Checking your pet's lifelong medications

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To bastardise a song by Ian Dury and the Blockheads… and to get your attention with a  big dramatic word! 

Segue-ing onto this month's article, dispensed drugs from vet clinics are important for your pet's health.  I need to take a minute of your time, especially if your pet is on lifelong medications. 

We have patient lists on our computer who have permanent diseases and need daily medications.  Rechecking these patients is essential, just as it is with people - after all, we are just naked  monkeys, though some of us have a little hair on our heads. We send regular reminders to clients to remind them that little Rufus needs a blood test to check his thyroid levels.

Invariably the diseases needing long-term meds are slowly progressive, deteriorating diseases.  Sort of like life itself!  Regular checking (e.g. every three to six months) is advised for all chronic conditions.  With time, the progression of the disease often requires an increase in the dose of the treating drug.  Sometimes we can use less of the drug over time too.  The point is: your pet's health will suffer if you don’t do regular reviews of  the condition.

We saw a client recently with a diabetic cat receiving insulin injections.  We had not done a review in over seven months and the glucose levels last week were way too low and the cat may have died.  In fact, we may have cured the diabetes in this patient (this is something we strive for in feline diabetics).

Diseases that should be monitored regularly include – diabetes, thyroid diseases, Addison's and Cushing's diseases, heart disease, kidney disease, epilepsy and there are many more.  Your pet may now need a dose higher than was originally dispensed, in order for it to do the same job.  Unfortunately, many clients purchase cheaper, human drugs from pharmacies.  Last month we had one lovely old patient die from receiving these, instead of veterinary formulations.  

Drugs can help many ailments but, used incorrectly, they can kill.  Just like with us naked monkeys.  If your pet is on long-term medications, please book them in regularly for reviews and  blood tests.  This gives us vets a better chance to  prolong a happy life with your pets.

Please contact us if you would like any further information.