Skip to main content

Move to new side of building

We are excited to announce that Phase 1 of construction will be completed in early March. We will start seeing patients on that side of the clinic the week of March 4th. Monday, March 4th will be a moving day. If you have a scheduled appointment on March 4th you will enter the clinic through our normal front doors. We will have reduced appointments on that day. We will be exclusively in Phase 1 from March through June while the remainder of the clinic undergoes a full renovation.

Here are some changes that will occur from March to June:

• We will be implementing curbside for all appointments and medication or food pick-up. Please call from the parking lot to check in and we will call when a room is ready for you to enter.

• You will enter through a new front entrance into a small makeshift reception area and a staff member will meet you to usher you into an exam room

• Our surgical appointments will be limited for those 3 months. We will still be able to do surgery but have a limited number of cages and recovery areas. Surgical drop-off and pick-up will also be curbside.

• If you purchase food from the clinic, please plan as we will be carrying a reduced volume of food due to lack of storage. You can also visit our online pharmacy and order your food from our online store https://springhillvet.vetsfirstchoice.com/.

End Stage Liver Disease

The liver rests in the abdomen just behind the diaphragm. The liver has many functions: protein, sugar, and fat metabolism, detoxification, and storage of vitamins and minerals. Because the liver receives, filters, and detoxifies a tremendous amount of blood continuously, it is susceptible to inflammation. While the liver has a tremendous capacity to repair itself, chronic undetected liver inflammation may eventually cause irreversible damage. Dogs with early stages of liver disease may not show obvious outward signs of a problem; the liver problem may be found incidentally on routine blood work. Dogs with end stage liver disease suffer symptoms related to the liver’s inability to perform its functions: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weight loss, bleeding tendencies, jaundice (yellow color to skin and eyes), behavior changes, and in severe cases, seizures. End stage liver disease is diagnosed with blood work, abdominal ultrasound, and ultimately liver biopsies. At this final stage, it may not be possible to determine the inciting cause of the liver disease. Treatment of end stage liver disease includes symptomatic therapy with nutritional support, antioxidant therapy, anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant medications, and/or fluid therapy. The key to better outcomes from liver disease is early detection. Breeds with a genetic predisposition (e.g.: Bedlington Terriers, West Highland White Terriers) to liver disease benefit from regular wellness testing with a complete blood count, chemistry profile, and urinalysis.