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Make a Vet Checklist: Five things to think about BEFORE you visit your vet

By May 12th, 20164 Comments

You know how it is. You have a million questions about your pet before you get to the veterinary clinic, but when asked, your mind goes blank.
Veterinarians rely on you to be your pet’s voice, so that you can share information about how your pet is behaving – including eating, drinking, sleep, urinating and/or passing stool.
1. Ask about vaccinations. Vaccinations are essential to your pet’s health and should be tailored to your pet’s lifestyle.
2. Ask about parasite prevention and control for fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms that is appropriate for the region of the country in which you live.
3. Ask about proper behavior training and socialization. Many shelters report behavior problems as a primary reason people give up their pets. Your veterinarian can assist in evaluating your animal’s disposition and provide advice and tips on how to appropriately train and socialize your pet.
4. Ask about nutrition. What type of food should you feed your pet? What serving size is appropriate? And does their age impact what you should be feeding them? If your pet is overweight, how can you get them down to “size”? As in humans, weight control for pets is essential for good health.
5. Ask about senior care if your pet is over seven years of age. Note any changes in your pet’s energy level, water intake, behavior, or any lumps and bumps your pet has developed.
Although many are not problems, some of them may be cause for concern. Older pets are more prone to conditions such as arthritis, heart disease and dementia. Prevention and early detection are essential to helping your pet live a longer, healthier life.

4 Comments

  • Sometimes I think that animal hospitals and vets only know about medicines. However I like that you mentioned they know about behavior training and socialization too. I want to have my dog trained at least to sit when I tell her to and my vet at the animal hospital is a great person to ask. Thanks for the help.

  • I like the recommendation to ask the vet about nutrition. I think it could be beneficial to my dog to have a better diet, as he is rather lazy and fat right now. I’ll have to make sure I exercise him more, as well as get food that will keep up with his new lifestyle. Thanks for the post!

  • I found it interesting that vaccinations are essential to your pet’s health and should be tailored to your pet’s lifestyle. This was a surprise to me because I thought that all animals had to have the same vaccinations and wouldn’t have any variation for each dog. My dog just had puppies so I will have to be sure that they get all of their shots. Thanks for the tips!

  • April Cook says:

    I like your tip to ask your vet about nutrition. I didn’t realize how important weight control is, and I think my dog might be getting too fat. I didn’t even think that their age might impact what they should be eating. Thanks for sharing these tips!

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