Sometimes our furry, feathered and scaly family members end up with conditions that we can not cure. We are here to help you through all the stages as their condition progresses, from diagnosis to assessing and changing treatments along the way.

Conditions that may require long term treatment and continued assessment include:-

• Heart disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Cushing’s disease
• Addison’s disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Osteoarthritis
• Epilepsy and idiopathic seizures
• Many more!

There are a range of ways our team can support you. From guidance over the phone if you are struggling to give medications or have a concern, to dedicated nurse and vet consultations, we are here for you and your pet.

Once our vets have confirmed a diagnosis, the next step will be finding the right dose of medication to help keep your pet stable and comfortable. This may take time and involve repeat tests, and we will talk you through each stage.

Nurses can carry out repeat health checks, record any changes to demeaner or vital measurements, take repeat blood samples and blood pressure readings. They can also advise you on checking your pet at home and giving medications.

A vet will always analyse the test results and make any required changes to the medications or doses. If you are concerned and feel that your pet’s health and quality of life a greatly decreased, a vet appointment for complete reassessment is always available to you.

For maintenance, we recommend annual checks with a vet and at least a 6-month health check with either a nurse or vet. Depending on the medication prescribed and the stability of your pet’s condition, blood tests will be required every 1-6 months for all prescription medications. This is to ensure that their hormone levels are being kept within normal limits, or to make sure that none of their vital organs are being damaged by the medication.

Osteoarthritis

A very common condition that affects all species is osteoarthritis. This can occur in the young and old, but is more commonly seen in older animals. Osteoarthritis can initially affect just one area of the skeletal system, but is more frequently noted in multiple areas.

Monitoring your pet’s mobility and any changes in behaviour at home can help you to assess their pain levels caused by arthritic changes. Often these changes may be subtle and slow in their progression, but will be affecting your pet’s quality of life.

Treatment of osteoarthritis can start with supplements. A nurse can help you assess your pet’s pain and go through how to use the supplements. In the beginning, supplements are often enough to manage the pain levels and keep your pet active. These are non-prescription neutraceuticals and do not require regular blood samples. If your pet’s skeletal system is also being affected by carrying excess weight, the nurse can also work out a diet plan to remove this added pressure.

Regular assessment of normal behaviours can be used to assess when the supplements are no longer enough to maintain pain management. At this point, prescription medications can be added in to increase the pain relief and continued quality of life. This may vary depending on which type medication the vet thinks is most suitable to your pet’s circumstances. As the disease progresses, we will continue to monitor your pet and make changes to the treatment plan.