*Theme music and barking*
Doctor visits can often seem both overwhelming and intimidating and that
can apply to our pets doctor too. So what should a pet owner know about
what to expect from their vet? First off timing is important.
A good rule of thumb
is at least once a year. As dogs get older, what we call senior, small dogs
around 8 or 9 years of age, large breed dogs like Great Danes are senior dogs at
6 years of age, they should probably go at least twice a year every six months
because at that point things will start to pop up that you don't want to wait 12
months to find.
Okay, got it! But what about procedures what's my right? And
what's wrong?
You should be comfortable enough with your veterinarian to discuss
costs, never be afraid to say that's expensive, I can't really do that, what
are my other options because we it's our job to give you plan a but there's a
plan B and a Plan C sometimes and whenever that's available, it's something
you ought to be able to discuss. So you shouldn't be ashamed or afraid to ask it
because we're here to take care of your pet along with you. We're your partner in
this and if it means we have to change some things around we do but always ask
and your veterinarian hesitates to tell you that then finding a new vet.
What about a second opinion?
I think a second opinion is always great if you have questions
it's never a bad idea. I have colleagues here and in the Atlanta area that I send
patients to for second opinions. If you have questions and you think there is
another opinion you want tell your veterinarian you'd like a second opinion
and again if they seem to have a problem with that,
find another veterinarian or keep asking questions.
Hey I didn't authorize that, what can I do?
It's my responsibility to take care
of your pet, but I also have to make sure to get permission to do things to your
pet. And if anything's done without your permission you have the right to raise
your hand and say I didn't authorize that and
question whether or not you should have to pay for it. What vets typically do is
give you an estimate with a general broad range of what could potentially
happen and I think as long as it's within that window you should trust your
veterinarian to make a decision even though they may have done a test that
you didn't recommend.
What if I can't pay?
There are lower and low cost vet practices
around and there are times where a client comes here and we're above their
pay range so we will send them to the low-cost vet practices. A lot of those
are nonprofit and they get a lot of donations so they can afford to do
things at a particular rate that many general practitioner cannot. There's
also veterinary schools, with using it as a teaching tool, will do very upscale
type progressive medicine at a lower cost because they have students doing a
lot of it and as long as you understand it's a student sometimes and not a DVM
but a student who is being supervised by DVM, it's really a great option to
consider.
What about last-ditch efforts?
The veterinary client patient bond is so
important and we all have to take it seriously because when everything's
great it works out well but when you get to that point at an end-of-life
discussion that's where you have to sometimes take off the doctor jacket and
put on the friend family jacket and help them make the right decision instead of
getting into some kind of costly long terming procedure that you don't agree
is going to be best for their pet. And they need you to help them come to that
conclusion. It's not our job to tell you what I would do if it were my dog, I
sometimes think it is because they need to know that and they need to hear that
because they trust you, so, the longer I've done this - more I understand.