A common disease seen in dogs and cats is diabetes mellitus, or diabetes. The pancreas is a L-shaped gland that sits next to the stomach and part of the small intestines called the duodenum. The pancreas is responsible for producing a number of digestive hormones, such as insulin and glucagon. Insulin is a hormone that helps digest sugar. It is like the “key” to unlock the blood cells, allowing sugar to be used as energy. Diabetes is the lack of or underproduction of insulin. Without insulin, the sugar keeps circulating in the blood stream but is not available for use as energy, and therefore the body turns to fat stores and even muscles to fuel itself, which can lead to dangerous byproducts called ketones building up in the blood stream. Also, the body is essentially in starvation mode at this point, as all of the food that is being eaten is unable to be used as energy, so the body is breaking down its reserves. Signs that your pet may have diabetes include weight loss, usually despite a good to increased appetite, increased thirst, and increased urinations. Since these symptoms can also be seen with other serious diseases such as kidney disease or thyroid disorders amongst others, if your pet is exhibiting any […]
We tend to see an increase in blood in urine calls at this time of year. Mother Nature helps us out by blanketing the ground with snow which immediately raises a red flag when the snow doesn’t turn yellow but instead is red! There are many causes of blood in urine. Kidney disease, kidney stones, high blood pressure, or kidney infection can cause blood from the upper urinary tract. The lower urinary tract can have infections, polyps, tumors, bladder stones, or prostate or uterine disease. Cats can also have an inflammatory condition of the bladder that can cause blood in the urine (often called FIC-feline idiopathic cystitis or FLUTD-feline lower urinary tract disease). The first step in figuring out what is going on is usually to check a urinalysis, a test run on the urine. Depending on what is seen on this test and with the physical examination, further recommendations may be made. A chemistry profile looks at the kidney values further. A urine protein:creatinine ratio also further assesses kidney function. Radiographs (x-rays) or ultrasound may be used to look for bladder stones or bladder tumors and polyps. A urine culture and sensitivity may be performed to determine appropriate antibiotics. Hopefully with a little testing, we can find the cause of the bloody […]
Providing the best possible veterinary care for your pet.
Heritage Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinarian clinic that provides examinations, diagnostic services, dental care, surgical services, medicine, grooming and boarding services in Maple Grove, Minnesota. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of pet care possible and facilitating an environment where client communication and education are at the forefront of our practice.
