A good reason for putting a vet visit on the priority list is to establish an important connection called Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship.
- Weigh the Pet
- Listen to heart and lungs with a stethoscope;
- Take his temperature (note: pet temperatures are taken rectally);
- Examine eyes, ears, nose, feet, and genitalia
- Examine skin and coat;
- Look at teeth and mouth;
- Palpate abdomen and lymph nodes;
- Examine feces (bring a sample) for the presence of worms (most pups have roundworms);
- Discuss your pet’s history and any questions you might have about feeding, medical issues, such as worm medications, and future care, such as microchipping, and spaying and neutering;
- If you are going home with medications or treatments, make sure that you understand when and how they are to be given. Follow directions to the letter, and set up a schedule for follow-up visits and vaccinations.
Why Choose Us
Choose Friendly
When calling to inquire about making an appointment, take into consideration the attitude of the staff. If it’s like pulling teeth to make a well visit appointment, think about how you’ll feel when you have to call in about something more serious. “I would look to the warmth and friendliness of the staff,” says Dr. Harrison. When choosing a vet, keep in mind their overall personality. Are they calm? Do they have a good bedside manner? Does your pet seem to like them? A good vet will know how to soothe a stressful situation, instead of adding to it.
Connect On Your Pet Care Philosophies
There are a few hot topics when it comes to pet health, including things like euthanasia, cancer care, chronic disease planning and spaying and neutering. Having like-minded philosophies with your vet can make all the difference when faced with difficult decisions. “I would have an idea of what my principles and overall ethics on animal care are, and then I would ask the veterinarian and staff what they think,” says Dr. Harrison. Your pet’s quality of life is important to you, and it should be to your vet, as well.
Get To Know The Support Staff
If you think all the veterinary technician does is hold your pet still while your veterinarian takes care of the important things, what I’m going to share will surprise you. But the truth is veterinarians simply can’t live — or practice medicine — without our hardworking, well-trained, compassionate technicians, assistants and customer care team.
And neither can you and your pet.
Encourage Continuing Education and Research
The field of modern medicine is changing just as quickly for veterinarians as it is for human doctors. There is a tremendous amount of research being performed in a wide variety of areas that is bringing new techniques and treatments into the field for conditions and diseases that previously had no treatment. It is important to find a vet who keeps up with this research because they will be able to provide the best medical care possible to every patient who comes through the door.
Animal Welfare: A Human Responsibility
Animal welfare means how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that includes consideration for all aspects of animal well-being, including proper housing, management, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, responsible care, humane handling, and, when necessary, humane euthanasia. www.avma.org