The Glens Veterinary Hospital

Diarrhoea in dogs and cats is a nightmare for every pet owner who experiences it – you wake up one morning to find stinky effluent dribbled and splattered across the floor. And often, just as it is being cleaned up, your pet has a repeat episode!

A pet having diarrhoea is an unpleasant experience for pet and owner alike. It can cause severe illness in dogs and cats of all ages, but does more severely affect very young puppies and kittens, and older animals. Very young as well as senior pets with diarrhoea are at risk of dehydration because they have fewer fluid reserves and slower fluid intake. Their immature or weakened immunity, respectively, also offers less resistance to the bacteria and viruses causing the diarrhoea. However, in pets of any age, it’s important to address the problem promptly to help mitigate the consequences of this silent and smelly killer. 

The vet’s role is to ensure the health and wellbeing of their patients; to heal their wounds and treat their illnesses. Therefore, it can be challenging to be confronted by diseases or conditions that are not often seen in cats, requiring differential diagnosis and the solving of complex puzzles in order to treat their patients – especially felines. 

Every day, veterinarians are confronted with diagnostic challenges in the form of dogs with symptoms and no way to tell them where it hurts. There are some diseases and illnesses that vets see often, like ear infections, hip dysplasia, allergic reactions, dental disease and hot spots. But then there are some rare diseases that seldom make it to every vet’s examination table.

Ear infections in dogs and cats

You may notice a foul odour emanating from your dog or cat’s ears, or maybe the pinnae (ear flaps) are red and warm, or you can see a dark discharge (or pus) or inflamed ear canal. However, it would be your pet’s behaviour that alerted you to the potential problem to begin with: persistent scratching, head-shaking, pawing at their ears and/or vocalising while rubbing their ears. They may flinch when being touched on the head or even avoid your touch altogether. 

Dogs’ and cats’ endocrine systems work very similarly to humans’, and they experience similar disorders of the endocrine organs as humans do. This includes diabetes mellitus. Diabetes originates and presents in different ways between dogs and cats, but the mechanism is the same: the body is unable to use the glucose in the bloodstream. This occurs because either the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body is resistant to insulin secretion.

Time flies when you’re having fun – especially with a beloved dog or cat. Pets make our long days not only bearable, but worthwhile, and sharing affection with a pet helps us return to the moment when we’re anxious or overwhelmed. The only problem with pets is that they too get old, slow down, require additional special care, and a different approach to their health and wellbeing. 

As a pet owner, the veterinary clinic or animal hospital is your first port of call when your pet is showing concerning symptoms, and you are seeking a diagnosis and an effective treatment plan. The veterinarian’s main objective is to ensure your pet receives quality care that restores and even improves their health and wellbeing. We love animals and we want to see them well again – as much as you do.