3 Jan 2024
Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service has introduced the cat and dog service to coincide with the launch of a pharmaceutical company’s new treatment option.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service in Solihull has launched a diabetes clinic for dogs and cats.
A referral service in the West Midlands has launched a canine and feline diabetes mellitus clinic for handling complicated cases.
Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service said it had taken the decision to launch a clinic supporting chronic or newly diagnosed diabetics where decision-making or clinical progress had been challenging.
It said the clinic’s opening coincided with the launch in Great Britain of Senvelgo, a once-daily feline velagliflozin oral solution from Boehringer Ingelheim.
As part of its clinic, Willows’ internal medicine team said it would be providing support to veterinary colleagues in how to use and familiarise themselves with the new drug.
Mark Dunning, RCVS and European specialist in small animal internal medicine and head of internal medicine at Willows in Solihull, said: “Our new diabetes clinic will provide access to specialist input for diabetic cases that our referring vets are requiring additional support with. We are launching this to coincide with the new SGLT2 inhibitor for cats.
“We felt this was timely given that ‘when and how’ to use any new drug can lead to uncertainties for many primary care practitioners and the clinic allows us offer direct help and guidance on the cases that will benefit.”
Prof Dunning added: “Until now, injectable insulin was considered the mainstay of treatment for feline diabetes despite most cats suffering with type II disease.
“Crucially, the new oral SGLT2 inhibitor lowers cats’ blood glucose concentration without needing injectable insulin, offering greater opportunities for successful management of feline diabetes.”
Willows said many patients may only make one visit to the clinic, but others may require multi-step treatment plans with follow-up visits over longer periods of time.
As part of the clinic, a detailed referral report (and specific owner report) will be provided after each visit, along with an ongoing management plan for the referring vet for continuity of care.
