We recently moved house and our cat Doris who has always been allowed out has had to be kept in for a while to acclimatise and it has been tricky. I have had to travel during that time and Sofie was brilliant. Doris is a very choosy cat and can be standoffish (to be polite!) but she was totally at ease with Sofie right from the first getting to know you visit. I got regular update texts which were massively reassuring and I came back off my trip to a very happy cat. Sofie has also been fantastically helpful about the pros of keeping Doris in, especially whilst we have had work done on the new garden. I will definitely be using Peace of Mind Pet Care again.. 
P Green
Pet Health Check...
Peace of Mind Pet Care are very happy to have teamed up with Andy Downing BVetMed MRCVS of Banstead Village Veterinary Surgery to provide us with the latest in veterinary pet care advice.
Andy will be writing a monthly article for us covering pet care advice, seasonal information and much more.
Please see below for our latest article, but don’t worry if you have missed one, all our previous articles are available to view.
For veterinary advice and treatment please call Banstead Village Vets on 01737 210011 or visit their website at www.bansteadvillagevets.co.uk
Diabetes Mellitus in dogs and cats
What is it?
Diabetes Mellitus is a condition caused when either the pancreas stops producing insulin (Type 1 Diabetes), or when the body no longer responds in the normal way to insulin (Type 2 Diabetes). Insulin is a hormone which is produced when food is eaten. It tells the cells of the body to absorb glucose from the bloodstream, which they then use as fuel to perform their functions. When the cells do not receive an insulin signal to absorb glucose, the glucose stays in the bloodstream, and the cells cannot function properly. Type 1 Diabetes is more common in dogs, and Type 2 more common in cats. Type 2 diabetes is sometimes known as weight dependent diabetes, as it normally occurs in overweight animals, and sometimes will resolve when the animal loses weight.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms are gradual in onset - excessive drinking, increased urination, increased appetite and weight loss. Other signs can include urine infections, cataracts, weakness, and occasionally very serious signs like vomiting and collapse. Affected animals occasionally also get breath that smells like pear drops. This is a potentially very serious complication called ketoacidotic diabetes.
It is your job as pet owners to look out for any of these symptoms, and to take your pet to a vet if you are suspicious that your pet has any of them.
How do we diagnose Diabetes?
By taking blood and urine samples and testing these for high glucose levels though it’s not always that easy for two reasons. Firstly, because blood glucose levels, particularly in cats, can increase for other reasons such as when the animal is stressed. This is not uncommon during visits to the veterinary surgery! Secondly, because animals that develop diabetes are often middle or old aged, and may therefore have other conditions that complicate the diagnosis. For this reason, we often have to do other tests as well, to look at kidney and liver function for example.
How do we treat the condition?
The treatment depends on the animal, on the type of diabetes that they have, and on any other conditions they may suffer from. If it is type 1 diabetes, then normally the animal will be given insulin therapy - where their owner will inject them 1 or 2 times a day at home with synthetic insulin, just like a person would with diabetes. If it is type 2 Diabetes, then sometimes this can be controlled with diet, or with oral medication, although even animals with type 2 diabetes normally start off with insulin injections initially. Weight loss is always an important part of treatment too.
Many animals live a full and normal life with diabetes, although they do all need regular monitoring as their treatment regime may have to be altered regularly to be fully effective.
Peace of Mind Pet Care can provide you with veterinary qualified pet carers who are experienced at administering insulin injections.
Antifreeze Poisoning
With all the recent cold weather, we often need to top up or change the antifreeze or screen wash in our cars, or use de-icers on the windscreen. However, we need to be aware of the danger to our pets!
These products contain Ethylene Glycol, a colourless, odourless, sweet tasting chemical that attracts cats and dogs alike. Even a tiny amount can prove fatal to our pets if ingested.
What It Does
Ethylene Glycol is metabolised by the liver and travels in the blood stream to the kidneys where it forms crystals. If not treated immediately, these crystals can cause renal failure and thereby prove fatal.
If you suspect your pet has ingested antifreeze, it is vital to contact your vet immediately. For treatment to be successful, it must be given as soon as possible after ingestion.
The Signs
The first signs of Ethylene Glycol poisoning are similar to alcohol consumption… lethargy, grogginess and stumbling, increased thirst and vomiting. However, this rapidly progresses into more serious signs such as breathing difficulties, cyanosis (blue tinge to the mucous membranes), reduced urine production, blood in the urine and abdominal pain.
The Treatment
One of the most important things is supportive fluid therapy, better known as a drip. This helps to flush the kidneys through. The other main treatment is rather unusual as it involves intravenous alcohol! This helps to dissolve the crystals that have formed. The dosage is obviously rather important to get right.
