Archive for veterinarian
Bad Veterinarians & Good Ones: How To Use Your Power
Posted by: | CommentsBad Veterinarians & Good Ones: How To Use Your Power In Finding The Right Vet (1)
There is only one person responsible for your dog's health: You. And a major part of this responsibility is getting the appropriate veterinary care and attention, which can only be accomplished by forming an honest, open relationship with the vet of your choice.
However most dog owners (of which you may also be guilty of doing) only look to the veterinarian as a solution to a health problem, never for prevention. But your responsibility is to take things one step further and understand your vet's role with your role, and to form a successful relationship.
What Then Is The Veterinarian's Job?
It is to be your partner, to assist you in keeping your dog as healthy as possible for as long as possible. And your job is to remind the veterinarian of what you need and to be the best partner you can.
Ideally, you and your veterinarian will see to it that you are educated, that you seek assistance when and where needed, that you help your dog be a good patient, and that you are given all the information you need to make wise decisions. In the end, however, the final responsibility rests with you, and you have the more difficult task.
Keep in mind that this is a change from the way doctors, be they physicians or veterinarians, have traditionally viewed their role. The old ways had veterinarians stand on authority, but a pedestal is a very narrow base on which to build a partnership.
What veterinary schools should now be most interested in teaching their future veterinarians is in actually teaching us dog owners, the real caretakers, to do the best with what we have in order to achieve the goal of maximum health for our companion animals.
There are still a lot of doctors who, despite being kind and sympathetic people, believe that what they think about your dog is more important than what you think. These sage are relics of the old model, one in which doctors reigned supreme. However, led by human medicine, things are changing.
Clients are increasingly less accepting of that old model, and veterinarians can come along willingly or be dragged into the new world. It is in both parties' interests that the change goes smoothly. As in any relationship, being understanding and sympathetic of the other party's strengths and failings enhances the possibility of forging and maintaining a strong relationship.
Are You Avoiding Veterinary Check-Ups For The Family Dog?
Posted by: | CommentsRecently, waiting to welcome a friend at the airport, I witnessed many departures and arrivals. The one I liked best involved a young couple returning from some far-off island who couldn't wait to see their "son."
"How is he?"
"Did he sleep?"
"Did he eat alright?"
"Where is he?"
When the "son" was brought forward and turned out to be a tiny, quite excited Pomeranian, we wondered why we weren't more surprised. Then we remembered that it is not at all uncommon for dog owners to regard their pets as children. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with such a situation; neither owner nor dog appears any worse for it.
The trouble is that it often doesn't go far enough. Right now, for instance, with Jack Frost standing in the wings during a harsh winter, many of us are telling one another to get down to the doctor's office for a flu shot, and while we're there, we'll have our annual check-up.
Dogs Require Check-Ups Too
But what about the tiny Pomeranians and all their canine brothers and sisters? They require an annual check-up too.
Indeed, according to no less an authority than thousands of professional veterinarians, a yearly check-up is five to seven times more important to a dog than it is to an owner, because dogs mature five to seven times faster than humans. A dog ages as much in its first year as his owner does in twenty!
Many dog owners put off taking their family pet to a veterinarian until they notice something wrong. The dog won't eat, or he sleeps all the time, or he's biting everybody on the block. Perhaps, had he been checked by a veterinarian long ago, none of these conditions would prevail.
Also, it is well to remember that dogs are subject to many hidden hazards, just as we are. Dogs get arthritis, they suffer from tumors, heart trouble, kidney ailments, etc. Caught in time, a lot of pain can be avoided.
What does a visit to the veterinarian involve? Some owners we've talked to think it's an all-day affair, costing a fortune. Not so. The cost is moderate and the time consumed is seldom more than an hour. Most often, it's a matter of minutes.
The doctor will use a stethoscope, an otoscope, and an ophthalmoscope, the last two instruments for the ears and eyes. He will have a good look at the dog's teeth and gums (dogs can get pyorrhea), he'll check the dog's coat, weight, pulse, and temperature.
Most dogs learn to enjoy their visits to the veterinarian. Incidentally, it's a very good idea to take the dog to the same doctor each visit, just as you would yourself. In their own way, some dogs even demand it!
Hi! I'm Jamie and this is my site about dogs.
