Managing Chronic Illness in Pets
Maybe you have already heard words like, “chronic, long-term, maintenance,” or, “lifelong” when it comes to your pet’s condition, diagnosis, or treatment. Maybe you dread hearing them some day. Words like these mean something has changed. Our once healthy, lively best friend is now experiencing a change in his/her health that will not go away. How does this affect them? How can we help? Is there more we can do?
Of course, in part, our answer depends upon the disease process involved. Most often, in animals, these words will accompany a diagnosis of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, thyroid disease, Cushing’s syndrome, or other long-term process. These health concerns are not curable. We expect them to be present in your pet’s health for the rest of their life, or at least for a long time to come. Knowing that will change our goals from curing the disease to keeping your pet’s health stable for as long as possible while keeping them as comfortable as possible.
There may be a specific medication or treatment designed to stabilize your pet. For instance, insulin may be used to lower blood sugar in diabetic animals; blood pressure medication improves blood flow in patients with heart disease; thyroid supplements can raise thyroid hormone level in dogs who do not produce enough on their own. Each dose of these medications works to counteract the disease we are treating. The medications help, but they do not cure your pet’s condition. If we stop giving the medication, symptoms will return or worsen.
In addition to specific medications, there may be supplemental treatments we can offer. An example of this would be therapeutic diets. We know that for many health conditions we see in animals, there is often a specially formulated diet that will include or eliminate ingredients in order to prolong our animal patient’s health. Vitamins, organ-protectant products, and fluid therapy are other types of supplemental treatments we often utilize.
Supportive therapy is an option veterinarians look to for the comfort of your pet. This category includes pain management, medications for nausea, appetite stimulation, and other products, medications, or treatments. We reach for these types of therapies to help with the side effects of your pet’s illness. For example, kidney disease commonly causes nausea, some degree of pain, and loss of appetite. Your veterinarian may use a variety of supportive medications to help lessen the effect on your pet.
Alternative therapies might include herbal supplements, acupuncture, or chiropractic. These methods are best utilized in the hands of veterinarians who have received additional education, certification, or specialty in this area of medicine. If your veterinarian feels your pet would benefit from alternative therapy, they will refer you to another veterinarian they know and trust to provide treatment for your pet. Alternative therapy is not meant to replace the benefits of specific medications, supplemental, or supportive treatments. In fact, the best use of alternative therapy is in conjunction with these means of treatment.
If you are facing a chronic illness with your pet, your veterinarian will want to share their knowledge about the disease process and treatment recommendations with you. Consider scheduling a separate consultation visit to go over the details and make decisions together with your pet’s doctor. The day your pet is diagnosed will be a tough one. It will be hard to sort through information and make decisions. Take time at home to write down your questions, and then meet again with your vet to gain a better understanding of your pet’s needs.
Some questions that you may consider include:
“Does this diagnosis change my pet’s life expectancy?”
“How uncomfortable is my pet? Is she suffering?”
“What are the side effects of treatment?”
“What will the process involve? Is there additional testing? How often will my pet need to be seen?”
“What is the cost of the medication?”
“If my pet is difficult to medicate, are there options to make that process easier?”
“Are there any supportive treatments or supplements that would make my pet more comfortable?”
“Are there alternative therapies that we can use along with the treatment being prescribed?”
Our goal as veterinarians is to keep your furry friend healthy and happy for as long as we can by preventing disease when possible, curing disease when possible, and preventing animal suffering. Your understanding of your pet’s health and needs is vital to that process. We want you to be involved in their care. We want to hear about how your pet feels at home so that we can adjust their care. The best team for your pet is you and your veterinarian working together in his/her best interest.