Download Discuss the ways that disease processes affect major body systems

Discuss the ways that disease
processes affect major body systems
Objective 5.02
Basic Infectious diseases of dogs- group of
diseases caused by pathogenic
microorganisms
• Canine distemper- caused by inhalation of
airborne virus. Symptoms: early vomiting and
diarrhea, later tremor-epileptic fits
• Canine parvovirus infection- viral contact of
materials contaminated with feces of infected
dogs (affects mostly young pups). Symptoms:
vomiting, bloody diarrhea, refusal to eat
• Kennel cough (tracheobronchitis)- respiratory
disease contracted in confinement (pet shops,
dog shows, kennels, etc). Symptom: cough
Infectious dog diseases
• Rabies- viral disease that attacks the
central nervous system
– All warm-blooded animals can transmit
rabies
– Symptoms occur 2 weeks to 3 months after
bite. Severe can be within 10 days.
– “Furious” rabies- animal may act strange then wander
off, attack and bite anything in its path, commonly seen
frothing at the mouth
– “Dumb” rabies- no wandering but paralysis of lower jaw,
followed by paralysis of body and death
Infectious dog diseases
• Canine Brucellosis- bacterial disease
spread through breeding. In females,
causes abortion, failure to whelp, and
enlargement of the lymph nodes. In
males, causes swelling of the scrotum and
testicles
• Salmonellosis- bacterial disease spread by
ingestion of food contaminated with feces
•
Basic noninfectious diseases of
dogs
• Heart disease- 2 types: congenital (birth) and
contracted. Most common symptoms are
coughing at night during sleep, coughing during
exercise, open mouth breathing at rest, etc
• Cataracts- cause cloudy, white opacity of lens.
Can be hereditary or not, can cause blindness
• Arthritis- degenerative joint disease that causes
pain, lameness, and stiffness in the joints. Large,
old, and obese dogs are more prone to the
disease
Basic fungal diseases of dogs
• Ringworm- most common fungal disease.
Symptoms begin as broken hairs around
the face, ears, or feet. Reddened and
scaly skin develop, followed by crusting
and scaling in severe cases
• Blastomycosis- inhaling infected spores of
soil enriched with bird or bat droppings.
Symptoms are coughing, rapid breathing,
pneumonia and fever
Internal parasites of dogs
• Ascarids or Roundworms that may grow to 8” in
length when mature
– Affect mainly puppies and deprive them of
nutrients
– Live in the small intestines of dogs less than 6
months old
– Transmitted by female dogs to puppies
– Severe infestation in puppies will cause them to
have a pot-bellied appearance
– Danger to children
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Internal parasites of dogs
• Hookworms are blood sucking parasites that
attach to the small intestine, causing small
spots of bleeding
– Adult worms are about 1” long and attach to the
small intestine where they digest a plug of tissue
– Heavy infestations can cause severe loss of blood
into the intestine and anemia
– Affect older dogs as well as puppies
Internal parasites of dogs
• Whipworms are broad at one end and narrow at the other.
They use the narrow end to attach to the cecum and lower
digestive tract
– Adults are about 2 ½” long and produce “shell” protected eggs
that may live in the soil for years
– Produce watery feces and may result in dehydration and death if
untreated
• Tapeworms Usually the largest worms affecting dogs,
reaching 1” or more in length and most depend on a host
such as a flea or wild rabbit to develop
– Flat and segmented worms that live in the small intestine
– Shed terminal segments in feces
– Not harmful for dogs but may cause serious injury to humans
Internal parasites of dogs
• Heartworms are thin worms that grow
to a length of 14” and live in the major
artery carrying blood from the heart to
the lungs
– Serious threat to dogs causing major injury
to vital organs
– Symptoms may include frequent coughing, labored
breathing, and fainting in severe cases
– Transmitted by mosquitoes
– Prevention is preferred to treatment and if treatment
is to be successful, it must occur early in the
infestation
Infectious diseases of cats
• Feline panleukopenia- cat distemper caused by a
parvovirus or DNA virus. This primarily affects cats
younger than sixteen weeks of age and has a 75%
death rate. It is spread by direct contact but also from
infected food and water dishes, bedding, and litter
boxes. Symptoms: depression, loss of appetite, high
fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration
• Feline herpes virus (FHV) –A respiratory virus s
infection that is a DNA virus. Shed in the discharges
from the nose, eyes, and throat, and transmitted by
direct contact. Symptoms: depression, sneezing and
coughing, severe eye and nasal discharges with an
increase in temperature, and mouth ulcers. Cats
become carriers of the virus, but vaccines are available
Infectious diseases of cats
• Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)- A disease
caused by a corona virus that leads to organ
failure. Coronavirus infections are more
common in domestic cats, but few actually
show signs of the disease. Symptoms: fever,
refusal to eat, depression, and weight loss
• Feline Enteric Coronavirus- caused by ingestion
of contaminated feces in kittens between four
and twelve weeks of age. Spread by the
ingestion of contaminated feces. Symptoms:
low grade fever, vomiting, soft or watery
diarrhea, blood in the feces and dehydration
Noninfectious diseases of cats
• Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS)- a feline urinary tract
disease also referred to as Feline Lower Urinary Tract
Disease (FLUTD). May range from mild inflammation
to blockage of the urethra, uremic poisoning and
death
– FUS may be caused by:
• Improper diet (where cats are fed high levels of magnesium
and phosphorus)
• Low water intake that causes concentrations of various salts
in the urine
• Possibly a virus
• Wet eye- excessive tear production or blockage of
drainage canals causing the tears to overflow at the
inner corner of the eyes
Internal parasites of cats
• Toxoplasmosis- Disease caused by infection with a
single-celled protozoan parasite Toxoplasm gondii.
Contracted from eating raw meat or contaminated
feces. Fever, jaundice, and difficulty moving may
result. There is no vaccination and humans can
become infected by handling cat litter boxes
(Pregnant women should not handle cat litter
boxes due to risk to unborn fetus).
• Ascarids- (Toxocara cati)- Ascarids from ingesting
eggs passed in feces of an infected animal or in the
case of kittens from the milk of the infected
mother cat. Severe cases may cause pot-bellied
appearance (distended abdomen) and an unthrifty
cat
Internal parasites of cats
• Hookworm- (Ancylostoma tubaeforme)Infection occurs when larvae is ingested from
contaminated food or water, or when larvae
penetrates the skin
• Tapeworm- (Dipylidium caninum)- Tapeworms
require a host other than the cat for
development. Dipylidium caninum must be
hosted by fleas and Tania taeniaeformis may
be hosted by rats and mice. Neither type
causes major harm
External parasites of small animals
• Fleas are brown, blood sucking insects of small size
that move rapidly over the skin
– Fleas may develop from eggs to adult in as little as 16 days.
– Cat fleas and dog fleas infest dogs and may first be
detected in the groin and rump area of the animal
– Cause irritation and extreme itching, but may be controlled
with powders, dips, shampoos, collars, oral insecticides,
foggers and sprays
• Ticks are blood sucking arthropods of the skin
– There are two main families of ticks: hard and soft
– Hard tick concerns: brown dog tick can survive indoors and
American dog tick lives in grass and on shrubs
– Soft tick is the Spirose Ear tick: the larvae and nymph stage
live in and cause irritation to the outer ear canal
External parasites of small
animals
• Lice are wingless insects that may bite or suck blood from the host
– Not common on dogs, but if infestation occurs, the dog will experience
severe hair loss from scratching and rubbing
– Two treatments 12 days apart with dips, dusts, or spray can control
• Mites are tiny, egg legged arachnids. Five species cause the most
problems for dogs
– Demodectic mites do not usually cause problems, but a severe infestation
may result in hair loss, reddening of skin, and encrusting either in spots or
over the entire body of the dog
– Two types of Sarcoptic mites burrow within the outer layer of skin, are
highly contagious, and result in mange or scabies which cause the animal
intense irritation and itching that may result in the dog injuring itself as it
tries to scratch, chew or rub the skin
– Ear mites are highly contagious and are found in the outer ear canal and
other areas of dogs. They are a common problem with infected animals
shaking their head. Flea products are effective in treatment as well as ear
drops
– Cheyletiella mites are contagious and cause a condition known as “walking
dandruff.” Severe scaling on the back may occur, but itching is not as
severe as with other mite infestations
External parasites of small animals
• Chiggers are orange-red larvae stages of
Trombicula mites that cause an itchy, red rash
on the belly, face and legs
– Picked up from underbrush
– Remain on the skin for a short time and usually do
not require treatment other than something to
stop the itching
Poisons affecting small animals
• Insecticides may cause poisoning if ingested in sufficient
amounts
– Organophosphates and carbamate compounds are the main source of
insecticidal poisoning
– Boric acid from roach bait and arsenic from ant traps can also poison
animals
– Plants such as pilodendron, dieffenbachia, pothos, and caladium
contain insoluble calcium oxadate crystals that cause irritation to the
mouth and intestinal tract. Other plants like poinsettia, Japanese yew,
azalea, and flower bulbs may also cause mild intestinal upset
– Household chemicals or cleaners containing ammonia, bleach,
borates, hydroxides, pine oil, and phenol can cause sickness if pets
ingest them
– Rodenticides such as strychaine and warfarin can cause internal
bleeding and death if ingested in sufficient quantities
– Glyphosphate herbicides and arsenic-based weed killers can poison
pets
– Antifreeze is a common source of poisoning because it has a sugary
taste that animals readily ingest if the opportunity presents itself
Rabbit diseases
• Enteritis
– Description: Intestinal tract inflammation that is
probably the most common cause of death in rabbits.
Stress, unsanitary conditions, and high energy feeds
all contribute to the disease. Symptoms: sick animals
will have diarrhea stained with blood. Animals will
stop eating, but drink lots of water and grind their
teeth. There is almost 100% mortality rate.
– Prevention is best accomplished through proper
environment, sanitary conditions, feeding rations that
are high in fiber and lower in energy, and control of
rodents and birds that may carry the disease
– Treatment when applicable is through broad spectrum
antibiotics
Rabbit diseases
• Snuffles
– Description- The disease is aggravated by stressful conditions such as poor
sanitation, poor ventilation, changing temperatures, shipping or show conditions.
Symptoms: persistent sneezing with a white colored nasal discharge. Prevention
and treatment: Reduce stress through proper environment
• Mastitis
– Description: Inflammation of mammary tissue; also called caked breast.
Mastitis may cause nursing problems. Nursing baby rabbits may bite the
nipples when they are unable to nurse, and nursing mothers may refuse to
nurse the young. Prevention and treatment: Treat by removing
concentrates from the diet for 72 hours. When widespread cases in the
rabbitry exist, clean and disinfect all nesting boxes
• Wry neck
– Description: Condition caused by inflammation of the inner ear. Head
tilted to the side is the most common symptom. Often found where
snuffles is also present
– Prevention and treatment: Best accomplished by controlling upper
respiratory diseases in the rabbitry
Rabbit Diseases
• Fur chewing
– Description: pulling of fur from itself or other rabbits caused by simple boredom,
a nutrient deficiency, and a low-fiber diet
– Prevention and treatment: Best by feeding hay or straw to add fiber to the diet.
Adding magnesium oxide to the ration also helps
• Hutch Burn
– Description: Chapped or burning condition of external genital area of
doe. Caused by sitting in dirty, wet, urine soaked bedding
– Prevention and treatment: Keep bedding clean. Treatment is with
antibiotic creams
• Sore hocks
– Description: Ulcerated area on the bottom of the foot pads most often
associated with rough wire cage floors and size of foot pad that doesn’t
support the weight of animal. Large breeds with long foot pads are most
often affected
– Prevention and treatment: Get off wire and place on a solid surface.
Apply astringents to the sore pads (Astringents include petroleum jelly,
bag balm for cow’s udders, and human hemorrhoid ointments and
medications)
Hamster diseases
• Wet tail- also called enteritis
– Description: Enteritis is the most important
disease of hamsters. Caused by poor sanitation,
bacteria, viruses, and diet. Symptoms: wetness
around the tail and rear of the animal, caused by a
runny diarrhea. A high death rate occurs within 2
days of symptoms appearing. The disease is most
often associated with poor sanitation caused by
general neglect and poor care
– Prevention and treatment: Wet tail, Bacillus
piliformis, and Salmonella, and many diseasesChange and disinfect spoiled bedding, cages and
equipment and isolate infected animals. Keep
temperatures around 70 degrees F to avoid
estivation (sleep similar to hibernation) when
temperatures go above 80 degrees F or hibernation
when temperatures go below 50 degrees F. Keep
cage at constant temperature and avoid drafts.
Animals often do not respond well to treatment
Hamster diseases
• Common diarrhea
– Caused by incorrect diet with
overabundance of green leafy materials,
vegetables, or fruits. Should not be
confused with serious infections
– Prevention and treatment: Correct the diet
by removing green leafy vegetables and
fruits and feeding dry grains and seeds
Gerbil diseases
• Gerbils are hardy and seldom affected by disease, but
cold is most common
– Description: Colds are the most common ailment.
Symptoms: loss of appetite, constant sneezing, and runny
eyes and nose. Avoid changing the temperature, drafts,
damp condition, and overcrowding
– Prevention and treatment: Best treatment is to reduce
stress caused by overcrowding (gerbils need more cage
space than hamsters), avoid drafts, humidity, and
temperature fluctuations
• Red nose
– Description: common condition caused by Staphylococcus
bacteria. Animal will recover without any medication.
Symptoms: hair loss and red, swollen areas of the skin
around the nose and muzzle
Rats
• Respiratory disease caused by Microplasma
pulmonis is common disease
– Description: Symptoms include nasal discharge,
snuffling, rattled breathing, rubbing the eyes and
nose, tilted head, incoordination, and circling
– Prevent with proper ventilation and good
sanitation. Remove contaminated feed, provide
clean bedding, and maintain a draft free, constant
temperature with low humidity. Treat with
antibiotics added to water. Isolate and eliminate
affected animals if antibiotics added to drinking
water is ineffective
Mice
• Mice are hardy with the proper diet,
housing, and exercise. However, respiratory
disease is caused by several organisms and
result from environmental conditions such as
changes in the temperature, drafts, and high
humidity. Symptoms: squeaking or rattling
breath, runny nose, watery eyes, and fur
loss. It is best to prevent infestation by
eliminating environmental causes
• Salmonella and related bacteria are
responsible for many of the serious
infectious diseases. Control with clean
cages, clean water, clean feed, and parasite
control
Guinea Pigs
• Guinea pigs are very healthy under favorable
environmental conditions. Avoid drafts and keep
temperature and humidity constant to avoid problems.
When environmental conditions are not good, Common
cold and respiratory diseases can be a major problem
– Description: Animals become lethargic, listless, have nasal discharge and
sneezing
– Prevention and treatment: Maintain a good environment and immediate
treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics accompanied with increased
Vitamin C
• Toxemia
– Description: Build up of toxins in the blood that developed in
late pregnancy. Symptoms: females will be lethargic, go off
feed, refuse to eat, and have difficulty breathing
– Prevention and treatment: Feed a high quality diet to the
pregnant female and add ½ teaspoon of sugar in the water
bottle
Chinchillas
• Chinchillas need proper nutrition, and a clean, dry, draftfree environment with low stress to avoid health problems.
Provide adequate ventilation, avoid temperatures above 80
degrees F or cold drafts and high humidity
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
– Organism that causes infection in wounds, inflammation of
eyes and ears, pneumonia, intestinal inflammation, uterine
inflammation, and poisoning of the circulatory system
• Eye inflammation (conjunctivitis)
– Description: Symptoms: swelling and redness around the eyes,
sensitivity to light, watering and pus formation
– Isolate infected animals, wash eyes with warm boric acid solution
and use ophthalmic medications. Clean and disinfect cages and
feed containers
Chinchillas
• Inner ear infection (otitis)
– Description: Symptoms: Twisting and lowering of the head, hanging
head to one side, and running in a circle
– Prevention and treatment: Prevent by avoiding drafty, cool
environmental conditions. Clean the ear with warm boric acid
solution and treat with ear drops
• Pneumonia
– Description: Symptoms: Listlessness, failure to eat, breathing
difficulty, and swollen abdomen
– Prevention and treatment: Prevent by eliminating cold, drafty, and
high humidity conditions and treat immediately with aureomycin,
penicillin, or other antibiotics
• Impaction
– Description: Lower digestive system becomes tightly packed with
food material or feces. May then follow diarrhea. Caused by poor
quality feed, stress, and poor nutrition. Animal is often humped with
chin resting between its front feet
– Prevention and treatment: Give a dropper full of mineral oil daily, or
add up to three dropperfuls of grapefruit juice to the animal’s diet
Ferrets
• Canine distemper
– Prevention and treatment: Vaccination is important. Vaccinate
at twelve weeks of age and give boosters annually to prevent
canine and feline distemper. Treatment is not affective
• Hemorrhagic enteritis
– Description: Bloody diarrhea is commonly seen. Symptoms: go
off feed, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, dehydration, and possibly
death
– Prevention and treatment: Treat with antibiotics and sulfur
material
• Botulism
– Caused by toxin produced by bacteria. Symptoms include:
breathing difficulty and paralysis. Death can occur without
symptoms. Keep food supply fresh
General Disease Prevention for
pocket pets
• Maintain good sanitation by:
– Removing spoiled urine soaked bedding regularly
– Removing urine and feces contaminated feed regularly
– Keep fresh water available at all times
• Provide a good environment that:
– Is free from drafts and eliminate any cool, damp drafts
immediately
– Has low humidity. Lower humidity is better, as higher
humidity contributes to many respiratory diseases
– Maintains a constant temperature and does not fluctuate to
a great degree
– Has adequate ventilation to remove stale air. This helps
prevent respiratory diseases
– Feed an appropriate ration
General Disease Treatment for
Pocket Pets
• First, isolate sick animals from others to help prevent the spread
of disease
• Remove and replace bedding, etc. from the cage of a sick animal
• Chemically disinfect and sanitize cage prior to installing new
bedding
• Use medicated water routinely when disease is a constant threat
• Use proper treatments and antibiotics if recommended
• Dispose of dead animals properly (burn and bury in some cases).
• Cull animals that do not show signs of improvement
• Improve environmental conditions that may be causing disease
• Avoid breeding animals hat may have inherited diseases
• Use recommended pesticides to control pests
Internal parasites of birds
• Roundworms- Diagnosis is by observing long, thin,
white worms. Roundworms are contracted from
ingesting worm eggs in contaminated feces, soil, or
food. Symptoms: blockage of the intestines, poor
plumage, weight loss and diarrhea. Several
treatments are available
• Tapeworms- Diagnosed by observing small rice like
segments in the feces. Birds get tapeworms from
eating an intermediate host such as house flies, fleas,
ticks, or earthworms. Proper cleaning and sanitation
practices are the best preventative. Treatment is
with piprazine, nicotine sulfate, and kamal powder
External parasites
• Red mites appear as tiny red specks and feed on blood of infected birds at
night, causing restlessness and scratching and picking at their feathers. Red
mites are spread through contact with infected birds. Adults may be dusted
with a pyrethium powder. Clean and disinfect all cages and nest boxes.
• Feather mites cause a bird to chew or pick its feathers. If the bird’s feathers
look chewed, or feathers are lost, one should look for small, gray-colored
moving specks. Feather mites feed on the bird during both night and day.
Symptoms: restlessness, severe scratching, feather picking, and skin
irritation. Cages and equipment should be treated with nicotine sulfate,
malathion, or coumaphos and birds should be sprayed with a mite spray
• Scaly leg mites- Mites that tunnel under the scales on the legs of
budgerigars, lovebirds, and canaries. Scaly leg mites live their entire life
cycle on the bird. Symptoms: White scaly deposits that become thickened,
enlarged and encrusted. Treatment: Use Vaseline or mineral oil to kill the
mites and loosen the deposits. The mineral oil or Vaseline plugs the air
holes used by the mites and causes them to suffocate. Additional
treatment is by cleaning cages, perches and equipment
Bacterial diseases affecting birds
• Parrot fever- (chlamydiosis or psittacosis). A bacterial
disease that affects the liver and spleen. The disease is
contracted mainly through feces and contaminated food
and water. Symptoms: nasal discharges, closing of the eyes,
listlessness, appetite loss, weight loss, greenish-colored
diarrhea, and labored breathing. Psittacosis can be
transmitted to humans. Treat birds with chlortetracyclineimpregnated seed for at least 21 days.
• Bumblefoot- A painful ailment associated with
staphyloccocal infections. Symptoms: feet and joints
become hot and swollen with a thick, grayish white fluid,
and not walking or clasping onto perch. Suitable perches
and sanitation help prevent Bumblefoot. Treatment is with
antibiotics
Viral Diseases affecting birds
• Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease- (French molt) is
a viral disease attacks the immune system.
Symptoms become evident at the first molt when
new feathers do not emerge or are deformed and
break off. The bird’s beak and nails may be soft,
overgrown and lose their pigment. There is no cure
for the disease. Treatment is with vitamins, minerals,
and control of secondary diseases through sanitation.
• Newcastle disease- viral disease that has high
mortality rates and spreads rapidly. Imported birds
are the main source of possible infections.
Respiratory difficulty (wheezing) is one of the first
symptoms, followed by tremors, wing droop, and a
twisted neck. Birds should be vaccinated to prevent
the disease
Nutritional Problems of birds
• Goiter- Swelling of the thyroid glands in the neck and interfere
with breathing. The major cause for goiter is iodine deficiency.
Goiter seems to be a special problem for budgerigars.
• Rickets (osteomalacia)- An imbalance or deficient amounts of
calcium, phosphorus, or Vitamin D3 that causes deterioration or
softening of the bones. Symptoms: lameness, stiff-legged gait,
or a constant resting in the squatting position, and decreased
growth. Adequate oyster shell or course limestone in the diet
along with Vitamin D3 supplementation is the best preventative.
• Obesity- too much food, not enough activity or seeds high in fat.
Bird owners need to avoid feeding too many sunflower seeds if
obesity is a problem for their bird.
Other aviary problems
• Overgrown claws can result in injury if they
become entangled in the cage. Claws may
be clipped with pet nail clippers. Care
should be taken to avoid the pinkish streak
in the center of the claw. It is a blood
vessel.
• Feather plucking- boredom, diet, needs mate,
lack of bathing.
– Birds living indoors need regular bathing or spraying
to encourage preening and avoid feather plucking
– Preening is the process that a bird goes through in
cleaning and trimming its feathers with its beak.
Symptoms of Problems
• Sleeping on two legs may indicate the bird is
uncomfortable or ailing. Birds normally sleep on only
one leg
• A bird who fluffs its feathers out is usually chilled and
trying to retain body heat.
• If feces is runny, a digestive ailment may be the
problem
• Not flying around and lack of activity may indicate
the bird is sick.
• Eye discharges or continually closed eyes are an
indication of a cold, etc.
• Wheezing, noisy, or irregular breathing may be a sign
of a respiratory problem
• Not eating or very little eating indicates a loss of
appetite that is often associated with sickness.
Proper management is important
to prevent diseases and ailments
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Select a healthy bird
Place the bird in a dry, warm, draft free place
Subject the bird to little stress
No other animals should be around
Quarantine and observation period of at least 3-4 weeks before introducing to
other birds
• Sanitation is extremely important- should provide fresh food and water
• Keep perches and cage clean
• Regular bathing and spraying reduces feather dust and dirt and cuts down on
mites
– Small birds (budgerigars, canaries, finches, mynah birds, lories, cockatiels) prefer to
bathe in a container. A container may be placed in the cage at regular intervals for
30 minute time periods.
– Larger birds need to be sprayed down with a fine mist from a plant sprayer. The
mist should be allowed to filter down onto the bird rather than being sprayed
directly on the animal. The bird does not need to be saturated, but gently sprayed
2 or 3 times per week.
Action at first signs of illness of
birds
• Cage temperature should be maintained
between 85-90 deg F.
– Move the cage to a warmer location
– Adjust the temperature of the cage with a
light bulb near the cage or a heating pad
under the cage.
– Provide 2 or 3 perches so that the bird can find the
most comfortable temperature
• Partially cover the cage to prevent drafts
• Provide quick energy fluids such as sugar
water, honey water, or orange juice
Diseases of the aquarium
• Signs and Symptoms of Disease
– Fish are behaving unusual/strange
– Fish are floating to surface, sinking to bottom, or leaning to the
side of aquarium
– Fish’s fins are unusually laying flat against the body
– Fish have rolled or closed caudal fins
– A fish is off by itself and not swimming with the school
– Fish appears to be in slow motion and not keeping up with
other fish
– Fish’s breathing seem unusually faster and deeper than normal
– Fish at the surface gasping for air
– Fish are rubbing/scratching against objects in the aquarium
– Not interested in eating
Diseases of the aquarium
• Signs and Symptoms of Disease (con’d)
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Fish belly appears caved in or unusually thin
Fish belly appears bloated or swollen
Color of fish has changed or unusual
Fish fins appearance is frayed
The back and spinal column appear distorted
Eyes are not clear, appear something is cloudy
The fish’s scales are not normally sticking out, they lay flat
against body
– White spots are covering body
– Protruding eyes
– Anal discharge hanging from fish
Diseases of the aquarium
• Parasites of fish
– White spot (Ich)- organism Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and causes
numerous white spots on the body and fins of stressed fish. Ich is
one of the most common diseases found in aquarium fish
– Slime disease- parasites attack skin of fish causing a large amount
of mucus. May cause death if it attacks the gills.
– Hole-in-the-head- organism Hexsamita live under skin in muscle
tissue make tissue break down and skin opens to make fish
appear to have holes
– Velvet disease- organism Oodinium penetrates skin cells and feed
on fish
– White fungus growth- white growth around mouth, fins, eye, and
gills. A secondary infection is usually present already
– Flukes- worm-like parasite that attaches to the gills and body of
fish
– Anchor worms- adhere and burrow under scales to attack the
muscles
– Fish lice- attach to body of fish and pierce skin to discharge a
poison
Diseases of the aquarium
• Bacterial disease affecting fish
– Finrot- where the edges of the fish’s fins start to appear frayed
and ragged, lose their color and the tissue between the fins
breaks down
– Mouth fungus- caused by a bacteria which a white tuffy
material appears around the mouth and white patches on the
skin
– Neon disease- caused by a parasite Plistophora
hyphessobryconis. This organism is found in the fish’s body
tissue where it causes the production of spores which are
released when it dies
– Tuberculosis- caused by bacteria that invades the organs and
tissues of the body
– Pseudomonas and Aeromonas- secondary infections in fish that
are already sick. Fish will have swollen bellies, lesions or ulcers
Diseases of the aquarium
• Environmental control- problems in the tank
– Lack of oxygen and over abundance of carbon dioxide
can be readily observed when almost all the fish are
swimming near the surface gulping for air
– Incorrect water pH-causes respiratory problems and
excess mucus production
– Chemical filtration ability reduced and ammonia
builds up can be observed by cloudy, murky water
– Gravel filtration system pollution buildup of iron
sulphite can be observed by the black color on the
gravel
Diseases of the aquarium
• Includes the use of chemicals in the
water with the aquarium being
thoroughly cleaned before fish are
returned. Some fish need to be
placed in a hospital tank and treated
before returning to normal tank.
Most of the diseases and ailments
treatments can be found at the local
pet store
Amphibians and Reptiles
• Salmonella is a bacterial disease that can be
transmitted to humans. It affects the
digestive tract and causes watery, green,
foul-smelling diarrhea
• Mouth Rot is a fungal disease associated
with sores or open wounds in the mouth.
• Mites and ticks are external parasites that
attack amphibians and reptiles. Mites
usually go undetected until there is a heavy
infestation. Symptoms include: anemia,
anorexia, depression, stress, listlessness,
lack of appetite, and possible death.