longlivepuppies.com
where dogs are always puppies!
Sun
videosbreedsinfodiseasesnames

- Bacterial

- Cancers

- Cardio/Circulatory

- Endocrine

Environmental

- Eyes

- Gastrointestinal

- Miscellaneous

- Nervous system

- Parasites

- Poisons/Overdoses

- Skeletal/Muscular

- Skin

- Viral

All Categories

Dog Health Directory
Dog Health...Lymphangiectasia

Dog Health
Lymphangiectasia

Lymphangiectasia is an intestinal disease of dogs characterized by chronic diarrhea and loss of proteins such as serum albumin and globulin. It is considered to be a chronic form of protein-losing enteropathy. Breeds commonly affected include the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, Norwegian Lundehund, Basenji, and Yorkshire Terrier.

Cause:
Biopsy of the small intestine shows dilation of the lacteals of the villi and distension of the lymphatic vessels. Reduced lymph flow leads to a malabsorption syndrome of the small intestine, especially of fat and fat-soluble vitamins. Rupture of the lymphatics causes protein loss into the intestines.

The most common cause of lymphangiectasia is congenital malformation of the lymphatics. Secondary lymphangiectasia may be caused by granulomas or cancer causing lymphatic obstruction, or increased central venous pressure (CVP) causing abnormal lymph drainage. Increased CVP can be caused by pericarditis or right-sided heart failure. Inflammatory bowel disease can also lead to inflammation of the lymphatics and lymphangiectasia through migration of inflammatory cells through the lymphatics.

Signs and Symptoms:
Chronic diarrhea is almost always seen with lymphangiectasia, but most other signs are linked to low blood protein levels (hypoproteinemia), which causes low oncotic pressure. These signs include ascites, pleural effusion, and edema of the limbs and trunk. Weight loss is seen with long-term disease.

Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is through biopsy. The presence of hypoproteinemia, decreased blood lymphocytes, and decreased cholesterol support the diagnosis. Hypocalcaemia (low calcium) is also seen due to poor absorption of vitamin D and calcium, and secondary to low protein binding of calcium. Medical ultrasonography may show striations in the intestinal mucosa indicating dilated lacteals.

Treatment:
Treatment is multifactorial. A diet very low in fat and high in high quality protein is essential. Treatment of humans can also involve the use of MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil and/or the drug Octreotide. In dogs, fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) should be supplemented. Corticosteroid treatment may be required for life. Antibiotics can be used to treat bacterial overgrowth. With a very low serum albumin, transfusion with blood plasma or an infusion of hetastarch may be necessary to treat the signs until the diet can take effect. Lymphangiectasia is rarely cured but can remain in remission for a long time. It can be fatal when unresponsive to treatment.

There is a potential cure for Intestinal Lymphagiectasia that is new and easy for a GI doctor to administer. All patients with this horrible disease should ask their doctors to investigate it. It is an argon laser treatment, used to burn the affected area and the tissue can grow back normally, potentially sealing the intestinal leaks and preventing the loss of proteins.

Commonly affected breeds:
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Norwegian Lundehund
Basenji
Yorkshire Terrier


from: wikipedia


The dog disease directory at Long Live Puppies is a list of diseases and other health conditions related to dogs and are continuously being updated with new definitions and improvements.

A happy and healthy pet contributes to your own health and happiness.

The articles here are constructed to help aide you in making informative decisions concerning your puppy and dog and your family. The intentions of these articles are to help give you choices on how to find your puppy, topics of discussions with family members before the decision to get a dog is set in stone, how to prepare your home for him, how to care for him throughout his life and how to spend quality, enjoyable time with him.

Any medical advice or health information should never take the place of your veterinarian. If your dog is not feeling well or there is something wrong, don’t wait! Make a doctor’s appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.

We welcome any suggestions to our articles.

Our contributors are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date quality information.


Complete Dog Disease Directory

Dog Gastrointestinal Diseases - Lymphangiectasia - Dog Health Issues Dog Health Lymphangiectasia Dog related information, articles and descriptive, educational videos
including related dog gastrointestinal diseases - lymphangiectasia - dog health issues videos when possible


puppy pages
video directory
dog breed directory
picture directory
dog articles
dog diseases
dog names
videos
video directory
puppy video wall
supercute puppy videos
Sophie & Vinny videos
recent video additions
pictures
mixed dog pictures
dog animations
dog drawings
dog toy pictures
articles
dog diseases
lyme disease
roundworms
lens luxation
dog barking part 2
dog buddy/rescue
about
terms/privacy
our mission
copywright (C) Nikolai, Inc.
contact us
sister sites
socialservicenetwork.com
socialservicenetwork.org

There are 265 guests online
Members Online: