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GDV or Bloat

GDV or Bloat

by | Apr 29, 2019 | GDV or Bloat | 0 comments

GDV- Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus also known as Bloat.

A disease in dogs in which the stomach fills with gas and/or fluid (known as “gastric dilatation”), and rotates around (known as “volvulus”).

Species
• Dogs. Any large, deep-chested breed.

SIGNS/OBSERVED CHANGES IN THE PET

  • Vomiting, which often progresses to “dry heaves”
  • Anxious behavior
  • Abdominal pain
  • Abdominal distention; however, distended stomach may be contained under ribs, inwhich case abdominal distention may not be seen
  • Collapse
  • Drooling or excessive
  • Depression
  • Rapid heart
  • Rapid breathing or difficulty
  • Weak pulses; pale

CAUSES

  • Unknown
  • Gulping food and exercising directly afterward is a known risk a factor.

Treatment

THIS DISEASE REPRESENTS AN EMERGENCY! PLEASE CONTRACT YOUR VET IMMEDIATLEY.
Treatment consists of a surgery to stitch the stomach back into place and unwind the obstructed bowel.

Home care

After a routine day or two in hospital to recover, it is recommended that your pooch have strict rest for a minimum of 2 weeks following the surgery.
A diet modified to Hills i/d wet food only. And strict no exercise 2hrs after eating. Antibiotics and pain relief will also be provided at the veterinarians discretion as well as regular check ups during this time.

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Blood Testing

Blood Testing

by | Apr 29, 2019 | Blood Testing | 0 comments

WHY DO YOU WANT TO TEST MY PETS BLOOD?
Like us, our pets can suffer from metabolic anomalies too! Their organs can fail, and they can run out of natural ability to clot the same way we can. Routine blood screening can assist us with defining issues before they become major emergencies. Especially prior to surgery!

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC)
This is the most common blood test performed on pets and people. A CBC gives information on hydration status, anaemia, infection, the blood’s clotting ability, and the ability of the immune system to respond. This test is essential for pets with fevers, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, pale gums, or loss of appetite. If your pet needs surgery, a CBC can detect some bleeding disorders or other unseen abnormalities.

Red Cell Count measures the total number of red blood cells per volume of blood. It is used in detecting anaemia and other disorders of red blood cells. MCV (Mean Cell Volume) measures the volume of the individual red blood cell.

  • Haemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying pigment of red blood
    cells. MCHC and MCH (mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular haemoglobin) are all measures of haemoglobin and used in differentiating some anaemias.
  • PCV (packed Cell Volume or haematocrit) measures the percentage of red blood cells to detect anaemia and dehydration.

White Cell Count (white blood cell count) measures the body’s immune cells. Increases or decreases may indicate certain diseases, infections or inflammation.

  • Neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes are specific types of white blood cells. Disturbances of these may indicate infection, stress, cancer, hormonal imbalances and other conditions.
  • Eosinophils are a specific type of white blood cell that may indicate allergic or parasitic conditions.

Platelet count measures cells that help to form blood clots.
Reticulocytes are immature red blood cells. High levels indicate rebuilding of red blood cell numbers.

BLOOD CHEMISTRIES
These common blood serum tests evaluate organ function, electrolyte status, hormone levels and more. They are important in evaluating older pets, pets with vomiting, diarrhoea or toxin exposure, pets receiving long-term medications and health before anaesthesia.

  • Na (sodium) is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhoea, kidney disease and Addison’s disease. This test helps indicate hydration
  • K (potassium) is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhoea or excessive urination. Increased levels may indicate kidney failure, Addison’s disease, dehydration or urethral obstruction. High levels can lead to a heart
  • Cl (chloride) is an electrolyte often lost with vomiting and Addison’s disease. Elevations often indicate
  • Bicarb is an indication of acid / base balance and can be changed with vomiting and other conditions.
  • BUN (blood urea nitrogen) indicates kidney function. An increased level in the blood is called azotaemia and can be caused by kidney, liver, heart disease, urethral obstruction, shock and
  • CREA (creatinine) reveals kidney function. This test helps distinguish between kidney and non-kidney causes of elevated BUN
  • Ca (calcium) deviations can indicate a variety of diseases. Tumours, hyperparathyroidism, kidney disease and low albumin are just a few of the conditions that alter serum
  • PHOS (phosphorus) elevations are often associated with kidney disease, hyperthyroidism and bleeding
  • AMYL (amylase) elevation may indicate pancreatitis or kidney
  • LIP (lipase) is an enzyme that may indicate
  • TP (total protein) indicates hydration status and provides additional information about the liver, kidneys and infectious
  • ALB (albumin) is a serum protein that helps evaluate hydration, haemorrhage, intestinal, liver, and kidney
  • GLOB (globulin) is a blood protein that often increases with chronic inflammation and certain disease states, including some
  • TBIL (total bilirubin) elevations may indicate liver or haemolytic This test helps identify bile duct problems and certain types of anaemia.
  • ALKP (alkaline phosphatase) elevations may indicate liver damage, Cushing’s disease or active bone growth in young This test is especially significant in cats.
  • ALT (alanine aminotransferase) is a sensitive indicator of active liver damage but doesn’t indicate the
  • GGT (gamma glutamyl transferase) is an enzyme that indicates liver disease or corticosteroid excess.
  • AST (asparate aminotransferase) increase may indicate liver, heart or skeletal muscle damage.
  • CK (Creatine Kinase) is an enzyme that indicates muscle
  • LDH (Lactic Rehydrogenase) is an enzyme that can be elevated in muscle, heart and liver
  • CHOL (cholesterol) is used to aid in the diagnosis of hypothyroidism, liver disease, Cushing’s disease and diabetes
  • GLU (glucose) is a blood sugar. Elevated levels may indicate diabetes Low levels can cause collapse, seizures or coma.
  • Cortisol is a hormone that is measured in tests for Cushing’s disease (the low- dose dexamethasone suppression test) and Addison’s disease (ACTH stimulation test)
  • T4 (thyroxine) is a thyroid hormone. Decreased levels often signal hypothyroidism in dogs, while high levels may indicate hyperthyroidism in
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Arthritis

Arthritis

by | Apr 29, 2019 | Arthritis | 0 comments

Old age arthritis (or osteoarthritis) is common in ageing pets. It is usually a result of the ongoing wear and tear and instability in the joints, although other factors such as injury, genetic makeup, infection, immune disease and cancer can also affect the progress of the disease.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR PET HAS ARTHRITIS?
Accurate diagnosis is best done by your veterinarian. Some signs you may notice include pain or stiffness when getting up or down, inability to climb steps and general slowness on walks. It is worth noting that about one in six adult dogs suffer from the disease.

HOW CAN YOU HELP REDUCE THE DISCOMFORT OF OSTEOARTHRITIS?
Arthritis is not a disease that we can cure but we can do a lot to manage the disease and reduce the amount of discomfort for our animals.

  1. Weight management
    First and foremost this is the most important aspect of managing any animal with arthritis. Overweight animals will place proportionally more weight on their joints and therefore cause more localised inflammation and irritation to the joint and often this will hasten the progress of arthritis.
  2. Exercise management
    Exercise is a very important part of managing arthritis. Regular controlled exercise (such as leash walking, swimming, etc.) is very beneficial for keeping the joints mobile and the muscles working well. Uncontrolled exercise (such as long off lead walks, etc.) can cause permanent damage to the joints.
  3. Home comfort
    In mild cases, some simple steps taken at home will help to reduce the level of pain and discomfort. Ensure that your dog has a warm, comfortable place to sleep that is away from drafts. Plenty of bedding will help protect any sore joints.
  4. Veterinary treatments
    Various treatments are available to manage osteoarthritis in dogs. The ‘best’ option for your dog will depend on a number of different factors involving your animal; such as age, severity of signs, progression of the disease process, whether they have any other diseases, etc. Importantly all arthritis patients should be accurately diagnosed before starting a treatment plan, and this usually requires x-rays to be taken of the affected area.
    An accurate diagnosis will enable your veterinarian to give you a prognosis and ensure that there are no other complicating problems (such as small bone fractures or cancer).
    The different treatments that can be offered include:
    1. Disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs)
        a. Pentosan/Cartrophen
      These medications are given as a series of injections. One injection per week for four weeks. They are known as “chondroprotective agents” because they slow down the action of the proteins and metabolites that cause osteoarthritis and they also protect and support the damaged joint cartilage.
        b. Green Lipped Mussel Powder
      These are dietary supplements that contain Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin Sulphate.
        c. These two drugs act synergistically to aid the protection of joints and can be given on a long term basis and help to reduce inflammation.
    2. Non-Steroidal Antiflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
        a. Rimadyl, Metacam and Previcox
      These drugs, prescribed by your veterinarian, help to reduce inflammation around the joints and are potent pain killers. Although the latest generations of these medications have improved and have very limited side effects they still require the liver and kidneys to work harder and may very occasionally cause some gastric ulceration. These side effects can be monitored by your veterinarian and action taken if required to prevent any problems.
    3. Additional therapies
      These include the use of stem cells within the joint, laser treatments, heat therapy, massage and weight bearing exercises. These treatments have been shown to improve arthritic pets’ wellbeing and ease of movement.
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