Eden Vets June Newsletter
This Month’s Health Awareness is: Urine sampling
Often the vet might ask for a urine sample as part of investigations or monitoring. Urine can help us diagnose infections, kidney disease, liver disease, cancer, over-production of natural steroid (Cushings disease) or underproduction of insulin (diabetes).
Getting a urine sample from your pet can be challenging! We will give you a collection tube and form to return the sample to us, but how you get the sample is up to you!
- Cats: we can give you a katkor kit, made up of non-absorbable material to put into your litter tray so the urine is available to collect and bring in
- Dogs: often having someone as a distraction at the front end and someone behind to play ‘catcher’ is ideal. They can give you some very funny looks if they see what you’re doing!
- For female dogs who squat very low you can sometimes sacrifice a baking tray, or one client uses a ladle to get a sample!
- Male dogs who cock their legs can be harder to catch the stream – a wider receptacle may be easier but beware of splash back!
Once you have the sample we would like it as soon as possible: the fresher the better! If you
cannot bring it straight away, then please store it in the fridge. As a sample ages, new
crystals can form more rapidly at warmer temperatures. We are unable to tell if these
crystals have formed inside your pet or inside the pot, so ideally assessment soon after
getting the sample is best!
Meet a member of the Eden Vets team:
Dr Nicola Hoyle – BVM BVS MRCVS PgCertDent (WBIS)
We’re delighted to welcome Dr Nicola Hoyle to Eden Veterinary Referrals!
Nicola joined our team in May 26 to lead our new Dental Referral Service, bringing with her a passion for veterinary dentistry and advanced patient care.
Working alongside Emily Philip RVN NCertDent, our dedicated dental nurse, Nicola will help provide a caring and comprehensive dental referral service for pets requiring advanced dental investigations and treatment.
At Eden Veterinary Referrals, we’re proud to continue expanding our referral-led services within our state-of-the-art referral hospital.
Internal Referrals and case discussions welcome
Get in touch to discuss a case or to enquire about referral today
EDEN VETS REFERRALS >>
Eden Vets highlight of the month…
NEW SERVICE
We are now offering laparoscopic (keyhole) neutering surgery at Eden Vets Shavington.
Keyhole neutering is for dogs over 5kg- female dogs, or male dogs where the testicles are within the abdomen (cryptorchid)
This method is minimally invasive and uses cameras to visualise inside the abdomen instead of the traditional method of spaying your dog; offering a quicker recovery time.
Advantages of laparoscopic surgery are:
- There may be less post-operative pain.
- There are fewer stitches, both internally and externally. This can mean a faster return to normal exercise levels once signed off by your vet.
- As the incisions are smaller, there is a smaller risk of post-operative complications with the incisions, as well as less trauma to the tissues.
If your dog is booked in to be spayed or you’re thinking of neutering your dog; we would be happy to answer any questions you have about this being done laparoscopically.
Take a peek behind the scenes at Eden Vets
CT SCANNER
As part of our comprehensive range of equipment, we also have an onsite CT scanner. A CT scan uses x-rays to provide excellent detail within the body. It is far superior to plain x-rays for certain conditions and can pick up diseases much earlier in their time course.
A CT scan may be recommended for your pet to investigate a whole host of problems such as lameness, coughing, vomiting, diarrhoea and cancer staging/monitoring post treatment.
We are also able to fast track our CT interpretation to receive results within 4 hours where an urgent diagnosis is required.
Should your pet require a CT scan, rest assured they will be looked after by our specially trained Vets and Nurses at Eden.
We also run an Outpatient CT scan service so even if you are not registered with us, your first opinion vet has access to our diagnostic services by referral.
Eden Vets Star Patient of the Month…
Our star patient this Month is the lovely Fatima
Fatima is a beautiful Bulldog who has been under the care of Eden Vets since July 2024. Like many Bulldogs, she has struggled with allergic skin disease, requiring ongoing management with medication, ear care, and regular treatment adjustments. Her owners have been incredibly dedicated throughout.
Earlier this year, Gemma Ford introduced a new ear treatment called Cortotic (a steroid only ear drop) alongside Fatima’s existing allergy management. The improvement has been amazing – her ears are now the best they have ever been, meaning fewer flare-ups, fewer vet visits, and a much happier dog.
During her consultation, Gemma also discussed Fatima’s weight and mobility. Bulldogs are very prone to early arthritis and chronic joint pain, which can often be difficult to spot as signs develop gradually. A pain trial using meloxicam was started to see if hidden discomfort was affecting her quality of life.
Just three months later, Fatima’s owners describe her as “a new dog.” She is walking further, playing more, and has regained some of her puppy-like behaviours. As her mobility improved, she also began naturally losing weight, which is fantastic for her overall health and comfort.
Stories like Fatima’s remind us how subtle chronic pain can be in pets. If you have concerns about your dog or cat’s mobility or comfort, please speak to us about whether a pain assessment could help.
A huge thank you to Fatima’s wonderful owners for their dedication and care.
