RARE and UNUSUAL DISEASES
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS are provided here for these uncommonly seen conditions.
: Excess growth hormone leading to diabetes, liver disease, cardiomyopathy, kidney failure, tongue problems and abnormal kitten development.
Acromelanism: Haircoat peculiarity that causes coat to darken in cold temperatures, lighten in warm temperatures. This occurs slowly and is not serious.
Alopecia Universalis: Total hairlessness, not serious.
Anklyoblepharon: Fusion of the eyelids by a membrane.
Corneal Dystrophy: Failure of the cornea to form properly causing corneal swelling,
ulceration and blindness in kittens.
Cutaneous Asthenia: Defect of connective tissue that allows skin to be thin, fragile and excessively flexible.
Endocardial Fibroelastosis: Heart defect that causes thickening of the heart, thickening of the internal heart lining and sudden death in young kittens.
Esophageal Hypomotility: Defect in esophageal and gastric motility that can lead to regurgitation and
aspiration pneumonia.
Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome: An unusual
seizure disorder that is characterized by rippling of the skin, biting at the hindend and other unusual symptoms.
Gangliosidosis: Enzyme deficiency that results in severe neurologic disease.
Hindleg Weakness: Weakness caused by neurological defects.
Hypotrichosis: Thin hair at birth, turning to baldness at fourteen days. Some cats regrow hair but loose it permanently by six months of age.
Lentigo: Black spots on lips, eyelids and gums. Insignificant.
Lysosomal Storage Disorder: A disease where a key cellular enzyme is missing causing material to be stored in excess inside cells. This causes neurologic disease in young cats.
Mannosidosis: Deficiency of a cellular enzyme that causes stillbirths, neurologic disease, skeletal disease and many other organ dysfunctions.
Meningioencephalocele: Herniation of the brain and covering membranes through a skull defect. A fatal condition.
Midfacial Malformation: Lethal defect of facial bone development.
Mucopolysaccharidosis: Enzyme deficiency that produces skeletal defects.
Neuronaxonal Dystrophy: Neurologic disease causing staggering, tremors and unusual walk.
Nystagmus: Rapid movement of the eyes from side to side. Not serious to life.
Perinephric Pseudocysts: Large fluid-filled sacs that form around the kidneys. Can be cured with surgery.
Spasticity: Neurologic defect that results in a problem chewing and swallowing and death from
aspiration pneumonia.
Sphingomyelinosis: Enzyme deficiency that causes severe, fatal neurologic disease.
Spinal Cord Defects: Spinal cord defect, which may include failure of the end of the cord to form properly. Herniation of spinal cord and membranes may also occur.
Tri-Colored Males: Black-orange-white male cats, caused by an extra X chromosome.
Vitiligo: Loss of pigment to nose, footpads and eyelids. Not life threatening.
Woolsucking: Unusual propensity to suck wool objects. Behavioral problem only.
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©2007 James W. Day D.V.M., P.C.