Hi friends! It’s your buddy, Subway, here, and today, we are discussing wellness exams. These routine check-ups allow veterinarians to notice abnormalities in advance so they can treat and prevent other problems from occurring. On the outside, your four-legged companions can appear happy and healthy — my fellow felines are fantastic at this! But on the inside, they could have health issues you may not know about. To ensure conditions don’t worsen, it’s vital that you have your pets examined at least once a year. For my friends who are 8 years old or older, you want to have a wellness exam twice a year. Me and my canine best friend, Sam, go to our appointments. It’s an excellent way for humans to understand their pets’ health and behaviors better and make necessary changes so they can continue living their best lives. Now, you may be wondering what these wellness exams consist of. Luckily for you, I have tons of great information to share! When the humans at Petersen Pet Hospital conduct these exams for furry friends 7 years old or younger, they will recommend performing a complete blood count (CBC) and chemistry service. This allows them to look at the red and white blood cells to see if there are any underlying infections or illnesses. The chemistry allows them to study your pet’s kidneys, electrolytes, and protein count to ensure everything works properly. Let’s Talk About Wellness Exams SUBWAY’S
Nena is a 9-year-old, domestic long-haired feline who has been battling diabetes for many years. Diabetes in cats can be very similar to humans. It is a condition where the body does not produce enough insulin (Type 1) or does not respond to insulin (Type 2). Glucose (sugar) is necessary to all cells in the body, and it is the main fuel that keeps it alive. In both conditions, the glucose cannot go into the cells, and therefore, the glucose level in the blood increases significantly. In cats, the most common is Type 2. This means their cells do not respond appropriately to their own insulin and will not allow the glucose to go where it is needed. There are a lot of factors that will influence the probability of a cat developing diabetes. Genetics will play a big role, but it is not the only thing. Obesity, increasing age, physical inactivity, and current medications can also help increase the risk. Nena was stable, but we wanted to know more about it and if we could improve her quality of life. Investigating Diabetes Treatment For Nena
There are many ways to monitor diabetes: spot checks, fructosamine, glucose curves in clinic and at home, etc. Glucose curves are one of the best methods due to how much information we can gather. Upon discussion with Nena’s owners, we decided to proceed with a home monitoring system used in human medicine: FreeStyle Libre (a sensor that lasts up to 14 days and monitors glucose constantly). Since the device is not specific for the veterinary field, there are a lot of considerations to be made, but Nena was a good candidate.
For our older furry friends, our veterinarians recommend conducting a CBC screening, chemistry, thyroid check, and urine sample. These tests will help
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During her first two-week trial, we realized her glucose was varying a lot. She would have high spikes and sometimes really low as well. During that period, Dr. Carmo tried to adjust her insulin a couple of times, but the results weren’t great. Then, we added a second round with the sensor and tried adjusting insulin again. Since Nena wasn’t responding well, and due to the different type of curve she was exhibiting, Dr. Carmo decided to change the type of insulin to one that is more stable for cats.
On the final days of the second sensor, the readings were more stable, yet we wanted to know more long term. Dr. Carmo applied a third and final sensor, where we were able to finally see that the new insulin was a much better option and caused steadier curves. This meant that we had less of the big variances seen on the previous insulin. Nena’s readings were still not perfect, but we now feel way more comfortable with her levels.
If you have a pet struggling with diabetes, please let us know so we can guide you on the best test and treatment options for them!
—Dr. Carmo
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