One of the most important relationships you will have as
a pet owner is with your Veterinarian. As a lifelong pet owner, my pet’s health
is always one of my biggest concerns. Is
this normal? Am I feeding this right? Is this safe for my pet? OMG, my dog just
ate ______ (you can fill in the blank with countless items on that one). There always seems to be some concern or
question I have and generally those questions are best left suited for the
professionals, or at least that’s what we are lead to believe. That’s why it is so important to really know
your vet and make sure they are the best fit for your dog’s wellbeing.
Consider this, the AKC (as a general jumping off point)
has 161 different recognized breeds of dogs the last time I checked, but there
are many other purebred breeds of dogs registered in the world as well. Vet schools teach our Veterinarians about
dogs, not specific breeds and these 161+ breeds are all a little bit
different. The medical recommendations
you would give for a Pomeranian are not the same as the medical recommendations
you would give for an English Mastiff.
As a pet owner I’m not saying not to not trust your vet, but do question
things that give you concerns. A good
vet, just like a good doctor, should be willing and able to answer any
questions you may have, and if need be listen to your suggestions as well.
As a specific example, my personal Veterinarian has no
other Mastiff clients. There is a very
specific list of anesthesia’s that are not safe to use on Mastiffs because of
their huge chest cavities, slow circulation and specific inability to metabolize
drugs in the normal time frame that other dogs do. My vet had never heard of this, but was very
willing to listen and absorb the information that I provided (from a credited
source of course) about this breed specific issue.
It is also good to know the limitations of your
veterinarian. I live in a rural area and
my vet is in a small town. While she can
perform most general medical tasks and basic surgeries, when my dog tore her
Cruciate Ligament I knew my vet could be of no real help other than a referral,
so onto the University we went. And from there onto a referral Veterinarian
Specialist Group that only handles orthopedic surgeries, oncology and other
emergency type invasive surgeries.
Currently I have 4 different Veterinarian office phone number programmed
into my cell phone. Now for most pet owners that may be just a bit of overkill,
as a pet mommy, it just makes me feel comfortable.
The point is, that’s all a great vet is, medical
expertise with a willingness to learn new things. Someone who will actually listen to their
clients concerns and needs and be the support needed to get through whatever
medical crisis your pet may be experiencing. As the only advocate your pet has,
it is your responsibility to make sure your veterinarian is the best fit for
your fur family.
A very important article that all dog owners should read. I have worked with a number of people who have gotten very inaccurate information about dog behavior and training from their vets as well.
ReplyDeleteI use the following example....would you go to your foot doctor to get help with bi-polar disorder?
Building a working relationship with your veterinarian that fosters open communication, both ways, is key. This way you can work with them and find solutions together for things that may be out of the realm of expertise one possesses.
Great read!