Otitis Media

Just as important as knowing the symptoms is understanding how to care for a diabetic pet at home. The treatment plan should include checking your dog's or cat's blood sugar on a regular basis with at-home monitoring meters specifically calibrated for pets. You can help your pet by learning more about the condition from your veterinarian.   Identifying Diabetic Symptoms in Dogs Knowing the signs of pet diabetes is essential in protecting a dog's health. Consult your veterinarian about the possibility of diabetes if your dog shows any of the following symptoms: Drinks more water than usual (polydipsia) Urinates more frequently, produces more urine per day, or has "accidents" in the house (polyuria) Always acts hungry (polyphagia) but maintains or loses weight Has cloudy eyes Identifying Diabetic Symptoms in Cats Diabetes is even more common in cats. The disease is more typically diagnosed in older cats and neutered male cats, but diabetes has been diag...

The malleus, also known as the "hammer" or "mallet," is the largest of three small bones in the middle ear. The malleus functions with the other bones to transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. Conditions that affect the malleus often impact the ability to hear.   SvetaZi / iStock / Getty Images Anatomy The malleus ("hammer"), incus ("anvil"), and stapes ("stirrup") are the three bones, also known as ossicles, of the inner ear. The malleus is the largest and the outermost of the bones, which are part of the auditory system. Together, the three bones make up an area no larger than the seed of an orange.  The auditory ossicles are suspended in the middle ear by ligaments. The malleus is shaped like a hammer, thus its Latin name. It sits in the middle ear between the incus and the eardrum. The parts of the malleus include the head, neck, and handle. A joint holds the head of the malleus and the incus together...

There is much more to the ear than what you see from the outside. There are three parts to the ear—the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. These sections work together to collect sound from the world around you and send it to the brain where speech and auditory centers translate the information. The outer ear is the part of the ear that you can see and where sound waves enter the ear before traveling to the inner ear and brain. While the outer ear may not be as complex as its counterparts, it serves a vital function in your sense of hearing. AndreiDavid / Getty Images Anatomy Structure The outer ear—sometimes called the auricle or pinna—is mostly made of skin and cartilage.   It is made up of several components:   Helix: The outermost curvature of the ear, extending from where the ear joins the head at the top to where it meets the lobule. The helix begins the funneling of sound waves into the ear Fossa, superior crus, inferior crus, and...

Pink eye is a catch-all term for multiple kinds of conjunctivitis that may be caused by irritants, viruses, bacteria, or allergies. Conjunctivitis caused by bacteria or a virus often occurs along with a cold or symptoms of a respiratory infection. Conjunctivitis caused by allergies is linked to your environment, such as pollen or pet dander, rather than an infection. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. Pink eye is a catch-all term for various types of conjunctivitis — inflammation or infection of the membrane that lines your eyelid and covers the white part of the eyeball. This can be caused by irritants, viruses, bacteria, or allergies.  Unlike viral or bacterial conjunctivitis, which is extremely contagious, allergic conjunctivitis is a reaction to your environment and cannot be spread.  "Pink eye is a wastebasket term, and it does not in and of itself tell a diagnosis," says Katheryn Colby, chair of the department of ophthalmology ...

Vertigo causes dizziness or a sensation of spinning, and it can significantly affect a person's ability to do day-to-day activities. Medications and exercises may help. Vertigo may stem from an issue with the inner ear, brain, or sensory nerve pathway. It can cause a person to feel off-balance, even when they are not moving. Certain exercises may help relieve the sensation, improve the person's balance, and reduce their risk of falling. Below, learn about the types of vertigo, the exercises that may help, and other approaches to treatment. Vertigo is a sensation of spinning or dizziness. A person may be still but feel as if their environment is spinning. There are two main types of vertigo. Central vertigo results from an issue relating to the brain, and research suggests that vertigo is central in roughly 20% of cases. Peripheral vertigo, the second type, results from a problem with the inner ear or vestibular nerve. Peripheral vertigo accounts for ap...

Sharp pain when breathing in can occur for several reasons. The symptom can range in severity, with some people noticing mild discomfort and others experiencing severe pain. In most cases, pain around the chest and ribs is not a sign of serious illness, and it will resolve on its own or with minimal treatment. However, it can occasionally be an emergency, requiring urgent medical intervention. In this article, we discuss seven possible causes of sharp pain when breathing in and explain when to seek medical attention. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that causes inflammation of the air sacs, which fill up with fluid or pus. Pneumonia occurs as a result of bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. The severity of the condition depends on a person's age and overall health. People with pneumonia often experience chest pain when breathing in. The other symptoms, which may range from mild to severe, include: a cough coughing up sputum, a green or rusty phlegm...

Chafing occurs when the skin rubs against something, such as clothing, for a prolonged period. The friction can cause a painful rash that typically resolves when the chafing stops. A person can experience chafing on any part of the body that encounters friction. The resulting rash is often minor, but there are some possible complications. In this article, we look at what causes chafing rash and how to treat it. We also look at how a person can prevent chafing from occurring. A chafing rash occurs anywhere on the body where the skin is rubbing against clothing or other skin. Mild chafing rashes tend not to be too painful, but more serious rashes could bleed, crust, or blister. Chafing can occur anywhere where there is friction, but some areas of the body are more prone to chafing than others. Areas where chafing is most likely to happen are generally moist or generate friction. They include the: buttocks groin thighs feet armpits nipples The d...

Staff Writer  |  Erie Times-News Q: I'm pregnant with our first child, and my mother-in-law says we should get rid of our cat because of the risk of toxoplasmosis. Is she right? A: You can safely keep your cat. Toxoplasma is an internal parasite that lives in the muscles of sheep, rabbits and rats. Cats who eat the meat of an infected animal can spread the parasite through their feces. If your cat lives indoors, she's unlikely to become infected. And in most cases, only young cats pass feces contaminated with toxoplasma eggs (oocysts). If you have an adult cat, the chance of infection is very low. Veterinarians are well informed on this subject, possibly even more than doctors, because they learn about toxoplasmosis at least four times during their education. I can assure you that female veterinarians and veterinary technicians don't stop working with cats when they are pregnant. You can take the same easy precautions they do to reduce the risk of infection to the de...