Just as with human medicine, there are several techniques veterinarians use in order to improve your pet’s health. Your vet will be able to appropriately diagnose your animal's condition and advise on a course of treatment based on your pet's symptoms, age, medical record, species, behaviour as well as your preferences for them.
Your veterinarian will be able to carry out certain treatments, but in more complicated scenarios, your pet may have to be referred to a veterinary specialist with more extensive experience and a specific skill set.
With this in mind, here in this blog, we are going to explore the many types of medical treatments a vet can offer your animal.
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Medicinal treatments
In specific circumstances, veterinarians will advise medicinal treatments for animals. Some of the most common drug treatments for pets include:
Anthelmintics
These are frequently used to eliminate parasitic worms, which infest their systems and steal important nutrients from the body.
Dermatological treatments
Oral, topical, or injected medications can be used to treat common skin and ear conditions in pets.
Central nervous system treatment
Drugs such as aminocaproic acid or potassium bromide can be prescribed to support animals suffering from seizures or epilepsy.
Respiratory drugs
A range of medications can be used for animals who are suffering from respiratory issues. For example, a veterinarian might prescribe inhaled or oral steroids to assist animals suffering from asthma or other disorders that cause wheezing.
Antibiotics
These medications support animals' systems to fight infection and disease. They can be used once an illness is diagnosed, or a veterinarian might prescribe them preventively before surgery.
Kidney medicine
Lots of animals are prone to kidney issues and these treatments can help slow or stop the progress of these disorders.
Ophthalmological medication
Oral medications or eye drops can be used to treat infection and other ocular issues, for example, cataracts and glaucoma.
Behavioural modification treatment
If your animal appears neurotic, obsessive, or particularly aggressive and other treatments have not worked, your veterinarian may prescribe behavioural modifiers like antidepressants or antipsychotics.
Cardiovascular treatments
These can be used to treat many conditions relating to heart or blood vessels.
Hormone medications
Veterinarians often prescribe these to assist animals with reproductive issues.
Painkillers
These medications are available to help animals with chronic conditions or those recovering from major procedures.
Chemotherapy
These chemical compounds can help destroy cancer cells.
Vitamins and Supplements
Just like people, animals can occasionally benefit from taking vitamins and supplements, nutrients and organic compounds that can help strengthen bodily function. Veterinarians most often recommend them for ageing animals or those with long-term chronic conditions, but any animal can take these oral, topical, or injected substances.
Multivitamins
These can help balance an animal's diet and their overall nutrition.
Probiotics
These help support digestive function.
Supplements for arthritis
Glucosamine, calcium, green tea, and vitamin-E can help your pet’s joints function well.
Antioxidants
These can help support symptoms of ageing and reduce animals' risk of developing cancer.
Omega-3 fatty acids
These healthy oils can make animals' fur thicker and more healthy, as well as limiting excessive shedding.
Weight Management
Research indicates that nearly 60 percent of cats and dogs may be overweight. Animals typically become obese due to overfeeding, lack of sufficient exercise. Being overweight may predispose animals to joint issues, diabetes, heart disease, digestive problems, liver disorders, cancer, and other medical issues. In addition, it can lower an animal's longevity as well as their overall wellbeing. Pets may also be underweight because of animal anorexia, certain disorders, or psychological issues.
If your pet is experiencing issues with their weight your veterinarian will most likely recommend a customized weight management treatment plan, which will likely include:
Dietary alterations
The key factor in your pet's weight is their diet. Monitoring the amount of fat, protein, and fibre in your animal's food can help it gain or lose weight.
Increase or decrease in exercise and activity
Occasionally animals can be underweight due to excessive activity and should spend more time resting. Overweight or obese pets will need to be played with, walked, and exercised more rigorously or often.
Medications
Your vet may offer drugs that stimulate or suppress an animal's appetite to assist with weight management. Some vitamins and supplements may also achieve this effect.
Veterinary Surgery
Surgical intervention may be needed for pets that experience more severe issues. Varying on the complexity of the case, a general veterinarian or surgical specialist might perform these procedures. Some common veterinary surgeries may include tumour removal, tooth extraction, traumatic injury care often from bites or scratches, or skin condition repair, often for abscesses or ulcers.
Veterinary surgery treatment involves the following:
Diagnostic testing
Veterinarians often use this technique to figure out the root cause of the issue, assess the animal's baseline, and plan the procedure appropriately.
Anaesthesia
Local or topical anaesthesia can be carried to numb a condensed space when oral or intravenous sedation helps your animal remain calm and comfortable. Some veterinarians may also prescribe muscle relaxants or use massage techniques during a procedure to keep an animal calm.
Incisions
In the event of an incision, your veterinarian needs to open your animal's skin to modify tissue underneath. They will do so in as minimally invasive a fashion as possible. Varying on the extent of your animal's condition and your doctor's expertise, the incision can be made using a thin blade, small laparoscopic instrument attached to a camera.
Tissue modification
Your veterinarian or surgical specialist might have to remove, adjust, or repair skin, fat, muscle, bone, or other tissue to improve an animal's condition.
Suturing
Frequent or dissolvable stitches can close the wound for proper healing. Your doctor may also sanitize the site and may place prophylactic antibiotics. Your practitioner will explain the specific aspects of your animal's procedure at your pet's pre-operative consultation.
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