Choosing the Right Vet for Your Pet
How To Choose a Vet Your pet's veterinarian is second best friend, next to you, and an important partner in protecting their well being. This article will help you to * Choose the perfect vet for you and your pet. * Evaluate your current level of veterinarian care. Evaluating veterinary services is an important part of every pet owner's role. Whether you are a brand new pet-parent or a seasoned owner, take the time to carefully evaluate your vet, both before making a selection and on an ongoing basis. Remember, every pet is unique, every owner is unique, and every pet-owner relationship is special. It is important that you evaluate your vet on a pet-by-pet basis; a vet who was perfect for your previous pet, may not meet the needs for the current one. Similarly, owners of multiple pets may find that separate vets are in order to keep the entire brood healthy and happy.Luckily, there are plenty of veterinary services to choose from; the right one for you is just waiting to be found. At the end of this article you will find a checklist for making your decision. Qualities of Your Ideal VetThe ideal vet for you and your pet is someone who will become your partner in caring for your little friend. Your vet should be friendly, compassionate, and caring. They should be confident in their treatment of your pet, willing to answer all of your questions, and exhibit a genuine love of animals. Be sure to ask your vet about their education, their specializations, and whether they have any pets of their own. Emergency ServicesEmergency services are not offered by every vet and not necessarily a top priority for every pet owner, but when an emergency does occur it can be nice to see a familiar face. If your vet does not provide emergency services, ask about what you should do in the event of an emergency and how you can best prepare yourself and your pet. 1) Collect a List of Possibilities * Ask friends for referrals. Be sure to ask what they like about their vet and what they wish they could change. * Ask at your local pet store. Pet store owners and employees are an un-tapped resource, but they talk to pet owners all day and often have several of their own. * Look through the phone book. 2) Make an Initial Call * Did they answer the phone quickly?* Were you placed on hold and, if so, were you attended to in a reasonable amount of time? * Was the receptionist friendly and informative? * What are their general rates for a check-up? * How many vets are on staff? Will you be assigned to a specific one? * Do they offer evening and weekend hours? * Do they provide emergency services? After this first call you should be able to narrow your list significantly. 3) Visit on Your Own * Schedule a visit or drop by to see the office and meet the staff. * Do you find the waiting area comfortable? * Is the staff friendly and helpful? * Does the overall image evoke your trust? * Is the location accessible for you and your pet? After this visit you should be able to narrow your list down to two or three clinics. 4) Visit with your pet* How comfortable is your pet in the office? * Are there many other animals in the waiting room? * Do they have separate waiting rooms for cats, dogs, and small pets? * Does the staff respond well to your pet, and does your pet respond well in return. * Does the vet seem comfortable and confident handling your pet? There are few animals that enjoy visiting the vet, so don't be too concerned if your pet doesn't appear to like any of the clinics on your list.
Choosing The Right Vet For Your Dog
One of the first things you need to do when you get a dog or puppy is to choose a vet. Your dog will need shots and boosters from time to time, as well as care from the vet on occasion. There are several factors that can help choosing a vet for your dog easier for you. Look for recommendationsOne of the best aspects about joining a breed club is that you get to know others who also have the same breed and who can recommend a vet that they like for their dog. Just as is the case with doctors for people, it is best to get a recommendation from someone who has been to the vet and is pleased with the way that they treated their dog. If at all possible, look for several recommendations when it comes to those who treat your dog. Look for specialtiesMost vets will usually take care of all pets, including cats and birds as well as dog. It is important that your vet know all about the breed of dog that you have and what type of problems are inherent to the breed. You can find out about how much your vet knows about the breed by asking him or her. They should have experience not only as a vet, but also in the care and treatment of hunting dogs. Look for proximityIt is important that the vet be close to your home as you do not want to have to drive for miles to get your dog to the vet in case of emergency. Many emergency clinics are opening up across the country for 24 hour animal care. These clinics should be used in case of an emergency as the vets know the common emergencies with pets and how to treat them. Look for vets that are close to home and also locate any emergency clinics that you can use in case an emergency rises when you cannot get to your vet. Look for flexibilityA vet should have a love for animals and be flexible in their scheduling. If you have an emergency that comes up, the vet should not put you off because they have to adhere to a strict schedule. People doctors count on one or two emergencies arising during the day and will often see patients who come in on an emergency basis. You should look for a vet that is flexible when it comes to dealing with emergency situations and will be able to squeeze you into the schedule. Of course, experience in the field of veterinary medicine counts most of all. Vets who have been practicing for a long time have seen all types of cases and are usually the best choice when it comes to choosing a vet for your dog. Do not feel that you are pressured to find the vet the first time. Check out the demeanor of the doctor, the staff and be sure to find a vet who you trust with your canine friend.
How to Access an Online Vet Directory to Find an Animal Vet Clinic
Almost all the pet owners know the inevitability of a trip to the local vet service providers. Pets, like human beings, fall sick, and they too need to be treated by a medical professional, or in their case, a pet veterinarian. However, finding the best animal vet clinic for your pet animal is really difficult, as there are often many local vet service providers in your own area to choose from. At the same time, there are some resources at your disposal that you can use to your advantage in order to help find the best animal care clinic for your pet.The first thing that you should keep in consideration is to access a veterinarian directory. There are various ways by which you can access an online vet directory. The first step is to access the internet. The process of accessing an online vet directory is quite easy. You have to go to your favorite search engine and type "Veterinary directory". There are a million of such directories for you to go through.Once you get a complete list of all the online vet directories, you have to go through them to find out the functions and services that they provide. The basic function of an online veterinarian directory is to let the users search for the animal vet clinic by using their search engine. With the search functions you are usually required to type in the needed area. You have to input a category for the required service that you are looking for, input your area ZIP code, and then by simply clicking on the search button, you will get a complete list of all the local vet service providers in your own locality. You will also get all their contact details, clinics details, specialization area etc. So, it will be easy to find out the perfect vet within your own area.The next thing that you have to do is to get some opinion about the animal care clinics in your area. You can ask for recommendations from your relatives or friends who have previously used their services. If in case they have previously used their services, they will be able to give you an overall idea about how good or bad the particular vet is. This will surely help you to understand which vet is perfect for your pet. By getting the complete idea about the services of the animal vet clinic in the online directory, you will also be able to decide which vet will be the best for you. You can also ask all the pet owners whom you know personally for their opinion about the local vet service providers. This is a good idea as they will surely provide you an honest opinion.There are some online vet directories that provide honest reviews about different pet clinics. Once you will access in the online vet directory, you can see all these reviews. By seeing these customer's reviews on the directory you will get a firsthand knowledge about the animal care clinic since they have used their service personally.
Stop Your Dog's Side Effects From Medication
ByM. Bruno
With the advances of veterinary medicine and research new and more powerful drugs have become the favorite of many veterinary practitioners to combat illness and eliminate pain that dogs have as a result of injury, age related conditions and surgery. The problem that travels with these new wonder drugs is the possibility of serious side effects.
When your dog displays signs of illness or discomfort the first course of action is to make a quick visit to the veterinarian. Depending on the symptoms that you describe and the vet observes, he may decide to do some tests to determine the cause. Some of the tests may include blood panels, stool and urine samples and X-rays to complement the examination.
It may take a few days for the laboratory results to be reported to the veterinarian. Once he has the lab reports he may prescribe antibiotics for infection, or a range of other prescriptive meds, even anti-inflamatory pain medication to help your dog. This is when your dog parent antenna should go up. Your vet is well intentioned, but your dog is your best friend and you will want have all the facts before consenting to the use of any medication
When your vet prescribes any medication you should ask what the potential side effects of that medication might be. For example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can provide substantial levels of relief to your dog after an operation or has joint problems, carry the associated risk of certain side effects.
Some of the less serious side effects from this type of medication include depression, vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy and diarrhea. More serious side effects include liver problems and kidney damage.
Dr Michele Sharkey, DVM of the Office of New Animal Drug Evaluation at the Center for Veterinary Medicine says that "If the pet owner can recognize a possible reaction, stop the medication, and get veterinary help, it could mean the difference between a good outcome and a disaster."
Immediately ceasing to give your dog the prescribed drug and contacting your vet should be an almost simultaneous course of action. Early detection of the side effect, stopping the use of the medication and veterinary intervention are critical to your dog's recovery and health.
While this is clearly solid advice, many holistic and alternative medicine veterinarians suggest that the use of certain drugs and medications are inherently dangerous for dogs. They would suggest less toxic remedies as a first course, eliminating the need for some medications.
For example, many vets prescribe meds for allergic skin conditions that carry the potential risk of unpleasant side effects. What if your dog could eliminate the need for those meds? The risk of side effects to your dog would be eliminated and this is perhaps the best way to stop your dog's side effect from medication.
Explain to your veterinarian your preference for alternate, natural treatments whenever possible. Obviously, not every condition permits this type of approach as many serious illnesses and injuries require immediate medical intervention to save your dog's life. But for many, less serious problems, a less toxic, safer and more natural remedy may be just what the doctor ordered to heal your dog's condition and contribute to his long term health as well.
When your dog has an itch or rash, do you call the veterinarian ? If your vet is unavailable or you
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Choosing A Vet for Your Reptile
Carefully research your options for proper veterinary care before you decide to purchase a reptile. Although the animal may be sold at a low-cost, the care it would take once you own it may be more than you bargain for! A vet must be experienced in reptile care and medicine to make a good provider for your reptile pet. Reptile care and medicine requires special education.Although your sweet, jokester of an uncle may have thought it a hoot to give little Johnny that darling baby reptile for his first pet, the joke may be on you. There is a list of vets you can access over the internet for the Unites States of America, International, and Canada. Check with your local vets to determine their areas of expertise, experience, and limitations.You must make sure your vet will be comfortable handling your reptile. If the vet is uncomfortable, the animal will sense it and may become more of a problem. Once you get your animal, take it to the vet for a check-up even if it appears healthy. You may not be able to detect the problems a trained professional can find. Problems are not always readily seen by the eye. Maybe your reptile has parasites that you can't see just by looking at it.Your vet should be willing to help you find the proper care for your reptile if he or she is not properly qualified. You will want to know this information before your pet becomes seriously ill or injured. Even if your vet isn't qualified, he/she may be able to provide temporary care until you can get your pet to the right person for the proper care.It is a good idea to purchase a reptile that is already well-known as pet material. A pet that is new to the market will not be researched well enough yet.Not many vet colleges offer the specialized medicine courses necessary for caring for ill reptiles. Test your vet with questions about temperature or food to see if they even have basic knowledge.If you try to treat the animal yourself with over-the-counter medications, you could be making your pet more ill. The medication sold in pet stores often has ingredients like tetracycline that isn't good for your reptile; or the shelf medicines just simply aren't strong enough to do any good and are a waste of your money. A pet store may sell certain items just to draw money, without properly researching the items themselves for their effectiveness. After all, the clerks aren't pharmacists.If your vet has had special schooling required for reptile care, has he/she updated their knowledge recently? Are they aware of the latest treatments or medications? Do they have an interest in reptiles, conferences, or belong to any reptile associations?If you're unable to contact your vet, or are unsatisfied with the information provided, you can try asking zoos, other reptile owners, or local pet adoption agencies for references to reptile vets. In any case, it will help for you to educate yourself in case of an emergency. At least you could provide basic care until you could reach a qualified professional.
Feline Urinary Tract Infection Remedies
ByBruce Maul
Urinary tract infections (UTI) more frequently occur in cats than in dogs. While the infection can put forth severe discomforts to felines, headaches will most likely surmount for the pet owner in the course of finding a sustainable treatment.
In many instances, treatment with veterinary medicine do not produce encouraging results of healing despite the conduct of a complicated diagnosis or prescription of costly pet antibiotics. Nonetheless, without proper and immediate treatment, the infection could progress to chronic status, further jeopardize feline health and entail additional veterinary expenses. Learning and applying practical solutions for pet UTI prevention and treatment is never a waste of time and effort.
Let us examine the conventional veterinary treatments prescribed and furthermore probe into alternative forms of treatment such as pet herbal supplements designed to cure feline urinary tract infections.
Conventional Feline UTI Treatments
Veterinarians would likely prescribe pet antibiotics for UTI in cats. For instances of chronic UTI, catheterization or surgery will be recommended to save your cat's life. As nutritional support to routine urinary tract system functioning, feeding your pet with commercial cat food that is supposedly packed with essential nutrients is perceived ideal. To further prevent the likelihood of infections, hygienic practices from the supply of fresh, clean water at all times to the provision of an adequate number of litter boxes is encouraged to stimulate healthy urination in cats.
Alternative Feline UTI Treatments
Nonetheless, mainstream practices are not always successful in the control of the disease. There are instances where the recurrence of urinary tract disorders would transpire following extensive treatment. Wonder what went wrong? Dietary formulas prepared for felines often contend with the feeding habits of cats in the wild. Meanwhile, medications are inclined to impair the biochemic processes sustaining feline health, compromise immune defenses and promote recurrent infections or other diseases.
To address the severe side effects of veterinary medicine in its long term use, feline UTI treatment can be pursued through holistic methods with the use of natural remedies or herbal remedies. By way of holistic support, UTI symptoms are relieved, the urinary tract system of felines are reinforced and recurrence is prevented.
This level of health care can now be accessed through the use of standardized herbal supplements formulated to heal pet bladder infections. Among the herbal ingredients employed in supplements promoting this benefit include the natural antibiotics Barberry and Bearberry as well as the urinary tract restorative Cantharis. Your pet can now take advantage of this package of medicinal benefits with every dose of PetAlive UTI-Free, a standardized herbal supplement designed for the overall support of pet urinary tract system.
Bruce Maul is a partner in Gold Flax Seed, Inc. which provides only top quality Flax Seed, Herbal Remedies and other health related products. Learn more about Herbal Remedies by visiting http://www.myherbalremedystore.com
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Is Veterinary Medicine the Right Career Choice For You?
ByAlice Lane
Veterinarians - or vets for short - are physicians specializing in animals. The word is derived from Latin "veterinae" which means "draft animal". The term veterinarian was used for the first time in the year 1646 by Thomas Browne. Today veterinary medicine embraces many different careers. Some veterinarians work in a clinical setting and practice pet medicine on small animals such as dogs, cats, and pocket pets. Other veterinary scrubs workers specialize in livestock or production medicine, which includes beef and dairy cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry as well as equine medicine (race track, rodeo, show medicine). Other specialties include laboratory medicine on reptiles and rats; as well as animal surgery, internal medicine, and dermatology. These latter specialties require post graduate training. The demographics of veterinarians has changed dramatically in the past 25 years: until the 1980's the ratio of male to female veterinarians was tilted significantly towards men, but in the past few years women are the predominate veterinary school graduates.
Advanced veterinary certification enables some vets to pursue careers in research, and many important medical discoveries have been made by veterinarians including the isolation of oncovirus, and species of salmonella and brucella, as well as other pathogenic species. Researchers in vet scrubs were in the forefront of the fights against yellow fever and malaria in the U.S.; and it was a veterinarian who first noticed the appearance of West Nile disease in animals in the New York zoo. The identity of the agent which causes botulism was first discovered by a veterinarian; as was the anticoagulant which is used to treat heart disease in humans. Many human surgical techniques were first perfected on animals, such as organ and limb transplants, and hip joint replacement.
Because in the U.S. veterinary schools are often state-supported, preference for candidates is frequently given to students from in state, and out of state students face a restricted quota. Admissions criteria vary considerably from state to state depending upon how many positions are available and how many in state applicants there are. As a result, in some states admission to veterinary school can be considerably more competitive than admission to medical school. Even between schools in the same state, the ratio of student applications to admissions can vary tremendously. Study abroad is possible, but overseas graduates are often handicapped in applying for post-graduate training. In the U.S. admission to veterinary school usually requires submitting scores on the GRE and MCAT or VCAT tests. The average GRE score for veterinary students in the U.S. is 1350; and the average grade point average is 3.5. Additionally, specific undergraduate studies are required by the different veterinary schools; as well as extensive animal related experience (on the order of a thousand hours or more). In North America veterinary school lasts four years, with one year dedicated to a clinical rotation. After passing a national board exam it is possible to pursue an internship or residency in white scrub jackets in advanced fields.
As is the case with white scrub jackets physicians for humans, doctors in veterinary scrubs must often make important ethical decisions regarding the care of their patients. As an example, there is presently an ongoing debate in vet scrubs circles about the ethics of declawing cats; about cropping and docking ears and tails; as well as debarking dogs.
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