OSTEOCONDRITIS – inflammation of bones & cartilage

OTIS – inflammation of ear

P

PALPATION – feeling or manipulation of a particular area of body

PAPILLA -pimple

PARESIS – slight paralysis

PARVO – contagious canine virus causing severe bloody diarrhea & vomiting

PERIODONTAL – inflammation of gums

PLEURA – membrane of the lung

POLYPHAGIA – excessive eating

POLYDIPSIA – excessive thirst

POLYURIA – excessive urination

POST PARTUM – post birth

PRURITIS – severe itching/scratching

PYODERMA – skin infection with pustules

Q, R

RABIES – fatal zoonotic disease

RENAL CARE – kidney care

RHINITIS – inflamed nasal area

RHINOTRACHEITIS – feline virus like a cold ; respiratory/nasal area

RINGWORM – fungal skin disease

RODENT ULCER – skin disease of cats – recurrent

ROUNDWORM – intestinal parasites

S

SEBACEOUS – benign cyst

SEBORRHEA – dandruff, acne, skin disorder

SEPTICEMIA – generalized internal infection

SHOCK – loss of blood volume causing severe weakness

SPONDYLITIS – inflammation of vertebrae

STASIS – stagnation

STENOSIS – constriction, narrowing

SUB Q (SUBCUTANEOUS) – beneath the skin

SYNCOPE – fainting

T, U, V

TACHYCARDIA – rapid heartbeat

THORAX – chest

THROMBOSIS – clot in a blood vessel

TOXIN – poisonous substance in cells

TYLENOL – DO NOT GIVE TO PETS – is poisonous to pets

ULTRASOUND – sound waves(echoes) to locate organs, tumors, and enlargements by instrument

URINALYSIS – test performed on urine sample to detect blood, infection, glucose, etc.

VASCULAR – pertaining to blood vessels

VENTRAL – bellyside

VESTIBULAR – part of the ear allowing balance/coordination

VISCID – sticky, thick

W, X, Y, Z

WBC – white blood cell count

WHIPWORM- intestinal parasites

WOOD’S LIGHT (LAMP) – device to check for ringworm

XANTHOSIS – yellow skin

ZOONOSES – diseases of animals transmitted to humans

Cookies, cakes, candies. Five, ten, fifteen pounds. If this sounds like your holiday season, you may be thinking of lacing up those running shoes or dusting off that bike seat as a New Year’s commitment to exercise more.

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) asks that you also start your pet on an exercise routine.

Dogs, and even cats, need exercise too; and there’s no better time for both of you to start than now.

Many dogs are weekend athletes. After a long week, it’s their chance to get out and burn off energy.

Because of their enthusiasm, many of the popular breeds such as Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, will overdo it.

Unfortunately, veterinarians find that weekend warriors suffer more orthopedic injuries.”The most common athletic injury is the rupture of ligaments in the knee joints, similar to what skiers and basketball players experience,” says Columbia Animal Hospital veterinarian, Dr. David Tayman.

“This is caused by sudden twists or sharp change in direction often from playing Frisbee or catch.”

“Field trial dogs, like Black Labs, Yellow Labs, and Golden Retrievers, usually have a lot of energy and big attitudes,” says Dr. Tayman. “Plus, some of these dogs have degenerative joint disease such as hip dysplasia and elbow problems.

Too much exercise too young may contribute to arthritis.”

Dr. Tayman advises owners to be more careful with animals that have more drive and will.

Avoid the type of activity that encourages turning abruptly and landing; and offer more opportunities to walk, run, or even swim.

The Columbia Animal Hospital staff recommends starting younger and middle-aged dogs on a moderate program of walking 10 to 15 minutes once or twice a day, and stepping it up to one hour a day as time permits.

If you’re too busy to walk your dog every day, hire a high school student, a 4-H member, a pet-sitter, or senior volunteer to do it for you.

“Running is good exercise too, but its hard on the animals who run five miles on concrete,” says Dr. Tayman. “Take your dog on a hiking trail or other soft surface to run.”

And remember not to overdo it in the beginning. A novice runner wouldn’t run five miles the first day out. So don’t expect that of your pet.

If you’re starting an exercise program for an older dog, consider having him examined by a veterinarian first.

Your pet’s doctor will look at his health history, listen to his heart, check for weight gain, and possibly do blood work.

Toy dogs, like Maltese and Chihuahuas, that usually don’t go for strenuous activity can be trained to be outdoor dogs, said Dr. Tayman.

An there may be hope for that fat cat who just sits on your lap.

Try changing the cat’s diet to one that’s calorie restricted, and introduce some physical activity such as playing with string or chasing the cat up stairs.

Weight problems often go hand-in-hand with inactive lifestyles.

Carrying a heavier load can increase the likelihood of tearing ligaments and wearing down joints. When that happens, an animal won’t want to exercise which further adds to the weight problem.

This is especially a problem with older dogs.

Dr. Tayman suggests starting an overweight dog on a 15-minute walk once a day and decrease the amount of food.

Diet is important so don’t feed table scraps and extras.

Your pet doesn’t have to eat a lot of holiday treats to begin an exercise program.

So start the year off right with an exercise routine that will make the year healthier and brighter for both of you.

Dogs and humans are susceptible to a variety of water-borne parasites.

Luckily for dogs, most of these parasites cannot readily invade a dog’s body unless it eats an aquatic animal.

When a dog eats a fish, frog, or crustacean such as a crayfish, the parasites within that animal invade the dog’s intestines, lungs, or tissue under the skin.

One example of a parasitic worm is the Dracunculus insignis, a roundworm that is carried by raccoons and other wild mammals and readily infects domestic dogs.

Dracunculus’ life cycle begins when an adult female living in the skin tissue of a raccoon, dog, or other mammal, senses that its host’s skin is wet. At this point, the Dracunculus pushes through the animal’s skin and releases larvae into the water.

When all of the larvae are released, the female dies inside the mammal’s skin.

Once in the water, the larvae are eaten by a tiny shrimplike animal called a copepod. Your dog can become infected when he or she drinks water containing these larvae-bearing copepods.

The ingested larvae mature and eventually make their way to the tissue beneath your dog’s skin.

The common symptom of Dracunculus infection is an ulcerous wound on the dog’s skin that is created when the female pushes through the skin to release the larvae.

These wounds can become infected, but the infection can be cleared up by means of the surgical removal of the adult female worm.

Another parasite known as the flatworm, which includes flukes and tapeworms, can also infect your dog when it ingests aquatic animals. Some common flukes that can infect North American dogs are:

1. Paragonimus kellicotti – These flukes are passed to dogs when the eat crayfish. Once ingested, Paragonimus make their way from your dog’s stomach to its lung tissue, where the worms lay eggs. The eggs move up the dog’s respiratory passages and are swallowed; eventually they are passed through feces. Having just a few of these flukes flukes will not bother a dog. However, a heavy infestation can cause chronic coughing or gagging and a loss of body weight.

2. Nanophyetus salmincola – This fluke, common to the Pacific Northwest, causes “salmon poisoning” in dogs. Dogs contract this disease from eating salmon that carry Nanophyetus larvae. This type of fluke, which live in the intestines, do not cause any sickness. But a bacterium called Neorickettsia helminthoeca, which lives inside the fluke, causes salmon poisoning. Symptoms of salmon poisoning include high fever, appetite loss, or depression.

3. Alaria is an intestinal fluke that can infect dogs. Alaria create few, if any, clinical signs unless there is a heavy infection. Dogs contract this parasite when they eat any number of aquatic animals, such as frogs, tadpoles, or snakes.

4. Most tapeworms usually infect dogs when they ingest fleas or nonaquatic animals. But in the case of the tapeworm Diphyllobothrium latum, your dog becomes infected by eating a fish that is infected with larval tapeworms.

Diphyllobothrium adults can grow up to 30 feet in length.

Their eggs are released into water through the feces of an infected dog, fox, mink, or even bear.

The eggs are ingested by copepods, which are eaten by small fish. Diphyllobothrium larvae live within the muscles of fish and are passed up the food chain from fish to fish until they are eaten by a mammal, where they mature in the digestive system and lay eggs that are passed through the feces.

Drug therapy is the most common treatment used by veterinarians to control worm and fluke infections. The most popular drug for tapeworms and flukes is Praziquantel, marketed as Droncit by Bayer Corp.

It is possible for a dog to drink pond, lake, or stream water and also swallow the infective stages of two protozoan species: Giardia or Cryptosporidium parvum.

Information on the frequency of these infections in dogs is unclear.

Dogs usually become infected by eating something contaminated by feces from an infected animal.

Dogs may become infected and show no clinical signs or may only have diarrhea.

Drugs such as Flagyl (metronidazole) or Panacur (fenbendazole) can be used to treat Giardia infections.

There are currently no drugs approved for treating Cryptosporidium infections in dogs.