Ted is a lovely 6 year old Maltese-cross dog who presented to our hospital as he had been unwell.  He had eaten some yummy, cheesy lasagne the night before, and had vomited several times since.

During Ted’s consultation it was found that he had a high temperature, was tense and uncomfortable in his tummy and he was also dehydrated.  It was suspected that Ted had pancreatitis.  So Ted was admitted into hospital and placed on a drip to correct his dehydration, and he was given pain relief and antibiotics.   Blood was taken and several tests were ran to determine what was causing Ted's illness. The results came back showing that Ted was indeed suffering from Pancreatitis.

The pancreas is an organ in the abdomen whose job includes secreting digestive enzymes to break down the food we eat.  Pancreatitis occurs when this organ becomes inflamed.  In most cases the cause remains unknown but the disease has been associated with the ingestion of fatty foods, hormonal imbalances such as diabetes mellitus, drugs and trauma such as from a car accident.

Symptoms may include vomiting and fever (as seen in Ted), a painful tummy and diarrhoea.

Unfortunately with pancreatitis there is no one-off simple blood test to definitively diagnose the condition. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs, history and can be supported by a range of tests including blood tests, radiographs, ultrasound and sometimes even surgical exploration.

Treatment includes withholding food to decrease the amount of pancreatic stimulation, pain relief, putting animals on a drip to correct dehydration, antibiotics and the introduction of a low fat diet to minimise pancreatic stimulation to prevent recurrence.

Ted got much better during his stay in hospital and went home with a short course of antibiotics and a new, low-fat diet to prevent this medical condition from recurring.  Ted is now bright and happy at home and no longer has a tummy ache!

Beau Addison was brought in by his concerned owner in December 2006 after becoming ill when his owners went away. Beau is a 13 year old poodle and was very sick when he first presented. He had vomited, was depressed, had diarrhoea and was dehydrated.
Beau was immediately placed on a drip to correct his dehydration and in the meantime blood tests were run to try to determine the cause of his illness. The results came back confirming Hypoadrenocorticism, otherwise known as 'Addison’s Disease'.

Addison’s Disease, or Hypoadrenocorticism, occurs when there is a deficiency in the level of corticosteroid hormones in the body. It is an uncommon disorder in dogs, and very rare in cats. Corticosteroid hormones are produced by adrenal glands, which are small glands located just in front of the kidneys and are required for adapting to stressful situations as well as glucose, fat and protein metabolism. They also help to maintain hydration and certain electrolyte balances within the body.

As these hormones have such important roles in the body, a deficiency can be fatal and many animals will present in shock. Other clinical signs include lethargy, dehydration, vomiting and diarrhoea, as seen in Beau. In many cases a cause cannot be found.

Once the patient has been stabilised, further management of the condition involves lifelong replacement of the missing hormones, usually in the form of oral medications.

Beau remained in hospital for several days on a drip and during this time regular blood tests were run to check his electrolyte levels while he was in hospital. Thankfully Beau improved remarkably during this time and he was able to go home after a few days. Beau is now on lifelong oral medications to replace his missing hormones but he is otherwise a bright and happy boy at home.

Despite successful management of his Addisons Disease for nearly 2 years, sadly Beau's old age (14.5 years) lead to him developing more problems including kidney failure, and after a long fight, he was put to sleep.  We will always remember lovely Beau for his gentle nature but also his name, as it isn't always that the patient’s name turns out to match the disease!   

Dolly is a lovely black poodle who came in to see our vets as her owner had noticed her urinating very frequently and had also seen blood in her urine.  Dolly had some of her urine tested and it was found she had an infection.  However, despite antibiotic medications, Dolly did not improve, so xrays were taken of her tummy.  On the xrays we found several large bladder stones. To see an example of what bladder stones can look like on an xray, click here.

The bladder is a sterile area of the body, which means that bacteria do not normally reside there. However in cases where bacteria have gained entry, a urinary tract infection can occur. Some dogs may show no symptoms at all, however others may show signs of increased urination, bloody urine, excessive drinking or urinating only tiny amounts at a time.

Generally, once a urinary tract infection has been diagnosed it can be treated successfully with a course of antibiotics. However sometimes complications can occur. Some types of bacteria can alter the normal composition of urine (such as pH) which can then promote stone formation. Unfortunately when bladder stones are present they can then serve as an area for bacteria growth and the affected animal can get recurring urinary tract infections.
Surgical removal is the most direct way to get rid of bladder stones. Many different types of bladder stones exist and once they have been removed they are then analysed to identify what type they are, so that prevention strategies can be taken to prevent recurrence.

Dolly was admitted into hospital for surgery and her bladder stones were removed.  Her bladder stones were sent off to Minnesota in USA for analysis and were found to be Struvite Stones.

Dolly was sent home with a course of antibiotics to prevent further infection and she was placed on a special diet to correct the pH imbalances in her urine to prevent recurrence. Dolly is now a happy girl and her urine is monitored regularly to make sure the nasty stones don’t return.
   
Dolly is pictured with Grace.  They are the best of friends.