Bess happy to see us!

Our pet star for December is Bess; she is a 6 year old Cocker Spaniel who presented at the surgery after she had been very unwell. She had been vomiting up all her food and water for a few days and was very lethargic; she didn’t even want to hold her own head up!! On examination the vet found that Bess had a very sore abdomen and that her gums had tiny haemorrhage’s all over them, called petichial haemorrhages, these are caused when the blood vessels become leaky. The vet admitted Bess for fluid therapy and tests to help diagnose what the problem was, throughout the afternoon blood tests showed that Bess’s kidneys were not functioning properly and that there were very high levels of Phosphorus as well. As her condition was deteriorating we made the decision to send Bess to the out of hours vets over night so that they could monitor her and give any treatment if needed. 

The following morning Bess returned to Oakville after a comfortable night and was much brighter. She was walking around happily and was also eating and drinking again, the petichial haemorrhages had reduced and fluids were carried on with throughout the day to help Bess’s kidneys.   

Over the next few days Bess continued to improve and blood tests showed that her kidneys were starting to function normally again. The condition we diagnosed her with was Pancreatitis, caused in this case, by so much fat in her diet, so Bess was started on a prescription diet to help with her condition. After 3 days Bess was discharged with her new diet and medication and has made really great progress!!! Her owners were pleased to have her home and back to her normal self again, she continues to come in to be weighed and checked and is always happy to see us!!

Acupuncture- A brief history.

Acupuncture is an alternative medicine that originated in china; it uses small needles inserted into various acupuncture points to help relieve certain conditions.

Acupuncture was first recognized in the western world in 1972 when the American president Nixon went to china and was given acupuncture, since then it’s become well known all over the world and its benefits in animals have been recognized with many vets learning how to do acupuncture.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture uses very small needles to target specific points on an animal, these are called acupuncture points. These trigger the body’s natural defense systems and help suppress chronic pain in 2 ways:

1. The nerves that are involved in the transmission of this pain are blocked; this stops the nerves being able to pass on the impulse and therefore stops or reduces the sensation of pain.
2. Natural pain killers and muscle relaxants are produced.

If an animal has a specific area of pain, the needles can also be used to target the surrounding muscles.

A dog having Acupuncture

Is acupuncture painful?

The needles used for acupuncture are much smaller than a normal hypodermic needle, generally only 0.25mm wide.  Most animals do not even notice the needles and some fall asleep! However, it is impossible to put a needle through the skin without some form of sensation.

People who have acupuncture comment that they feel a mild sensation of warmth, tingling or numbness when needles are put in.  Some points may be more sensitive than others but an experienced veterinary acupuncturist will know which points to avoid! However, over 95% of animals will tolerate acupuncture well.

Which conditions can acupuncture help?

• Back Pain
• Arthritis
• Hip Dysplasia
• Muscle and Ligament sprains/strain
• Paralysis/paresis
• Urinary and faecal incontinence
• Constipation
• Immune Dysfunction

What does treatment involve?

When we start animals on an acupuncture course, the frequency of treatment will depend on the animal’s individual condition and how well they respond, but initially most animals will have weekly sessions for 4-6weeks. Further treatments and length between these will then be tailored to the animal’s requirements.

Your pets first acupuncture consultation will usually take between 30 and 45 minutes, this gives the vet plenty of time to take a full history, assess and treat your pet and then discuss the treatment plan. Further treatments generally take 20-30 minutes.

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

• Relieves Pain
• Effective for a wide range of problems including chronic diseases
• An alternative option when harmful side effects from a drug are a concern
• Can be used when surgery is not an option
• Usually produces a response within the first 2-4 sessions and often immediately

Acupuncture- The law and insurance companies.

By law only vets can perform acupuncture, they are properly trained and Zoe is a member of the Association of British Veterinary Acupuncture.

Most insurance companies now recognize acupuncture as an effective treatment and will cover your pet’s treatment; however, it’s advisable to check with your insurance company before going ahead with treatment.

If you would like to find out more about acupuncture please call the practice on 01952 506360

Ivington with his buster collar and a big smile

 Ivington is a 7 year old Labrador who is a regular at Oakville!! He first came in last year to have some lumps removed from his sternum and leg, however, he recently developed a lump on his lip. The vets removed this lump and sent it off to the lab to be tested, when the results came back it showed that the lump was malignant but the margins that were originally taken, even though these were wide, still included some of the mass. Together, the vets and Ivington’s owner decided to do more surgery to remove the scar tissue and take even wider margins from his lip to prevent the mass from coming back and spreading even further.

Ivington with his brother Bircher

Due to wide margins being taken the first time around, a lot of skin had to be removed from Ivington’s lip and so he had to have a large buster collar to prevent him from scratching the wound. He has been back for his post op check and the wound is healing really well, Ivington will be back to have his stitches removed shortly and lots of fuss and attention!

 Every time Ivington comes in to see us (which is quite often!!) he always has a smile on his face and waggy tail and will let the vets and nurses treat him with no problems, so long as he gets attention and a biscuit!!