The modern lifestyle of our pets is believed to be increasing their risk of developing diabetes mellitus. As vets, we are certainly seeing an increase in the number of over weight animals, and being obese is a well known risk factor for diabetes. Our pets are eating more carbohydrate in their diet than they did in the past. This, in combination with a more sedentary life-style, means that they are prone to weight gain and all the complications associated with it.
What is diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes is an endocrine disease commonly associated with overweight pets. The pancreas is the organ of the body which is affected. If your pet's pancreas does not secrete enough insulin or the body is resistant to the insulin which is produced, then your pet will show signs of diabetes.
What are the signs of diabetes?
Increased thirst; a cat or dog who is drinking excessively is always a cause for concern.
Increased urination; this may first be seen as a failure of house-training, since pets can no longer "hold on" for very long.
Weight loss, increased or decreased appetite.
Sweet chemical smell on the breath.
Other signs include collapse and weakness and will require urgent attention from your vet.
How do vets make the diagnosis?
Diabetes can be diagnosed by taking urine and blood samples to detect elevated levels of glucose. More than one sample is often necessary, since glucose levels can fluctuate with time of day, stress, feeding and exercise.
Diabetes mellitus is diagnosed if the concentration of glucose in the blood is consistently elevated.
What treatment can be given?
Diabetes can be successfully managed with insulin therapy and attention to diet and exercise. In cats, around 25% of cases are transient and resolve within 3 months. However, in these cases it is still necessary to pay attention to diet and exercise for the rest of the cat's life.
In all cases of diabetes, the aim of treatment is to manage the condition so that pets can benefit from a good quality of life. Daily or twice daily insulin injections are usually necessary, and owners can find the thought of this quite daunting. However, giving injections is not as difficult as you may think and your vet or vet nurse can teach you how to do this and provide all the advice and support you may need.
Complications of diabetes mellitus
If diabetes is not treated, or is not well controlled then complications such as cataracts may develop. Hind limb weakness is sometimes also seen in cats with this condition. The most serious complication of uncontrolled diabetes is ketoacidosis which requires urgent veterinary attention.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Monday, 7 December 2009
Bathing Your Pet
Should You Bathe Your Pet?
So often, people say to me that they have been told dogs do not need to be bathed. To a certain extent this is true, however, if your dog suffers from skin problems then bathing can be extremely beneficial.
Most healthy dogs do not need frequent baths. It is sufficient to rinse them when they get muddy and give them occasional baths when they roll in something unpleasant. However, with the gentle shampoos available for our pets today there is no reason not to bathe your dog every week if you would like to do so.
We are often told that if we bathe our pets frequently it will remove the natural oils from their coats, making them dry and dull. This may have been true in the past with the harsher shampoos which were available, and is still true today if we try to wash our pets with human shampoos which are formulated for our skin which has a different pH to that of animals. However, with modern pet shampoos many dogs do very well with regular washing, and it is a very positive benefit for animals with allergic skin disease.
One of the simplest ways we can help animals with skin problems is to keep the skin clean. We know how good it feels to be fresh and clean after a shower or bath; we also know that if we have an area of skin which is damaged the first thing we do is clean it and then keep it that way. Why not the same for our pets? Bathing our pets, especially those with skin problems, can help to reduce the bacterial and yeast population on the skin, remove allergens from the skin surface, help remove skin scales and dead hair and remove parasites such as fleas. Pets with skin problems may need to be bathed several times per week.
Bathing Tips
When bathing your pet you should choose a shampoo which is gentle on the skin and formulated specifically for pets. Many different shampoos are on the market. You may wish to use a herbal shampoo or one of the medicated shampoos may be better for your pet's particular problem. If your pet has a skin problem then ask your vet what type of shampoo they would recommend for that particular condition.
When washing your pet use luke warm water, it should not be hot. It is fine to use a hose on a gentle setting for dogs in hot weather, but only if they enjoy this. It can certainly help to cool them down and make them feel more comfortable. Whatever you do, you should try to keep bath time as fun and stress free as possible - both for you and your pet!
Remember not to let shampoo get into eyes or ears, you can use a damp cloth to wipe around these delicate areas if necessary. Stay away from really sore areas with the water but if medicated shampoo is required here blot gently with a moistened cloth or cotton wool. Remember to wash (and dry) feet and toes.
Wherever possible, medicated shampoo should be allowed to remain in contact with the skin for 10 minutes before rinsing in order to have the best effects. Rinsing should be thorough since residues of shampoo can be irritating to the skin later.
Your pet should be gently towel dried (if you do not wish your dog to shake the water from the coat before you have a chance to dry them, gently steady their nose until you have the majority of the water off - the shaking starts with the head and if the dog cannot get started it will not happen!) You can finish drying with a hairdryer on a "cool" setting, however stay away from hot-spots and other sore areas.
So often, people say to me that they have been told dogs do not need to be bathed. To a certain extent this is true, however, if your dog suffers from skin problems then bathing can be extremely beneficial.
Most healthy dogs do not need frequent baths. It is sufficient to rinse them when they get muddy and give them occasional baths when they roll in something unpleasant. However, with the gentle shampoos available for our pets today there is no reason not to bathe your dog every week if you would like to do so.
We are often told that if we bathe our pets frequently it will remove the natural oils from their coats, making them dry and dull. This may have been true in the past with the harsher shampoos which were available, and is still true today if we try to wash our pets with human shampoos which are formulated for our skin which has a different pH to that of animals. However, with modern pet shampoos many dogs do very well with regular washing, and it is a very positive benefit for animals with allergic skin disease.
One of the simplest ways we can help animals with skin problems is to keep the skin clean. We know how good it feels to be fresh and clean after a shower or bath; we also know that if we have an area of skin which is damaged the first thing we do is clean it and then keep it that way. Why not the same for our pets? Bathing our pets, especially those with skin problems, can help to reduce the bacterial and yeast population on the skin, remove allergens from the skin surface, help remove skin scales and dead hair and remove parasites such as fleas. Pets with skin problems may need to be bathed several times per week.
Bathing Tips
When bathing your pet you should choose a shampoo which is gentle on the skin and formulated specifically for pets. Many different shampoos are on the market. You may wish to use a herbal shampoo or one of the medicated shampoos may be better for your pet's particular problem. If your pet has a skin problem then ask your vet what type of shampoo they would recommend for that particular condition.
When washing your pet use luke warm water, it should not be hot. It is fine to use a hose on a gentle setting for dogs in hot weather, but only if they enjoy this. It can certainly help to cool them down and make them feel more comfortable. Whatever you do, you should try to keep bath time as fun and stress free as possible - both for you and your pet!
Remember not to let shampoo get into eyes or ears, you can use a damp cloth to wipe around these delicate areas if necessary. Stay away from really sore areas with the water but if medicated shampoo is required here blot gently with a moistened cloth or cotton wool. Remember to wash (and dry) feet and toes.
Wherever possible, medicated shampoo should be allowed to remain in contact with the skin for 10 minutes before rinsing in order to have the best effects. Rinsing should be thorough since residues of shampoo can be irritating to the skin later.
Your pet should be gently towel dried (if you do not wish your dog to shake the water from the coat before you have a chance to dry them, gently steady their nose until you have the majority of the water off - the shaking starts with the head and if the dog cannot get started it will not happen!) You can finish drying with a hairdryer on a "cool" setting, however stay away from hot-spots and other sore areas.
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