Advanced Diagnostics
Cancer and diabetes have become problematic for household pets in that each disease has an awareness month devoted to it. November is both Pet Cancer Awareness Month and Pet Diabetes Awareness Month. Both are serious diseases. Your dog or cat stands a much better chance of living a normal lifespan with early diagnosis and treatment.
Cancer in Companion Animals
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA), cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs and cats over age 10. In fact, it’s responsible for 50 percent of all fatalities in older pets. While younger pets can get cancer, it’s significantly more common in senior pets. Some of the signs are so subtle that you might miss them. We encourage you to schedule an appointment with us if your pet displays any of these symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Not wanting to interact with the family
- Weight loss and/or loss of appetite
- Bodily discharge such as pus, bleeding, vomiting, or diarrhea
- A mass or lump on your pet’s body
- Limping when walking or favoring certain limbs
- Wounds that heal slowly or not at all
- Changes in elimination habits
Dogs, Cats, and Diabetes
As people become less active and more overweight, so do their pets. Consequently, this increases the likelihood of a diabetes diagnosis. The AMVA states that approximately one cat in 200 and one dog in 500 have the disease.
Common diabetes symptoms to look for in dogs and cats include:
- Increased thirst and urination
- Weight loss
- Increased appetite
- Fatigue
- Frequent urinary tract infections
- Poor vision, cataracts, or blindness
Early detection increases the likelihood of a more “normal” life. Our animal hospital understands that a diabetes diagnosis can feel overwhelming and we’re here to help.
Advanced Diagnostics for Prompt and Accurate Diagnosis
We’re proud of the advanced diagnostic capabilities at Rivertown Animal Hospital which enable us to detect serious diseases in the early stages and create a treatment plan to put your pet on the road to recovery. Early diagnosis makes it possible to improve and sustain a pet’s quality of life. We have a full in-house laboratory, as well as digital radiology, ultrasound, and other state-of-the-art veterinary equipment to make an accurate diagnosis quickly.
If you would like to know more about how we diagnose cancer and diabetes or schedule an appointment to investigate symptoms, please contact us. Rivertown Animal Hospital strives to provide exceptional veterinary care to clients in Stillwater, Minnesota, and surrounding cities.