Veterinary surgeons only
Diabetic Clinic
Our Mission
At the Northwest Veterinary Specialists Diabetic Clinic, our mission is to provide comprehensive support to dogs and cats diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, as well as their owners and primary care veterinarians. Recognizing the unique needs of each diabetic pet and their owners, we avoid a “one-size-fits-all” approach and tailor our services accordingly.
Tier 1 Patients
Description:
These pets are referred to us not only for diabetes management but also for other comorbidities.
Services may include diagnostic imaging, surgery, or biopsy collection to address additional conditions that may affect diabetic management. .
Consultation Process:
The owner participates in a consultation to discuss differential diagnoses, diagnostic workups, and possible treatment options.
Charges
Costs align with standard referral charges.
The owner will then have a consultation with one of our nurses to discuss insulin administration, diet and general management of a diabetic pet. The owner will be provided with written handout with the more salient information for easy reference once back at home.
Tier 2 Patients
Description:
These pets are referred exclusively for diabetes management (diet, insulin type and dose, exercise regime, etc.).
Blood work may be performed during the initial consultation and follow-ups, based on history and physical examination.
Consultation Process:
If a concurrent condition is suspected, the pet is referred back to the primary care veterinarian with a letter detailing our suspicions and recommended investigations.
This option is cost-effective for owners who need some extra support just for the management of their pet's diabetes with other conditions managed by the primary practice.
Charges:
Initial consultation with a clinician and a nurse.
Follow-up nurse consultations every 1-3 months, depending on diabetes control.
Follow-up clinician consultations every 6 months.
Tier 3 Patients
Description:
Pets remain under the care of their primary veterinarian, with our support provided via phone or email to the vet.
Support Process:
We require the full medical history, recent blood work, and specific issues needing advice.
Email advice is provided within 48 hours or the next working day if requested during weekends or holidays.
Phone consultations are scheduled at mutually convenient times.
Important Notes:
This service is suitable for non-urgent queries. Urgent or emergency advice should go through the usual “Internal Medicine Advice Request” channel.
Dedicated phone call slots are recommended to enhance efficiency.
Charges:
The fee of £50 will be charged at the time of the first contact and it will entitle to 4 contacts (either via email or phone) over the following 4 months.
Consultation Structure
For Tier 1 and Tier 2 Patients:
Tier 1: 1-hour clinician consult + 30-minute nurse consult at discharge.
Tier 2: 30-minute clinician consult + 30-minute nurse consult at discharge.
Follow-Up:
Clinician follow-ups every 6 months.
Nurse follow-ups in between, unless specific concerns arise.
After the initial consultation, owners will be provided with a comprehensive care plan tailored to their pet's needs.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact us
Monitoring would be tailored to the specific case (visits every 3 -6 months are a minimum)
Each appointment reviews the diabetic stability since the last appointment and where appropriate a blood sample will be taken. Owners are requested to bring a fresh urine sample from their pet – or else you can collect this immediately after the appointment. More advanced monitoring using continuous glucose monitoring techniques will be used where needed. Adjustments to the insulin or food are made as needed and a brief report sent to your normal practice.
If your pet is referred to us as a Tier 2 patient/exclusively for the management of his diabetes, you should contact your vet in first instance if your pet becomes unwell for reasons other than their diabetes. If we have any concerns with your pet at the time of the consult, we are going to discuss them with you and your referring veterinarian to decide how best to proceed to address them.
We encourage clients to continue to use their normal practice for supply of insulin, needles and diabetic food.