Elderly Patient Care

Pain management is indicated for numerous patients suffering with various painful conditions.

One of the most common conditions where we implement a long-term pain management plan is for patients suffering with arthritis, an extremely painful, inflammatory condition affecting the joints. Arthritis can occur due to old age, and wear and tear or sometimes post injury to a joint. It is not uncommon in some younger patients also.

The good news is that with a good pain management plan your pet can live a happy and fulfilling life.

There are numerous treatment options. We can prescribe daily medication, either tablets or an oral liquid.  We can also give courses of injectable pain relief as required.  We will advise you on which is more suitable for your pet.

A pain management plan can be advised for conditions other than arthritis - cancer patients for example or patients suffering with post-operative pain or discomfort.

Where a patient is on long-term medication, we usually advise regular blood testing to ensure the liver and kidneys are in good health.  We can then alter the medication prescribed, if thought necessary.

Routine health checks are important to ensure your pet is in tip top condition and identify any problems early.

During a routine health check, your pet will be checked over by one of our vets from nose to tail. The ears and eyes will be examined, we will examine the mouth and teeth. A chest examination involves auscultation of the heart and lungs. This is particularly important in breeds prone to heart problems or older patients, who more frequently suffer with heart or lung disease. The abdomen (your pet's belly) will be examined by touch and gentle squeezing to identify if any organs feel enlarged or abnormal. Your pet will have a temperature check. As part of the routine health check, it may be advised to run a routine blood panel to determine liver and kidney health and rule out conditions like diabetes. Most routine bloods are run in our in-house laboratory so we will have results for you that day.

Early diagnosis plays a key role in the success of treating certain conditions so routine health checks and screens are important for good health.

Good nutrition and feeding a good quality diet is key to your pet’s health.

We strongly advise feeding your cat or dog a dry food as opposed to a wet or tinned variety.

We stock foods in the shop which we strongly recommend as premium quality complete food. Premium pet foods have a bad reputation for being extremely expensive, but often this isn’t quite the case. These foods tend to be nutrient rich, and a much smaller quantity is often required to fulfill your pet's nutritional needs, than the comparative, highly-marketed supermarket brands. People are usually pleasantly surprised when a daily cost comparison is made, taking into account the quality of the food you will be feeding your pet.

Sometimes a prescription diet will be recommended for your pet based on a particular health issue they might have: obesity, gastro-intestinal problems, diabetes, kidney disease, dental problems etc. These diets can often help avoid the need for lots of different medication and certainly prolong your pet’s life.

For further information on nutrition, or prescription diets, don’t hesitate to give us a call and we would be happy to discuss your individual pet’s dietary requirements.