Pharyngitis in Pets causes Signs and Treatment
(551 Words)
Pharyngitis in animals occurs when the pharynx becomes inflamed. It can have one of many different causes and typically results in a sore throat. In humans, one can say that they are suffering from an affliction, however you will need to look for other signs when looking at your pet.
Throat inflammation can be caused by many different factors. When an animal gets a cut in his or her mouth, then it may get inflamed. A burn can also cause this. Sometimes animals get foreign bodies stuck in their mouths, and unlike humans do not have the hands or tools to help remove it. All of these may become infected as opportunistic bacteria take hold. The animal may also try to get it out with its tongue or teeth, which may make the situation worse. The gums of animals can also face disease and infection.
Problems with the supportive teeth structure can get inflamed as well. Kidney failure and other metabolic diseases could also be to blame. Another common causes are diseases that affect the entire system of the animal such as distemper, herpes, psuedo rabies and an infection. Many different types of viruses can cause pharyngitis.
You obviously cannot ask your animal whether he or she has a sore throat, nor can they bring the subject up to you. You must look for other signs instead. The animal may be in pain when doing anything with his or her mouth so you may notice that they are eating slowly. They may choose foods that are smaller or may have difficulty eating the food. The food may fall out of his or her mouth, for instance. You may also notice that the animal looks awkward when eating because it may be trying to avoid the food touching the part of the mouth that is feeling poorly. It may get so bad that the animal does not want to eat at all.
Drooling may also be another sign that the animal is suffering from pharyngitis. Of course a lot of animals such as dogs constantly drool, so you will need to consider what is normal and typical for the animal versus what is currently occurring.
Of course your animal may act very fussy. If he or she is in pain, they may cry , whine or show their unhappiness in whatever way is typical for your animal. They may be restless or have difficulty sleeping.
The treatment of pharyngitis will range greatly depending on the cause of the inflammation as well as what type of animal it is. If there is a foreign body, then simply removing it may remedy the problem. With some viruses, there is nothing to do except supportive measure such as providing a lot of fluids and nutrition by intravenous fluids if it becomes severe. Some infections can be treated with medications such as those that fight antimicrobial agents.
Because the cause of pharyngitis can range so wildly, it is very important for the animal to be taken to a vet so that a proper diagnosis may be made and treatment started.
Pharyngitis is common in pets such as dogs, cats and horses. Keep a careful watch on your animal for any symptoms that could prompt concern, and follow through on medical care when necessary.
Resources:
http://www.natural-pet-care.com/natural-pet-health-blog/canine-throat-infections-%E2%80%93-causes-and-symptoms/
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/121000.htm
http://www.medhelp.org/medical-information/show/1528/Pharyngitis