AcuMed Veterinary Specialty - Mengio-encephalitis in Miniature Pinscher.

  Ira, a 3 month old Miniature Pinscher pup suffered from an onset of Parvo viral gastroenteritis. Parvo virus affects the Gastro-intestinal tract causing diarrhoea,  Haematochezia (loss of blood in stools) and vomition.

 Ira was brought in to the clinic for an episode of Parvo viral gastro enteritis. While she was recovering from that she developed a rare complication , she was suspected to suffer from meningio-encephalitis ( inflammation of Brain & Meninges) and with severe cranial nerve deficits. She also started to show vestibular ataxia (disorder of balance system) and signs of increased intracranial pressure – Head-pressing.

Her clinical signs included disorientation which later progressed to uncontrolled circling towards one side and it worsened to head-pressing later. Miniature Pinschers are genetically prone to disorders of pressure in the brain due to their skull anatomy . The possibility of her having an MRI scan was ruled out due to her clinical signs and risk of injectable anaesthetics. We had a tentative diagnosis of Meningio-encephalitis with increased intra-cranial pressure and started treating her for the same with aggressive medical therapy.  

She started to show a gradual recovery and slowly her circling stopped and she started walking in a straight line. She was still disoriented a bit. That too went away in a weeks time. She fully recovered by the end of 3 weeks and all her Brain functions were restored back to normalcy. Posting a video of her pre and post treatment.

AcuMed Veterinary Specialty - World Cancer Day - Cancer in Pets.

On account of World Cancer Day.  Our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/acumedvets co-author Dr.Deepti Deshpande spreads awareness amongst pet parents too.
Sharing her article here for our blog readers.

Every year the 4th of February is celebrated as World Cancer Day. The focus for 2013 world cancer day is “Dispel damaging myths and misconceptions about cancer.” Since cancer has become a growing concern in the pets world here is an attempt to spread more awareness about it.
Cancer has become a very common “disease” in pets and is one of the most feared by pet parents. It however doesn’t always mean a “bad news”. Cancer is defined as an abnormal growth of cells in the body and is of different types. The kind of cancer depends on the location of the tumour, the tissues/organs involved and the presence or absence of spreads (metastasis) in different body parts. Different types of cancer have different treatments, some of which can even cure your pet. As with human medicine various treatment options such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy etc are now available in veterinary medicine. These therapies may be used as a sole therapy or in combination depending on the kind of cancer.
Cancer therapy has always petrified pet parents. One of the most common questions by pet parents is “will my pet suffer during the cancer therapy?” It has been observed that pets tolerate cancer therapy better than humans. These pets certainly get some side effects due to cancer therapy such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, low white blood cell count and thus increased risk of infection. Dogs and cats generally don’t lose hair as human. Cats however may lose their whiskers. Special diets help pets recuperate sooner. An important aspect of reducing suffering in cancer patients is pain management. With all the advances in medicine this is no more a challenge. Alternative therapies including acupuncture can be used extensively for pain management. Side effects of cancer therapy such as nausea, vomiting can be successfully reduced with acupuncture.
Unlike in humans, cancer therapy is less aggressive in animals and the primary goal of veterinary oncology is to provide a good quality of life to pets. We thus try to balance effective treatment and maintain a good quality of life for your pet.
Cancer has always been considered a disease of old age. However this is only partially true. It is common in older pets but can also occur in younger animals. Cancer may have a genetic component and hence it is essential to know the family history of your pet. Knowing the disease predilection towards the breed of your pet makes you vigilant and aids in early detection of the disease. There is no proven way to prevent cancer but reducing exposure to certain carcinogens such as chemicals, radiations, pesticides, herbicides, Ultraviolet rays etc is essential. The treatment success of cancer therapy depends primarily on early detection and treatment. Annual wellness exams, scheduled checkups after detection of cancer and following your vets advice regarding any necessary screening tests is crucial.
Just like any disease, a healthy diet, regular exercise and lot of love and care is the recipe for a healthy life!