Monthly Archives: March 2021
- March 31, 2021
Cardisure is prescribed by vets to treat dogs with heart diseases. Cardisure is used for congestive heart failure (CHF) which can be caused by either:
- Mitral valve disease (MVD)
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
Heart disease in dogs
Heart disease affects about 10% of all dogs. Some of the causes of heart diseases can be:
- a valve defect (eg. mitral valve disease)
- a cardiac muscle disease (eg. dilated cardiomyopathy) or
- a parasite like heartworm.
Congestive heart failure in a dog means that the dog’s heart is not able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. The symptoms increase as the heart’s health (and performance) declines.
Managing my dog’s heart disease
It's very upsetting to learn that your dog has heart disease. But it is important to know that, whilst there is no cure for heart failure, it can usually be managed with medication and care.
A dog with congestive heart failure (CHF) can live a long and full life if problems are diagnosed early and proper treatment
- March 31, 2021
Vetoryl is prescribed for dogs that are diagnosed with Cushings syndrome (pituitary-dependent and adrenal dependent hyperandrenocoticsim.
What is Cushing’s syndrome or Cushing Disease?
Both pets and humans can suffer Cushing Syndrome, or hypercortisolism. It happens more often in middle-aged and older dogs, and there are some breeds of dogs that are more likely to develop Cushing disease, such as poodles, dachshunds and smaller terrier breeds.
Cushing’s syndrome means that the body has abnormally high levels of the hormone cortisol, which is produced by the adrenal glands. A hormone called ACTH controls the production and release of cortisol from the adrenal glands. ACTH itself is produced by the pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain. Cortisol is a natural steroid produced by the body, and a normal amount helps the body adapt, in times of stress. It regulates proper body weight, skin condition and tissue structure. However, too much cortisol
- March 30, 2021
Vets may prescribe Semintra to help your cat with hypertension (high blood pressure), or to reduce proteinuria (protein in the urine), particularly in cats with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
There is a strong link between cats suffering hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Up to 74% of cats with hypertension also have CKD, and up to 65% of cats diagnosed with chronic kidney disease also have hypertension.
Hypertension
When your cat’s heart pumps blood through the arteries, the blood puts pressure on the artery walls. High blood pressure (hypertension) means that the long-term force of the blood against the artery walls may cause health problems. It is a complex disease, and is difficult to diagnose. The risk is that vital organs like the kidneys, eyes, brain and heart can be damaged by hypertension, and if left untreated, it can lead to shortened life expectancy or death. 20% of cats over 7 years old suffer some level of high blood pressure.
Chronic Kidney Disease
- March 23, 2021
Phenomav is prescribed for animals that are diagnosed with neurological conditions like seizures, convulsions, epilepsy or status epilepticus .
Neurological disorders in pets
Pets can suffer many of the same neurological disorders that humans do, as their nervous systems are similar to ours. Sometimes the cause of these disorders can be identified (trauma, congenital defect, autoimmune disorder, infection etc.), but sometimes they are idiopathic disorders, meaning no cause can be found.
Obviously, it is incredibly distressing to watch your cat or dog have a seizure or epileptic fit. You may have seen your pet collapse, move involuntarily, or lose consciousness. Some other symptoms that may indicate a neurological problem include circling, disorientation, head pressing or weakness in one or more limb.
What do I do when my pet is having a seizure or epileptic fit?
If your pet is having a seizure:
- Follow any advice that your vet has previously given you
- It’s important for you to
- March 22, 2021
Trocoxil is prescribed for dogs that are diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
What is osteoarthritis?
Sometimes called Degenerative Joint Disease or DJD, osteoarthritis refers to when your pet has progressively worsening inflammation of a joint. This happens when the cartilage in the joint starts deteriorating. In a healthy joint, which moves smoothly and painlessly, the cartilage acts as a cushion. This cushioning cartilage can start to break down or deteriorate, due to age, injury, repetitive stress, obesity, or disease.
If your dog has osteoarthritis, he or she may show pain, or a decreased range of motion, and may develop inflammation or bone spurs. The legs and lower back are the most likely to be affected.
Dogs are really good at not showing that they are in pain, so you might not see the early symptoms of osteoarthritis. Watch out for these signs in your dog, and discuss changes with your vet:
- Lethargy, or reluctance to run, jump, or play
- Stiffness, lameness,
- March 17, 2021
Firstly - there are two different medicines, called Fortektor and Fortektor Plus. These are not the same drug. If you want information on Fortekor, click here!
Vets may prescribe Fortekor Plus if your dog has congestive heart failure (CHF).
Heart disease in dogs
Vets say that about 10% of all dogs have heart disease.
There are a lot of things that can cause congestive heart failure, or heart disease, including:
- a heart valve infection (called endocardiosis) which may have resulted from blood infection or periodontal disease,
- a cardiac muscle disease (eg. dilated cardiomyopathy)
- .an increase in the thickness of the muscular wall of the heart (called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This reduces the volume of blood within the heart and also prevents the heart muscle relaxing properly between contractions.
Heart failure means that the dog’s heart is not able to pump enough blood around the dog’s body. This can lead to exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing and fluid
- March 15, 2021
Previcox is prescribed for dogs that are diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (sometimes called Degenerative Joint Disease or DJD) is a progressively worsening inflammation of the joint and is caused by the cartilage in the joint deteriorating. When a joint is healthy, the cartilage acts as a cushion, and the joint moves smoothly and painlessly. With age, injury, repetitive stress, obesity or disease, the cartilage can start to deteriorate or break down. You may have noticed that your dog is “not himself”, not showing enthusiasm for your normal games or walks, or is slow in his movements.
Pets with osteoarthritis may show pain, or a decreased range of motion, and may develop inflammation or bone spurs. The joints most likely to be affected are the legs and lower back.
Because dogs are braver than us humans, your dog may not show early symptoms - but you should watch for these signs in your dog, and discuss changes with your vet:
- Stiffness,
- March 12, 2021
Firstly - there are two different medicines, called Fortekor and Fortekor Plus. These are not the same drug. If you want information on Fortekor Plus, click here!
Vets may prescribe Fortekor for two very different diseases. It may be prescribed if:
- your pet has heart disease - Fortekor is used for:
- dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF), caused by either mitral regurgitation (endocardiosis) or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), or
- Cats, with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
- your cat or dog has chronic kidney disease.
Heart disease in dogs and cats
About 10% of all dogs, and about 15% of all cats have heart disease.
Possible causes of heart diseases can be:
- a heart valve infection (called endocardiosis) which may have resulted from blood infection or periodontal disease,
- a cardiac muscle disease (eg. dilated cardiomyopathy)
- .an increase in the thickness of the muscular wall of the heart (called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This reduces the volume of blood within the
- March 05, 2021
Vetmedin is prescribed by vets to treat dogs with heart diseases. Vetmedin is used for congestive heart failure (CHF) caused by two types of heart disease:
- Mitral valve disease (MVD)
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
Heart disease in dogs
Research shows that heart disease affects 10% of all dogs. Heart diseases can be caused by a valve defect (eg. mitral valve disease) or a cardiac muscle disease (eg. dilated cardiomyopathy) or through a parasite like heartworm.
Heart failure in a dog isn’t the same as a heart attack in humans. It means that the dog’s heart is not able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. The symptoms increase as the heart’s performance declines.
There’s lots of information about heart disease in dogs at this website, by the manufacturers of Vetmedin, including a canine respiratory app, for you to use to monitor your dog’s heart.
Managing my dog’s heart disease
Finding out that your dog has a heart disease is very upsetting for many owners, but
- March 02, 2021
Propalin syrup is prescribed for dogs (and very occasionally, cats) that suffer urinary incontinence.
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine. It is quite common in middle-aged and older spayed female dogs, but it can be seen in intact females and males. In many cases, the first you’ll know about it is a small wet patch on the dog’s bed at night - if untreated, the amount of urine can increase, and can even lead to urine scalding your pet’s skin. It’s also unhygienic and smelly - this makes pets and humans unhappy!
Incontinence isn’t naughtiness, or inappropriate weeing - an incontinent dog will be completely unaware that they are passing urine.
Whilst there can be other causes (like bladder infections), incontinence is often caused by “sphincter mechanism incompetence”. SMI means that the muscle at the neck of the bladder is weak - when an animal lies down or changes position, urine flows into the neck of the bladder and if the




