Clinics

Klinična študija: koencim Q10 in srčne zaklopke pri psih

lukam — Sun, 03 Feb 2019 20:11:39 +0000

Clinical Study: coenzyme Q10 and cardiac valves in dogs lukam Mon, 04/06/2020 - 20:48 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

You are invited to bring your dog for a free examination, which will include laboratory tests. As part of the 3-week study period, you will give your dog a nutritional supplement for two weeks, which you will receive free or charge at the first checkup.

Should you decide to participate in the study, you are invited to bring your dog for a free examination, which will include laboratory tests. As part of the 3-week study period, you will give your dog a nutritional supplement for two weeks, which you will receive free or charge at the first checkup. During the study, a small amount of blood will be removed on four occasions from your dog.

Interested owners are kindly requested to send us an email to: druzhaevanatalia@gmail.com with the title ‘For Coenzyme Q10 Research’. Please provide your contact details, including phone number, and basic information about your dog (as well as any medicine that they are currently receiving). You can specify the time when you would like us to call you.

You can call us on weekdays between 9am and 3pm on 01 477 9315 (Cardiology Clinic of the Small Animal Clinic).

The research is conducted in the Cardiology Clinic of the Clinic for Small Animals under the direction of Associate Professor Dr. Aleksandra Domanjko Petric and Associate Professor Dr. Alenka German Saint.

Nova mobilna številka dežurne službe

lukam — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 11:02:07 +0000

New On-Duty Mobile Telephone Number lukam Mon, 04/06/2020 - 20:40 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

We inform you that in order to make communication more accessible, a new free telephone number has been introduced, which will be active during emergency hours at the Small Animal Clinic.

We inform you that in order to make communication more accessible, a new free telephone number has been introduced, which will be active during emergency hours at the Small Animal Clinic, i.e. on weekdays from 7.30pm – 8am, on Saturday from 2pm and on Sundays and public holidays.

In the event of an emergency call: +386 (0)30 716 190.

Outside of emergency hours, please call the central number: +386 (0)1 4779 277.

FECAVA - Evropsko združenje veterinarjev za male živali

lukam — Sun, 03 Feb 2019 19:35:27 +0000

Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) lukam Sun, 04/05/2020 - 08:59 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

FECAVA (Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations) is an organisation dedicated to developing the veterinary profession and bringing together small animal veterinarians within Europe. Its aim is to make continuous progress in the care of small animal health, to strengthen human-animal bonding and to improve the concept of 'One Health'.

The FECAVA achieves its objectives through projects for the development of the veterinary profession, liaising with relevant organisations and promoting cooperation between European veterinarians.

1. poster: Clean hands save lives (PDF).

The FECAVA was formally established on 12 May 1990. Its founders decided to also publish their own newsletter - the first EJCAP (European Journal of Companion Animal Practice) was published in 1990, and since 2012 EJCAP has been released four times a year as an online edition.

The FECAVA organises a congress once a year - the first EuroCongress took place in 1994 in Paris. Under its auspices VetCEE (Veterinary Continous Education) was created to provide ongoing education in the field of small animal veterinary medicine. The FECAVA is also involved in antimicrobial resistance projects, campaigns against the illegal trade in puppy dogs, prevention of dog bites, social and economic values of family animals, the issue of stray dogs, etc.

Slovenia, or rather the Slovenian umbrella organisation that integrates small animal veterinarians (SZVMŽ), is a member of the FECAVA. Therefore, all veterinarians who are active members of SZVMŽ are members of the FECAVA.

Working groups from different fields are organised within the FECAVA to inform the those working in the field of veterinary medicine of the latest guidelines in each area. Thus, a working group on vector-transmitted diseases (Assist. Dr. Urška Ravnik Verbič is a member of this group) is preparing an overview of the most important vector-transmitted diseases of dogs in Europe. The working group will first publish posters on its website, produced by the working group for hygiene, which are designed to highlight the problem of the proper use of antimicrobials and workplace hygiene.

2. poster: Key recommendations for hygiene and the control of infectious diseases in veterinary clinics (PDF)

The first poster in this series shows how to properly wash and disinfect hands before surgery. Surgeons are generally well aware of the rules of asepsis, but it is important that veterinarians who do not perform surgery on a daily basis know how to apply these principles, since they can also endanger patients, themselves, and not least the owners of animals in outpatient and inpatient care. It is also important that owners of sick animals are aware of the basics of hygiene, as this protects themselves, family members and other pets in the household, while significantly influencing the outcome of treatment for the diseased animal. To this end, the FECAVA working group has issued a second poster with recommendations for the hygiene and control of infectious diseases in veterinary clinics.

The next poster will feature tips for the responsible use of antimicrobial agents. Until then… wash your hands!

Brezplačni specialistični pregledi ustne votline in zob pri delovnih psih

lukam — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 10:01:54 +0000

Free Specialist Examinations of Oral Cavities and Teeth in Working Dogs lukam Thu, 04/02/2020 - 20:36 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

A Healthy Oral Cavity for Great Working Results - Free Professional Oral and Dental Dog Examination Programme

Picture: Mojca Trampuš, Šapa at work

A Healthy Oral Cavity for Great Working Results - Free Professional Oral and Dental Dog Examination Programme.

The year has been and gone in the blink of an eye and it's time for a preventative examination of your working dog’s oral cavity and teeth!

In July we once again invite you and your dog, or dogs, to join the free specialist oral and dental inspection programme. The programme is intended for dogs who, through their work, serve society uncompromisingly - police and military dogs, guide dogs, rescue dogs and therapy dogs. The goal of the programme is to provide these animals with dental and oral health. Dental and oral diseases can cause animals discomfort and pain, thus affecting their ability to work. In addition, some oral diseases can also be life-threatening, especially if they are not detected early.

Free examinations will be performed by a specialist in veterinary dentistry, Assist. Prof. Ana Nemec, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, AVDC, EVDC. It should be noted that the accuracy of a dog's oral examination depends to a large extent on how much the dog allows for an oral examination, since no sedatives or anaesthetics will be used in the examinations of the animals. Upon completion of the examination, the guide and/or owner of the animal will be informed of the outcome and given a proposed plan for any further diagnosis and treatment. Further diagnostics and treatment are not included in the programme itself. During the examination, the veterinary dentist will also discuss with you (the owner or guide of the working dog) the importance and proper implementation of regular oral hygiene at home and the importance of preventive examinations.

The examinations will be carried out on Wednesdays in July 2019 between 4pm and 5.30pm at the Small Animal Clinic of the Veterinary Faculty at the University of Ljubljana (Cesta v Mestni Log 47, 1000 Ljubljana). To make an appointment by email please contact Ana Nemec at ana.nemec@vf.uni-lj.si or call the clinic reception on 01/4779-277.

We look forward to your visit!

Priporočila za diagnostiko in terapijo najpogostejših bolezni psov in mačk

lukam — Sun, 03 Feb 2019 20:01:19 +0000

Recommendations for diagnosis and therapy of the most common cat and dog diseases lukam Thu, 04/02/2020 - 07:34 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

The most common disease states by individual organ systems, diagnosis of these diseases, and the right decision for treatment.

This poster created by the working group within the Federation of Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) is intended more for veterinarians than dog and cat owners. The overview table summarises the most common medical conditions by individual organ systems, the diagnosis of these diseases and the correct decision regarding treatment. To the extent that the patient's medical condition allows, topical treatment, disinfection, surgical intervention, or other treatment is proposed to reduce the use of antibiotics. In cases where the use of antibiotics is necessary, the table provides guidance on diagnostics, which helps users choose the most appropriate antibiotic, thereby reducing the development of resistance.

The last poster of this working group will be intended for cat and dog cat owners, as they can also significantly help the proper use of antimicrobials by properly administering medicines and following the instructions of a veterinarian

Poster: Recommendations for Appropriate Antimicrobial Therapy (PDF)

Author: Assist. Dr. Urška Ravnik Verbič, DVM

Metronomska kemoterapija

developer — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 00:39:22 +0000

Metronomic Chemotherapy lukam Wed, 04/01/2020 - 12:11 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

Metronomic chemotherapy is an alternative form of chemotherapy in which the patient receives low doses of cytostatics, but for a long time and without interruption.

Such treatment protocols are supposed to be more effective as they avoid the accelerated growth of blood vessels in a tumour that occurs when a patient is not receiving chemotherapy. Lower doses also reduce the chance of side effects.

Metronomic chemotherapy works on several levels: it reduces the formation of new blood vessels in a tumour, helps with the anti-tumour function of the immune system, and inhibits and stops the growth of tumours.

In the past metronomic chemotherapy was primarily used to relieve symptoms in patients who have exhausted all other options for conventional therapy. Today it is used as first-line therapy in patients who have an advanced and/or incurable disease that cannot be treated with standard chemotherapy protocols due to the toxicity of the therapy itself. For patients who have a higher chance of recurrence of the tumour and those for whom the aim is to achieve a longer period when the tumour is ‘at rest’, metronomic chemotherapy may be used as adjunctive chemotherapy (for example, after surgical or radiation therapy, or when it is suspected that there is a presence of invisible metastasis or residual disease). It can be used as maintenance therapy for patients who have already undergone standard chemotherapy wherein the tumour has weakened, which inhibits growth and metastasis of the tumour. In dogs, solid tumours such as soft-tissue sarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and transient epithelial cell tumours can be treated using metronomic chemotherapy.
Studies to date show that there are no restrictions on the duration of metronomic therapy in animals, except in cases where adverse side effects develop. The positive features of metronomic chemotherapy are that it is well tolerated by animals because there are fewer side effects due to low doses of cytostatics. The medicines can be given by the owner on their own, thus fewer vet visits are required, which is also less stressful for the animals. Metronomic chemotherapy may be combined with other treatment methods and may be less likely to develop resistance to drugs.

The first studies on the treatment of cats and dogs using metronomic chemotherapy date back to the year 2000. Twenty clinical studies have been published to date, five of which are individual case studies and 15 involving a large number of dogs. Further research is required for the validation of metronomic chemotherapy protocols and their safe use in animals. Such research could also generate important data for the use of this form of chemotherapy in humans.

Source:

Hvalec Maja: Metronomska kemoterapija. Seminarska naloga pri izbirnem predmetu Klinična onkologija v veterinarski medicini. (516.0 KB)

Authors:

Maja Hvalec, veterinary student
Assistant Nina Milevoj, DVM
Prof. Dr. Nataša Tozon, DVM, specialist in medicine for cats and dogs, Head of Small Animals Clinic

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Odgovorna uporaba protimikrobnih sredstev

lukam — Sun, 03 Feb 2019 19:43:42 +0000

Responsible Use of Antimicrobial Agents lukam Wed, 04/01/2020 - 11:58 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

Tips for the responsible use of antimicrobials. We all know that the excessive and unnecessary use of antibiotics in the treatment of humans and animals is a topical subject at the time of emergence, or rather the development of resistant bacteria. Therefore, veterinarians and doctors should prescribe such medicines in a rational way, with the aim of improving the health of the patient and not 'just in case'.

In our previous post we presented two posters created by a working group within the Federation of Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) showing the proper washing and disinfection of hands before surgery, as well as recommendations for the hygiene and control of infectious diseases in veterinary clinics.

This time we are providing tips for responsible use of antimicrobials. We all know that the excessive and unnecessary use of antibiotics in the treatment of humans and animals is a topical theme at the time of emergence, or rather the development of resistant bacteria. Therefore, veterinarians and doctors should prescribe such medicines in a reasonable way, with the aim of improving the health of the patient and not ‘just in case’. However, responsible use of antibiotics can be greatly facilitated by animal owners and humans as patients by adhering strictly to the instructions given by a veterinarian/doctor, by not ceasing to take prescribed antibiotic treatments without first consulting a veterinarian/doctor, and by not starting to take them without medical advice.

In the next contribution we will present a poster showing appropriate antimicrobial protection for certain conditions.

Poster: Recommendations for responsible use of antimicrobial agents (PDF)

Author: Assistant. Dr. Urška Ravnik Verbič, DVM

Triaditis – bolezen, ki prizadene mačke

lukam — Thu, 16 May 2019 08:19:36 +0000

Triaditis - A Disease That Affects Cats lukam Fri, 03/06/2020 - 12:24 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

Feline triaditis is a disease that manifests at the same time as inflammation in two or three organs, namely the liver, pancreas and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). When the disease is confirmed in one organ, we always suggest that the other two organs are also examined. It is very important to control vomiting in cats, as it can lead to a worsening of the condition.

Concurrent inflammation in these organs occurs because in cats they are anatomically interconnected in the duodenum, as the bile duct and pancreas open into the duodenum through the same orifice. In addition, cats typically have 100x more bacteria than dogs in the first part of the small intestine. The exact cause of the disease is not completely clear. There are several theories for its emergence. In the theory of bacterial formation, it is believed that pancreatic inflammation develops due to the spread of inflammation from the biliary system.

During vomiting, a reflux of intestinal juice may occur, which is rich in bacteria, through the common orifice into both ducts, which causes the bacteria to reach the liver and pancreas where they cause inflammation. If inflammation first occurs in the small intestine, bacteria can be transmitted to the pancreas and liver via the gut or bloodstream due to damage to the intestinal wall. Chronic vomiting is common in cats with triaditis, and signs of disease of the small intestine bowel are also common in inflammatory bowel disease.

Another theory is that the disease is immune-conditioned. According to this theory, inflammation of the pancreas and liver is due to an immune response when inflammation is already present in the intestine. The immune response, which can respond to bacteria or directly to the body’s own tissues, primarily causes damage to the bile duct and to the pancreas. If a cat develops intestinal inflammation that does not improve after diet and antibiotic therapy, it can be concluded that it is immune-conditioned inflammation. Improvement is achieved by using drugs that inhibit the over-powerful response of the immune system.

Cholangiohepatitis

Acute or chronic inflammation of the liver and bile ducts can occur in the liver, which is called cholangiohepatitis. Some of the changes in livers in feline triaditis include fatty liver, also known as liver lipidosis, although this is not an inflammatory disease. Fatty liver occurs in cats with chronic pancreatic inflammation following a prolonged period of starvation. Acute or ulcerous inflammation in the liver is caused by bacterial infections. A pathohistological examination is required to make a correct diagnosis as changes occur in the bile duct epithelium. Treatment lasts for 2-3 months using two antibiotics - metronidazole and ampicillin. Treatment using immunosuppressive drugs may also be required. As support cats should receive urso-teichoic acid and SAMe (s-adenosyl methionine). Chronic inflammation in the liver is characterised by a bacterial infection and autoimmune destruction of the bile duct epithelium. Chronic cholangiohepatitis should be distinguished from lymphocytic portal hepatitis, which is characterised by the accumulation of lymphocytes around the bile ducts and does not need to be treated. A pathohistological examination is needed to diagnose chronic cholangiohepatitis. Chronic inflammation is treated over a long period using corticosteroids and antibiotics.

Pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas is called pancreatitis. There is a distinction between acute and chronic pancreatic inflammation. Acute inflammation is rare in cats and has a different clinical picture than in dogs. Vomiting occurs in only half of cats with the condition, and laboratory tests can help to detect decreased levels of inflammatory cells and calcium in the blood. Pancreatic inflammation can be diagnosed using a special blood test. If cats with the condition vomit, they are not fed for a short period of time, fluid therapy is initiated, plasma transfusions may be given, anti-vomiting agents (antiemetic) are administered and calcium is added. Care should be taken to ensure that cats do not starve for too long, as this can lead to a fatty liver. In the majority (90%) of cats there is chronic inflammation of the pancreas, which can also result from acute inflammation. Cats with this condition show non-specific clinical signs, are apathetic, dehydrated and do not have an appetite - vomiting only occurs in one-third of affected cats. Anti-vomiting and fluid therapy, including corticosteroids, can be used as a form of treatment.

Inflammmatory Bowel Disease – IBD

It is assumed that inflammation of the first part of the small intestine is due to hypersensitivity to food or bacterial antigens. Cats with IBD vomit chronically, have diarrhoea and lose weight. It is important to eliminate other diseases that may cause the same signs (lymphoma, bacterial infections, protozoan diseases (Giardia, Cryptosporidium and Tritrichomonas foetus). Affected cats should be given diet foods, antibiotics and probiotics.

Authors:
Kristina Vojska, Year 4 student of Veterinary Medicine, and Assist. Prof. Vladimira Erjavec, DVM.

Psička Pika s kontinuiranim merilcem krvnega sladkorja

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 08:47:46 +0000

Continuous Blood Sugar Readings of Pika the Puppy lukam Wed, 04/01/2020 - 12:17 Small Animal Clinic Clinics

Pika is one of the first dogs in Slovenia to have a continuous blood sugar meter inserted. Instead of repeatedly tickling her ears, her owners will at any time in the next two weeks bring the reader closer to the meter she has inserted and thus immediately find out her glucose concentration, which is essential for good diabetes control.

The system for continuous measuring of glucose determines glucose concentration in subcutaneous tissue using a small, flexible probe. The probe is inserted into the subcutaneous area and connected to a recording device that is attached to the animal. It records the glucose concentration in extracellular fluids every five minutes. The data is transferred from the recording device to a mobile device, and from these data, very accurate data on daily changes in blood glucose concentration is obtained.

It is highly recommended that every owner of an animal with diabetes learns how to independently measure blood glucose. Measuring glucose in the home environment has several advantages over doing so at a veterinary clinic. Measurements can be made several times a day, and the results are more realistic since the effects of stress during a visit to the vets are avoided. Stress, especially in cats, can temporarily significantly increase blood glucose levels, so the results measured in a veterinary clinic may be unreliable. Glucose is usually measured in a drop of blood using an automatic glucose meter, similar to the case in humans. A glucose droplet can be obtained either from the ear, the paw or from the oral mucous membrane.

The ability to continuously measure glucose is currently limited to reference endocrinology clinics and for hospital use in critical patients. It is not yet available for universal use in Slovenia.

Author: Assist. Prof. Darja Pavlin, DVM