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Going to the veterinarian can be a harrowing experience, even if it’s just for a routine checkup. But few cats like the vet, and even the dogs that do usually have a hard time behaving when there are just so many interesting smells around.
Knowing precisely what vets need from us as pet owners can help make the experience that much smoother. Veterinarian Patty Khuly posted a list on website VetStreet of the seven things pet owners do that drive vets crazy. Knowing to avoid these bad habits could help make your next vet visit easier. The list is as follows:
-Answering cell phones during the examination
-Bringing kids
-Letting dogs run wild
-Carrying the cat
-Denying the pets’ health problems
-Refusing to pay
-Not following through on advice
Some of these points, like making or taking calls while the vet is trying to work, don’t require any explanation or elaboration. Others do, to varying degrees. It’s hard enough to keep pets and the people around them safe at a vet, so bringing small children that can’t sit still for long isn’t recommended during a vet trip.
Obviously few dog owners let their dogs off the leashes in the waiting room at veterinary offices (and for those who do: keep your dog on a leash). But it’s important to make sure that the dog is kept on a short leash in the waiting room, not allowed to wander far, even if it’s technically leashed, to keep it and other animals safe.
It’s quite surprising to me to hear that some people don’t bring their cats in carry cases to the vet. I do have a cat that loves being held and in many environments that’s all he’d need to be happy. Chrestomanci (the cat in question) could be held outside of a cage in the middle of Petco during an adoption event, with many dogs milling about below him, and not mind it at all.
However, knowing this I still wouldn’t bring him to the vet without a carry case. I know he might be fine, but he might upset other animals, or other animals might upset him, or even just what happens to him at the vet might upset him. Cats are happiest if they can find a small enclosed space when they’re in an unfamiliar location, so it’s wisest to bring them to the vet (or anywhere, really) in a carry case.
I also don’t understand why someone would go to a vet and either deny that the pet has a problem, or choose to ignore what the vet says. What’s the point of even going to the vet if you won’t acknowledge that your pet might be overweight, for example? How is the vet supposed to help your animal?
I don’t believe that we should follow all vets’ advice blindly or even do exactly what they say. But what’s the point in bringing the animal at all if one is just going to completely ignore what the vet says?
If, when Chihiro had her ear infection, I didn’t use the drops my vet recommended and continued to bring her in complaining of her ear problems, what could my vet have done? There is something to be said for heeding professional advice.
Obviously much of this list is common sense, but I doubt Dr. Khuly would have posted it if these problems never occurred. Knowing what we can do to help our vets will let them help us, and more importantly, our animals.
Related Articles:
Pet First Aid: Safe Household Treatments
Alternatives to Traditional Veterinary Surgery
*(This image by bsabarnowl is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)