Keeping Pets Healthy - Pet Tips!

We at Cedar Heights Animal Clinic are always looking for ways to help you better care for your pets. To that end we will be adding Pet Care tips and information and more to our new Website blog. Stay tuned for great information and fun ways to "Keeping Pets Healthy".

Does your pet seem to seek heat even in the summer, have trouble healing, pant excessively, maintain heavy body lipomas or fatty depostis on body or lipid deposits even when dieted? This may indicate hypo or low thyroid disease. Diagnose with a thyroid profile, and/or a thyroid stimulating hormone challenge test.

Pets with a hypothyroidism including dogs and horses, can be treated with a thyroid supplement like levothyroxine, or soloxine.

Do your pets seem really active, have a ravenous appetitive but continue to lose weight, have a personality change, drink and urinate lots and have periodic vomiting? This could be hyperthyroidism. This disease is more common in cats. Hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed with a free T4, and can be treated with medicine, radioactive iodine or surgery.

Just because your pet is older does not mean they do not need a 'nose to tail' exam – actually it is very important that they are examined every 6 months after age 7 years. This allows diseases to be detected before the patient is ill to allow for pre-emptive care to keep them happy and healthy longer!