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We've got more than 150 likes on our Facebook page now so we have drawn a winner in our competition. If you haven't 'Liked' our page yet, click the link on the righthand side of this website and get over there, to be in the draw for £100-worth of Argyll goods or services when we get to 300 Likes! |
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What a difference a day makes!
Mitzy has the dubious honour of being our first snakebite of the year, last week... and bitten on the tongue, poor girl! On the day it happened she collapsed and was in a lot of pain with a black tongue, the next day bright and 'smiling'. The usual treatment of antivenom, intravenous fluids and painkillers meant she could go home the same day to her loving owner. And now the weather has gone cold again we probably won't see another one for a while, hopefully. |
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Older cats- A common problem |
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 Fritz, a 14-year old cat, was drinking more last summer. After an examination and blood test, Fritz was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. This is fairly common in older cats. When kidney function is compromised, waste products build up in the bloodstream and our blood tests detect this. Some cats with kidney disease will have high blood pressure too.
Whilst this condition cannot be cured, an early diagnosis and management can lead to a much longer and healthier life. Fritz was changed onto a prescription kidney diet which he loves! No other treatment or medications were required. Today, Fritz came back into the clinic for a follow up blood test and blood pressure check. We were all thrilled to discover that all of his kidney results were back into the normal range and he had put on a little weight as well (not too much though!).
So if your cat is over the age of 8 or drinking a little more than usual, pop him into one of our senior wellness clinics for a check over with a nurse. Even if we find a problem, some conditions can be controlled with a simple change of diet and lifestyle- like Fritz! |
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 Here is Sasha, pictured with her owner, and nurse Lisa. She was the first dog to take advantage of our new 'Senior Wellness' clinics run by the nurses. Sasha needs physiotherapy with Lisa for her arthritis, and while in the surgery, her owners noticed the signs about the new clinic, and decided to get her a full healthcheck to make sure she was in as good a shape as possible for her age. Lisa ran some bloods and a urine test and gave her a full 'once-over'. Sasha is generally very fit, but she has been slowing down a bit - which could be due to the arthritis. However, her thyroid hormone levels were found to be low, so further investigation is ongoing to see if this is something that needs treatment and whether a sluggish thyroid could be contributing to her gradual slowing down.
Cats can also suffer from age-related problems and are also included in our Senior clinics. Recently a cat called Tom had a Senior Health Check with Hannah, where it was found that he has high blood pressure and has been started on medication for this. His owners tell us he is doing very well.
We really believe in doing everything to maintain a healthy pet as well as being here to treat sick or injured ones; as one who is not getting any younger herself, I would say that anything which helps us to flag up potential problems before it is too late, has got to be a good thing.
If you think your pet would benefit from the new clinics, give one of our nurses a shout at any of the surgeries and they will talk you through the options. In general, we recommend them for dogs and cats over 8. Sashas and Toms owners would recommend it! |
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