Is your pet aged seven or over?

Older pets often have inflammation in their joints to to year of wear and tear, resulting in movement becoming sore and difficult. Osteoarthritis, or arthritis as it is more commonly know, effects the hips, elbows and knees more predominantly, but it can appear in any joint. 

Spot the signs:

• General slowing down, especially on walks
• Reluctance to play, jump or go upstairs
• Limping/lameness
• Muscle wastage
• Licking or chewing the skin over affected joints
• Stiff walking motion (especially when waking up or after exercise)

You dog can be affected by many different heart diseases; mirtal valve disease (MVD) is by far the most common of these heart disease. What is it and how can we know if our dog is effected?

Also referred to as degenerative valve disease, MVD is a chronic, progressive disease that involves the degeneration of the heart valve separating the two chambers on the left side of the heart. It will worsen over time. 

Symptoms of MVD do not display easily; in some cases dogs can be affected all their lives and not show any signs of the disease. The main symptoms in MVD diagnosis is the presence of a heart murmur which will only be picked up during a routine examiniation where a vet listens to your dog's heart. 

Spot the signs:

• Coughing (after lying down or sleeping, and often worse at night)
• Slowing down on walks or displaying low energy in general
• Breathing quicker than usual, with breathlessness and/or panting
• Weight loss
• Fainting or collapsing.

If in any doubt, it is always best to get your dog seen by us. On detection of a heart murmur, further tests may be required to confirm the diagnosis.

There are a number of heart diseases that can also affect cats; cardiomyopathy is the most common of these. What is this and how do we know if it is affecting our cats? Cardiomyopathy is a term that covers any disease affecting the heart muscle. There are different types of cardiomyopathy that are classified according to effects they have on the function of the heart muscle. 

Spot the signs:

• Breathing difficulties/rapid breathing
• Cold extremities, suggesting poor circulation
• Signs of fainting (although relatively uncommon).

Symptoms of heart disease may not be evident, meaning it is important to ensure your cat is booked in for regular check-ups with us. Some signs of heart disease can be detected early and treated by our team.

• A heart murmur (listening to your cat’s heart using a stethoscope)
• A gallop rhythm (where an additional third beat is heard with each contraction cycle)
• Increase or decrease in heart rate.

It is always best if there is any doubt to get your cat checked by one of our team. Any detection of heart murmurs may require further testing. 

Pets rely on their kidneys to perform important bodily task such as removing toxins from the blood, regulate blood pressure and acidity levels, and prevents water loss. When these tasks are incorrectly performed, kidney failure (or renal disease) may occur. Age can also be a factor in kidney failure, causing differences in the severity and symptoms of the disease quite significantly. 

Spot the signs:

• Excessive drinking leading to frequent urinating
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Ulcers in the mouth
• Sudden blindness due to high blood pressure

Although high blood pressure can occur on its own, some common causes also include kidney, thyroid or heart disease. As the circulation of blood becomes harder, complications may occur in the kidneys, heart, eyes or brain. 

Spot the signs:

• Blindness
• Weight loss
• Noticeable changes inside the eye, including bleeding
• Seizures
• Disorientation
• Change in personality

Dogs with Cushing’s syndrome produce excessive amounts of cortisol. This can have harmful effects on other organs and on the ability of the body to regulate itself. Cushing’s occurs in dogs who are producing excessive amounts of cortisol, an important hormone that helps to regulate the body’s metabolism.

Spot the signs:

• Large water intake
• Frequent urination and possible incontinence
• Ravenous appetite
• Pot belly
• Thin skin
• Hair loss or recurrent skin diseases
• Muscle wastage
• Lethargy
• Excessive panting