Many systems in the body rely on the muscles. A cat’s ability to see, breathe, urinate, breed, and even chew and swallow may be affected by a muscular condition. Many disorders can show themselves in the muscles but be traced back to the nervous system. Disorders that primarily affect the muscle membrane or muscle fibers are called myopathies. Muscle membrane disorders may be hereditary or acquired. Diagnosing a myopathy usually requires laborator
Bones provide rigid structure to the body and shield internal organs from damage. They also house bone marrow, where blood cells are formed, and they maintain the body’s reservoir of calcium. Old bone tissue is continuously replaced with new bone tissue in a process called remodeling. This helps keep the bones healthy.
Bones come together to form joints. The type of joint formed determines the degree and di
The musculoskeletal system includes the bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons, and other connective tissue. It supports the body, permits movement, and protects the vital organs. Because many other body systems (including the nervous system, blood vessels, and skin) are interrelated, disorders of one of these systems may also affect the musculoskeletal system.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system most often affect the body’s ability to move.
Tularemia is a bacterial disease that affects people and many species of wild and domestic animals. It is caused by toxins in the blood produced by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. The bacteria can survive for weeks or months in a moist environment. There are 3 types of organisms that differ based on the severity of the disease they produce. Type A is most likely to cause rapid and severe disease. It is found most commonly in North America. D
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium. The disease affects practically all species of vertebrates, and, before control measures were adopted, was a major disease of people and domestic animals. Signs and lesions are generally similar in the various species. Although commonly defined as a longterm, debilitating disease, tuberculosis occasionally has a sudden, rapidly progressive course.
Trichinellosis is a parasitic disease that can be transmitted to people. It is caused by a type of worm known as a nematode. The name of the disease comes from the scientific name for the worm, Trichinella spiralis. People become infected when they eat undercooked infected meat, usually pork or bear, although other animals can also be infected with this nematode. Natural infections occur in wild meat-eating animals; most mammal
Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite that infects humans and other warmblooded animals. It is found worldwide.
Felines (members of the cat family) are the only definitive hosts of the parasite. (A definitive host is an animal that a parasite requires in order to mature normally.) Both wild and domestic cats serve as the main reservoir of infection. In dogs, a
Tetanus toxemia is caused by a specific poison, or toxin, that blocks inhibitory nerve signals, leading to severe muscle contractions and exaggerated muscle responses to stimuli. The toxin is produced by Clostridium tetani bacteria in dead tissue. Almost all mammals are susceptible to this disease, although dogs are relatively resistant.
Clostridium tetani is found in soil and intestinal tracts. In most cas
Salmon poisoning disease is a short-term, infectious disease of dogs and related species ( for example, foxes, coyotes, wolves), in which the infective bacteria are transmitted by a fluke (a type of flatworm). The name of the disease is misleading because no poison is involved. Elokomin fluke fever resembles salmon poisoning disease but infects a wider range of animals, including members of the dog family, ferrets, bears, and raccoons. These two disorders occur only
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a disease of humans and dogs that is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. (Rickettsiae are a specialized type of bacteria that live only inside other cells.) The spotted-fever group of organisms is found worldwide, but the closely related organisms within this group that cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever are only found in certain geographic areas of North, South, and Central America. They are often transmitted through