What is an Endocrine Disease?

An endocrine disease is a fancy way of describing a disease that is caused by a hormonal imbalance. These diseases are relatively common and can greatly affect your pet’s quality of life. Some diseases can even be life threatening if they are not diagnosed and treated correctly.

Endocrine diseases can develop because a gland is not functioning properly or the control of the gland is faulty.

When too much hormone is produced, the disease is referred to as a hyper disease. Tumours and abnormal tissue growth commonly cause an overproduction of hormone.

A hypo disease occurs when too little hormone is produced. Endocrine glands that are destroyed, removed, or just stop working cause these diseases.

Howling at the Moon

Recently the STVC Team had a group training session with Anastasia from "Howling at the Moon" regarding grief and compassion fatigue, giving us some great hints on what signs to look out for and how to deal with stress, not just for ourselves but our fellow workmates, friends, families and our clients.

Anastasia has a long history of experience in a number of different places and when she lost her cat suddenly one day she discovered there is not a lot of help out there for pet owners who are trying to deal with the loss of their beloved furry friend. This led to her to starting Howling at the Moon offering pet loss counselling...friends and family are great in these situations but they don't always know what to say or understand what you are going through...

www.howlingatthemoon.info

Vomiting and when to worry

There are many causes of vomiting including pancreatitis, an intestinal obstruction from a bone or a piece of string (especially in cats), liver or kidney disease, or endocrine diseases such as diabetes.

If your pet has had a good old technicolor yawn, what should you do?

Assuming your pet is bright and otherwise well after a one-off vomit, keep a close eye on them over the next 24 hours. It's best to withhold food for a few hours (gastric rest) and offer fluids for re-hydration. Providing a bland diet (steamed chicken and rice) for a few days may be all they need.

Safety of Anaesthetics for Pets

A new scientific study reveals that low blood pressure is the most common complication encountered during anaesthesia in small animals. If prolonged, low blood pressure can cause reduced oxygen levels in the blood, and can result in permanent damage to vital organs. The kidneys for example rely on a steady blood pressure, not only to filter blood, but also as a supply of oxygen. A recent study published in the Australian Veterinary Journal (A world renowned scientific publication) highlighted the importance of routine blood pressure monitoring during anaesthesia, even in young healthy animals. The study found that dehydration can occur from fasting and hospitalization prior to routine procedures. This may increase the animal’s anaesthetic risk. When it comes to the health of your pet it is important to be aware of what is included, and more importantly what is not included, as part of routine procedures performed with anaesthesia.