Look for a balanced view

“100% safe!”

It is important to consider all desired and undesired consequences of the treatments available in order to be able to make an informed decision.

Since all treatments have both positive and negative effects, both must be weighed up when considering treatment options. Negative effects will have different levels of importance in different patients and to different owners. For example, one side effect of diuretic drug administration can be polyuria. Some owners may feel well equipped to deal with this if it should affect them, whereas this would be a disaster for other owners.

The importance of the negative effect may also be stressed or diminished depending on the severity of the patient’s illness. Where a patient’s current condition is life-threatening or severely affecting quality of life, minor side effects may not be significant deterrents to the use of a medication.

BEWARE of a “one size fits all” treatment.

REMEMBER: A balanced view is imperative to clinical decision-making.