Making the Most Out of Your Trip to the Vet
Written by: Tracy Vogel, Staff Writer

You and the veterinarian are a team, working to make your pet healthy. When you bring your pet in for a visit, it's a collaboration. The information you provide, as well as the information you take away, is vital to the process.

"We really see the pet owners as our first line of defense, because they know what's abnormal about their pet," said Dr. Julia Brannan of the Argus Institute, Animal Behavior and Wellness Program, Colorado State University . "Not only that, they're our aftercare."

There are many ways for you to get the most out of your pet's visit to the veterinarian. But the work starts before you even reach the office.

Before the visit

Remember that in the days or hours before you take your pet into the office, the veterinarian depends on you to describe symptoms. "When [the pets] come into the hospital, and the adrenaline's pumping, they don't display the same behavior they do at home," Dr. Brannan said.

If possible, keep a journal, and note as much detail as you can. Dr. Stephen Riback of the Bobst Hospital for Animals, Animal Medical Center , New York City, asks his clients a series of questions. Is the animal eating its usual amount? Drinking its usual amount? Have they noticed any coughing or sneezing? Any vomiting or diarrhea? And what is the pet's general attitude?

It's helpful if you can keep track of how much the animal has changed its habits, veterinarians said. Is it eating or drinking less or more? How much less or more? When does it vomit--after it eats?

If you've noticed a lump, has it grown? How much? Has it changed in color? If your pet is limping, what leg is it limping on? And does it ever shift to another leg?

It's even helpful to give an estimate of amounts when it comes to diarrhea or vomiting. If you have 12-inch-long tiles on your kitchen floor, and the mess took up a tile and a half, that information can be helpful, Dr. Brannan said. Note the characteristics like looseness and color--and especially the presence of any blood. When you bring in a sample, the blood can disappear as the substance gets mixed up.

Bring in a sample of the substance--a fresh stool, or some of the vomit. The veterinarian can use it to check for parasites, Dr. Riback said.

You want as fresh a stool sample as possible, sealed in a plastic bag, rather than one that's become dried out. But don't have your sick pet relieve itself before the exam--tests such as urinalysis require a full bladder.

Bring in a list of any medications your pet is on, and the amount of the doses. Also make a list of anything unusual--items, plants--that the pet might have eaten.

Being a good observer means knowing what your pet is like when it's healthy, as well as what's wrong when it's ill. "My dog always looks anemic because her mucous membranes are so pale," Dr. Brannan said. "It sends all kinds of red flags up, but if I know that's normal, it's not as much of an issue."

During the visit

Once you reach the office, use the time to its fullest. Even if the pet is healthy, and this is just a check-up visit, you should still be asking questions.

"Some clients may be intimidated and feel as if they ask a question, it's not a good question," said Dr. Cindy Lovern, American Veterinary Medical Association assistant director for emergency preparedness and response. "The veterinarian is there to educate as well as do the correct procedures."

So if you're bringing your pet in for a routine exam, talk about your pet's diet, its appropriate weight range, its nutritional requirements--and what you shouldn't feed it.

Discuss any abnormal behavior you've noticed. Tell the veterinarian if the pet has anything new in its environment--construction, a move, a new baby in the household--and ask about warning signs of stress you should watch for in your pet.

Ask about checking the teeth for tartar, proper grooming, and anything else you're unsure of, Dr. Lovern said. All the information you obtain can help prevent problems from occurring in the future.

People often think their veterinarian will hand them the sole answer to what's wrong with a sick pet, Dr. Riback said. But veterinarians tend to think along several lines at once, and tell you the few most likely diagnoses, he said. You should expect that degree of uncertainty and thoroughness.

As you talk, you should find out what tests will be performed, whether the problem can be fixed or managed based on the veterinarian's suspicions, and what the cost will be.

It's important to remember that your veterinarian isn't the ultimate expert, Dr. Riback said. "Doctors in general aren't God," he said. "People always assume because the name has a `Dr.' before it that they've got to be the total authority on any subject pertaining to their pet."

If you aren't comfortable with the veterinarian or the diagnosis, you should ask to be referred to a specialist who can give a second opinion, he said. Some veterinarians will be willing, some will be reluctant, but clients should never be embarrassed to ask--and they often are, he said.

Sometimes a client will encounter a veterinarian that just isn't explaining the problem well. This typically happens with veterinarians recently out of veterinary school, and it's understandable. "They're still talking in Latin," Dr. Riback said. "And they haven't learned to translate it to normal English."

When you're at school, everyone speaks in the same technical jargon, Dr. Brannan said. In veterinary school, an X-ray is a radiograph, and you get your knuckles rapped for calling it otherwise. Out in the real world, it's hard to break the habit.

So feel free to say: "I don't understand what you're saying. Can you explain it in other terms?" Dr. Riback said.

You can also ask the veterinarian to write the information down for you, since you'll be absorbing so much at once, Dr. Lovern said. Later, when you have time to process it, you can do some research and formulate other questions.

After the visit

Once the visit is over, don't forget to follow up. If you have any questions about what you've discussed, call the office. Often the receptionist can answer the query--they get the same ones frequently. But if that doesn't work, they can pass you on to a technician or veterinarian.

Keep the treatment going. If the pet stops showing symptoms, people sometimes stop the treatment--and a few weeks later, the problem returns.

Keep in touch with the veterinarian. "It's so critical to be able to ask questions all the way along," Dr. Brannan said. "If you don't understand something, say, `Hey, what does that mean?' "

* Article courtesy of VetCentric.com
Originally published July 17, 2005
Written by: Tracy Vogel, Staff Writer @ VetCentric
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