Hydropericardium or pericardial effusion (PE) is the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac and is often secondary to pericardial diseases or diseases related to the heart. It is unusual with clinically relevant pericardial diseases in cats but pericardial effusion is the most common one. Since PE causes serious symptoms and may lead to death it is important with a quick diagnosis and treatment. PE can be acute and cause cardiac tamponade, which gives severe clinical signs. Cardiac tamponade needs to be treated immediately or else the cat will die from cardiogenic chock. More common is chronic PE where the fluid accumulates during a longer period of time and the pericardial sac stretches.

The aim of this study has been to examine how people with the chronic disease diabetes are seek-ing information about their disease. The study also look at the sources, which are mainly used, and the information behavior of the participants in this study. Especially in diabetes health care the idea of empowerment is central, which means that the patients need a lot of information to get know-ledge and become empowered. The study also examine the public library as a resource of health information, and for that purpose an examination of the OPAC catalog in two public libraries has been done, using the word ?diabetes? to illustrate the literature and other medias related to di-abetes.

Venous leg ulcers are a chronic disease mostly among elderly individuals. The leg ulcers are often painful and interfere with the individual?s daily life. The aim of this literature review was to describe individuals? experiences of living with venous leg ulcers.

It is well known that dogs often have Helicobacter spp in their stomach. The importance of these bacteria in the development of gastrointestinal disease in dogs is still unknown. In humans, Helicobacter pylori is a causative agent of chronic gastritis and gastric ulcers. In contrast to humans, dogs seldom harbour naturally acquired H. pylori.

The aim of this study is to create a deeper understanding of the disease known as eating disorder. The study is based on four autobiographies written by individuals who themselves have been affected by eating disorders. These stories have been studied using a narrative approach. To achieve the purpose, the study is focused on what participants describe as the factors underlying the onset of the disease, the factors that participants describe maintained their eating disorders, as well as what is described to be the factors responsible for their recovery. By my interpretation of the stories, I have been able to identify common factors that all participants describe to be influential in their disease course.

The alpaca is a camelid that originate from the South American highland. During recent years it?s been possible to keep alpacas in other parts of the world. Today there is a world-wide interest in alpacas, but there is still limited knowledge about this fascinating animal. There are approximately 350-400 alpacas in Sweden in 2007.

Background: Vaccination is an important part in cats? welfare. It both helps to prevent the individual cat from catching a disease or lessen the symptoms of it, and protects the entire cat population from an epidemic. It is the cat owner who makes the decision to vaccinate or not. Understanding the cat owners? perspective regarding vaccination may improve communication between the owner and the veterinary nurse, which may lead to a higher vaccination rate among cats.

Venous leg ulcers are a chronic disease mostly among elderly individuals. The leg ulcers are often painful and interfere with the individual?s daily life. The aim of this literature review was to describe individuals? experiences of living with venous leg ulcers.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the second most common heart disease in dogs. Since the disease is seen more frequently in certain breeds, among them Newfoundland dogs, a genetic factor is suspected. This study was partly undertaken to investigate whether there is a significant sex predilection regarding DCM. Moreover, the difference in mean age of death between male dogs and females with DCM was investigated, as well as males and females dying from DCM compared to dying from other reasons (i.e. without DCM).

BackgroundThe lifeworld describes the experience of being a humanbeing, how we experience life and how we live our lifes. When a disease, such as depression occurs, the whole lifeworld can be filled with suffering. Depression is an affective disease, which means it involves the emotions. The patient gets dejected and the emotional devotion abates. Broken sleep, anxiety, pain, concentrations difficulties, fatigue and reduced appetite is some of the symptoms.

AbstractThe aim of this study was to find out how patients with type-2 diabetes reflected on self-care and the information about selfcareactivites regarding diabetic footulcers.The study has a descriptive design with a qualitative approach. The study included fourteen patients with type-2 diabetes and they had footulcers related to their disease. They were recruited from different health centres in two cities in the Middle Sweden. The patients were interviewed and the interviewes were transcribed and worked up with qualitative content analysis. The authors recived seven subcategories which were sorted into two categories; reflection regarding information about self-care and reflection regarding self-care.

With good knowledge about the disease and the treatment, the fear and worry of children and parents can be reduced. Children may be helped by painting to express their experiences. In order to have a good care, the care-personnel need to see and understand what the children need. It is important to live an as regular life as possible during the disease and its treatment. The aim of this study was to elucidate how children experience chemotherapy in conection with their cancer disease.

With good knowledge about the disease and the treatment, the fear and worry of children and parents can be reduced. Children may be helped by painting to express their experiences. In order to have a good care, the care-personnel need to see and understand what the children need. It is important to live an as regular life as possible during the disease and its treatment. The aim of this study was to elucidate how children experience chemotherapy in conection with their cancer disease.

BackgroundThe lifeworld describes the experience of being a humanbeing, how we experience life and how we live our lifes. When a disease, such as depression occurs, the whole lifeworld can be filled with suffering. Depression is an affective disease, which means it involves the emotions. The patient gets dejected and the emotional devotion abates. Broken sleep, anxiety, pain, concentrations difficulties, fatigue and reduced appetite is some of the symptoms.

AbstractBackgroundParkinson?s disease is a chronically not curable progressive disease that leads to different degrees of disability. Controlled studies on how patient education influences subjective health in Parkinson?s disease are lacking.AimThe aim of this study was to examine the influence patient education had on drug requirements and on subjective health status of persons with Parkinson?s disease.MethodologyA short form of Health Survey, SF-12, was used to measure perceived health. SF-12 was administered before and one month after patient education (intervention group; n= 48), and in waiting list control (n= 48).