Management of Acute & Chronic Illnesses
At Montclair Veterinary Associates in Montclair, NJ, we provide comprehensive pet management services for acute and chronic illnesses. Our dedicated team is committed to supporting you and your furry companion through every stage of their healthcare journey.
Acute Illnesses Management
During hospital hours, Montclair Veterinary Associates in Montclair, NJ, is fully equipped to provide your pet with diagnostics and treatments for acute illnesses, including:
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Infections, such as hot spots or ear infections
- Limping
- Difficulty urinating
- Abscesses
- Excessive itchiness
- Parasites, such as fleas and mites
- Wounds and fractures
- Ingestion of poisons, such as chocolate, rat poison, or chemicals
While you never want to see your furry family member in distress, unfortunately, illnesses and sudden accidents can pop up when we least expect them. If your pet is sick or injured, or you sense something is wrong, turn to us for help. The compassionate veterinary team at Montclair Veterinary Associates Full Service Animal Hospital wants you to know that we’ll be here for you in your time of need.
Managing Chronic Illness
Chronic Diseases in Dogs & Cats
Caring for a pet with a chronic or long-term illness is an emotional journey, one where you must accept the responsibility to care for them in good times and tough times.
In a perfect world, all illnesses and diseases would be cured by a single medication dose or course of antibiotics. While this is sometimes possible, chronic diseases often require multiple treatments, and many require long-term management, sometimes for the rest of your pet’s life.
Some of the most common chronic diseases in dogs and cats include:
- Arthritis
- Other orthopedic conditions
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Hepatitis
- Other liver diseases
- Skin allergies
- Diabetes mellitus
- Cushing’s and Addison’s Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Hyperthyroidism (cats)
- Hypothyroidism (dogs)
Chronic conditions in pets have continued to increase in the USA, often at alarming rates. Since 2007, obesity rates have increased by 74% in dogs and 179% in cats. This is associated with other serious diseases such as arthritis, diabetes mellitus, and heart and respiratory disease. Because of this, some insurance companies now offer “chronic disease” policies.
With chronic conditions like these, you will likely need multiple appointments with the patient and caring staff at Montclair Veterinary Associates Full Service Animal Hospital to make sure that your pet is responding well to treatment. Over time, your pet may need adjustments to their medications to help them feel their best. We may need more lab work than an otherwise healthy pet since these conditions and their treatment can affect other organs in your pet’s body. Recheck appointments and lab work to ensure your pet receives optimal care.
With chronic diseases, there is no single simple cure, and managing your pet’s condition will require long-term treatment and recheck visits with your veterinarian. But by getting your pet the appropriate care, they can still live a comfortable and happy life for as long as possible, even with their disease.