Hematuria is the presence of red blood cells in the urine. It may be gross (visible to the naked eye) or microscopic. Possible causes of hematuria include: Bacterial infections of the urinary and genital tracts such as cystitis (bladder infection) or vaginitis Cancer of the urinary or genital ... more >>

Hematemesis is the act of vomiting blood. Hematemesis may involve the vomition of new or recent blood, which is bright red. It can also involve the vomition of old, partially digested blood, which has the appearance of brown coffee grounds. There are a variety of causes of vomiting blood and the ... more >>

Mammary gland swelling is a thickening, proliferation of tissue or a lump in the mammary glands (breasts) and in the surrounding tissue. The mammary glands are comprised of two rows of subcutaneous (under the skin) glandular tissue around each nipple and are located on either side of the animal's ... more >>

Tachypnea, also referred to as polypnea, is an increased rate of breathing. Tachypnea, unlike dyspnea (distressful feeling associated with labored breathing), need not be an indication of distress.Upper Respiratory Causes Diseases of the nostrils and sinuses (infection, narrowing, inflammation, ... more >>

Cyanosis is a bluish or purplish coloration imparted to the skin or mucous membranes due to excessive amounts of poorly oxygenated hemoglobin in the circulation. The causes include certain congenital heart diseases, various respiratory diseases, and exposure to certain chemicals that result in the ... more >>

Abnormal bruising and bleeding arises with disorders of hemostasis (clotting). Clotting abnormalities are also called coagulopathies, because they reflect the inability of the blood to coagulate or clot. Bleeding from clotting disturbances may occur into the skin, the mucous membranes, and various ... more >>

Deafness is the inability to hear and can be caused by either conduction or neurologic abnormalities. Conduction deafness is caused by abnormalities of the pinna (external ear), ear canal, tympanic membrane (eardrum), auditory ossicles or middle ear. Waxy debris occluding the ear canal, tympanic ... more >>

Coughing is a common protective reflex that clears secretions or foreign matter from the throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx), windpipe (trachea) or airways, and protects the lungs against aspiration. It affects the respiratory system by hindering the ability to breathe properly. Common causes ... more >>

Vomiting is the forceful ejection through the mouth of the contents of the stomach. Occasionally material from the duodenum of the small intestine also accompanies the stomach (gastric) contents. Chronic vomiting is characterized by persistent or recurrent vomiting for more than two weeks.An ... more >>

Diarrhea is defined as the rapid movement of fecal matter through the intestine resulting in poor absorption of water, nutrients and electrolytes. With diarrhea the stools (bowel movements) become loose or runny. Chronic diarrhea refers to diarrhea that persists for three or more weeks. ... more >>

A cloudy eye or increased opacity of the eye is associated with reduced transparency of either the cornea, the fluid media within the eye, or the lens. This change may be described as a "film" covering the eye or as an increased cloudy "whiteness" to the eye. Cloudiness of the ... more >>

Constipation is infrequent, incomplete, or difficult defecation with passage of hard or dry feces. Constipation is sometimes used interchangeably with obstipation, which is intractable constipation where defecation becomes impossible. It may cause great distress and pain.Causes Dietary ... more >>

A seizure or convulsion is a sudden excessive firing of nerves in the brain. It results in a series of involuntary contractions of the voluntary muscles, abnormal sensations, abnormal behaviors, or some combination of these events. A seizure can last from seconds to minutes.The severity of the ... more >>

Dehydration occurs when the total body water is less than normal. Usually it involves loss of both water and electrolytes, which are minerals such as sodium, chloride and potassium. During illness, dehydration may be caused by an inadequate fluid intake. Fever increases the loss of water.When there ... more >>

Lethargy is a state of drowsiness, inactivity, or indifference in which there are delayed responses to external stimuli such as auditory (sound), visual (sight), or tactile (touch) stimuli. Lethargy may also refer to the general malaise and decreased activity exhibited by animals that do not feel ... more >>

Acute vomiting and diarrhea are characterized by a sudden onset and short duration of less than two to three weeks. Acute vomiting, a reflex act that results in the forceful ejection of gastric (stomach) and/or duodenal (intestinal) contents through the mouth, and diarrhea, an increase in fecal ... more >>

Dysphagia is the medical term used to describe difficulty in swallowing. Dysphagia has many different causes, some of which are treatable and some are not. Diagnosing and treating the problem early can help increase the chances of a positive outcome.Dysphagia may be a mild problem in some animals, ... more >>

OverviewDyschezia is the medical term used to describe painful or difficult defecation. There are a variety of causes of dyschezia. Some pets have temporary dyschezia but in others, difficult defecation may represent a more severe illness. For this reason, dyschezia should not be ignored and should ... more >>

Obesity Ocular Discharge Ocular Pain Ocular Trauma Pain Panting Pollakiuria Polydipsia and Polyurea Polyphagia Preputial Discharge Pruritus Ptyalism Red Eye Regurgitation Scratching Scooting Seizure Skin Discharge or Odor Skin Growth, Lump or Swelling Skin Lesion or Sore Sneezing and Nasal ... more >>

Preputial discharge is any substance flowing from the prepuce, which is the fold of skin that covers the penis. Often, licking at the prepuce/penis accompanies the discharge, so we may use the terms interchangeably.General CausesPreputial discharge may consist of blood, urine or pus. The normal ... more >>

Ptyalism is the term used to describe excessive salivation or drooling. Ptyalism may be normal in certain animals. Other animals might have increased salivation associated with certain stimuli, for example the smell of food, excitement or hot and humid environment. However, when it is a sudden ... more >>

The term polydipsia refers to excessive thirst manifested by excessive water intake, which in turn usually leads to polyuria, which is the formation and excretion of a large volume of urine. Polydipsia and polyuria are early signs of several diseases, including: Kidney failure Diabetes mellitus ... more >>

Respiratory distress, often called dyspnea, is labored, difficult breathing or shortness of breath that can occur at any time during the breathing process, during inspiration (breathing in) or expiration (breathing out). When your cat has trouble breathing, he may not be able to get enough oxygen ... more >>

Dysuria is defined as difficult or painful urination. It is characterized by straining to urinate, frequent attempts at urination, and evidence of discomfort when urinating. Discomfort may be demonstrated by crying out during urination, excessive licking at the urogenital region or turning and ... more >>

Ear problems are one of the most common ailments afflicting cats. Whether due to infection, trauma, parasites or other diseases, ears can be trouble. Most often, the first signs of trouble is the presence of discharge from the ear.Sometimes, mild discharge is normal. Some cats tend to produce ... more >>