November is Pet Diabetes Month – like people, pets can develop diabetes.
Like all illnesses, the earlier the problem is diagnosed and treated, the better. Unfortunately, your pet can’t tell you how they’re feeling. Clues that your pet may be diabetic include:
- Drinking more water than they used too
- Urinating more often than they used to
- Weight loss, despite a big appetite
- Lethargy
- Weak hindlegs in cats
- Cataracts in dogs
With some pets, especially cats who are good at hiding signs of illness, the disease can go unnoticed by their owners until a diabetic crisis occurs.
Diabetes is just one of the diseases we can screen for in our older pet nursing clinics. These are a 45 minute appointment, so the nurse has plenty of time to find out about your pet and any concerns you have. We also make use of questionnaires to detect signs of dementia or arthritis, both of which can be managed successfully in many patients for some time. As part of the clinic, we offer screening tests including blood tests, blood pressure checks and urine tests at a discounted price.
The prices of our screening clinics are as follows:
- £31.50 (dogs and cats) to include blood pressure measurement and urine test to screen for high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney problems
- £65 (dogs) to include blood pressure measurement, urine test and blood test to screen for high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney problems, liver problems and anaemia
- £75 (cats) to include blood pressure measurement, urine test and blood test to screen for high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney problems, liver problems, hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) and anaemia
To book your pet in, give us a call on 01803 606059 (Torquay Vets) or 01803 843836 (Paignton Vets).
Gold Complete Care Club members get a urine and screening blood test included in their annual membership, so this is also a great option for older pets.