Eden Vets May Newsletter
Dates for your Diary….
Puppy Parties
Thursdays 7pm : 8 May, 19 June & 10 July
Blood Bank Clinic
Sundays 29 June & 14 September
For more information contact the clinic
Canine Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s)
Cushing’s disease is a condition caused by long term exposure to high concentrations of cortisol (stress hormone) which is normally produced in the adrenal glands (two small glands located in the abdomen, near the kidneys).
There are 2 most common causes of Cushing’s disease:
Pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism – 85% of cases are caused by a benign growth in the pituitary gland located at the base of the brain. This causes the pituitary gland to produce a larger than usual amount of a hormone which stimulates the adrenal glands to produce excessive cortisol.
Adrenal-dependent hyperadrenocorticism – 15% of cases are caused by a tumour in one of the adrenal glands which produces excess cortisol.
What are the clinical signs of Cushing’s disease?
- Excessive drinking and urination
- Increased appetite
- Excessive panting
- Thin skin on the abdomen
- Thinning of the fur, recurrent skin infection
- Weakness and muscle loss
- Lethargy
- Distended abdomen with a pot-bellied appearance
Diagnosis usually requires a combination of physical examination in a consultation, blood tests, urine tests and diagnostic imaging e.g. an ultrasound of the abdomen, all of which can be performed at our Shavington practice. Cushing’s disease can be tricky to diagnose because the disease can have similar symptoms to a range of other diseases.
The most common medication used is an oral capsule/tablet given one or twice daily. This reduces the production of excessive amounts of cortisol. Regular blood tests to measure the amounts of cortisol produced are very important, as this medication can have powerful effects and can lead to over suppression. Too much medication can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, a lack of appetite and weakness.
Dogs treated for Cushing’s disease usually enjoy a good quality of life and medication can significantly improve symptoms.
Meet a member of the Eden Vets team
We would like to introduce you to: James Higgins – RVN
We wish to introduce you to RVN James – our dermatology nurse!
James assists dermatologist Viorela with her consults, patient investigations and monitoring of anaesthesia, provides administrative and technical support and communicates with those clients.
James also is one of our practice nurses, so you’ll often see him in and around reception on his consulting days.
Eden Vets highlight of the month…
May Is Vet Nurse Awareness Month
Every year during the month of May, the veterinary profession celebrates Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM), proudly spearheaded by the BVNA.
The purpose of VNAM is to champion the veterinary nursing profession to the public and pet owners. The vital role of veterinary nurses in upholding animal welfare is highlighted – both in and out of clinical practice.
The campaign theme for #VNAM2025 is ‘Progression’, with the aim of highlighting the diverse range of achievements, skills, abilities and career pathways of veterinary nurses.
Keep a look out on our facebook page and in clinic for a celebration to our fantastic nursing team.
Eden Vets in the Community
Our Eden Team will be visiting the following local events.
We have lots of activities and offers to share with you and we would love to meet you and your pets.
Pop along and say hello and lets hope for some sunshine.
Sat 17th May: Wheelock Summer Fun Day
Sat 28th June: Shavington village festival
Sat 6th July: Holmes Chapel Village Fair
Weds 30th July: Nantwich Show
Sat 6th September: Sandbach Pride
Eden Vets Star Patient of the Month
Our Star Patient this week is the lovely Fiddich.
He is the most handsome and joyful spaniel you could ever meet but likes to explore on his walks at 100mph!! His owner noticed something was wrong when he suddenly slowed down on a walk and started sneezing and rubbing at the left side of his face.
In true spaniel style he quickly shook it off and continued with his walk with his usual level of enthusiasm. Over subsequent days he was his usual happy self, but his owner noticed some incredible bouts of sneezing and he was more reluctant to be touched over his muzzle.
His owners brought him to see us along with some useful video footage of his sneezing. On physical examination he was sensitive when touching the left side of his muzzle. We were very suspicious of a nasal foreign body given the breed and his history, so he was admitted for examination under general anesthesia.
Here at Eden Vets, we have several different endoscopes which are perfect for exploring hard-to-reach areas in our patients. Vet, Gemma Smith-Rose was able to use our flexible rhino scope to identify a large twig that was lodged in Fiddich’s nose causing the sneezing. She then used a rigid scope to carefully remove the twig in one piece avoiding any further damage to his nasal cavity. Incredibly, the twig was 7-8cm long!!!!
Fiddich enjoyed lots of cuddles with our nurses throughout the day and we are very pleased to report he is recovering well at home.
We have some exciting news …. We are building again!
This project involves renovating the final part of the upstairs of the building.
This build creates a brand new feline only:
• Prep room
•Theatre
•Catteries
With additional:
•dermatology room
•large dental
•additional dog treatment rooms
There is also space for several offices for our administrative and vet teams.
Our builders; Mike and Chris are working tirelessly to complete this project over the next few months.
Stay tuned for more build updates over the coming weeks!
