March24_Not all vets are the same!

Welcome to the new ‘How to choose’ series of articles from Old Mill Animal Hospital.

We hope that you gain an insight into the kind of things to expect from any vet clinic you or your friends may visit.  You can follow more of our helpful ‘How to choose’ posts at www.OldMillVet.com

How to choose… a vet for vaccinations

Choosing a vet clinic for vaccinations might seem like a pretty easy task, and you may even think that all vets administer vaccinations the same way.  Tick off these points before entrusting the annual care and check-up of your pet, and you’ll be on your way to choosing a great vet for your family.

Health checks are an important foundation for the vaccination visit and the veterinarian is legally obliged to perform a health check on your pet BEFORE administering any vaccinations or preventatives.  They should listen to the heart and lungs of your pet and ask questions about any health concerns at home.

Titre testing – If you wish to have your pets’ titre levels tested instead of receiving the vaccine annually, you should be afforded this service.  This test looks at the levels of protection still in your pets’ system (if any), and whether or not they need a ‘top-up’ of the vaccine.  Titre testing is quite expensive compared with the price of vaccination, but it should always be offered if you do not wish to have your pet vaccinated simply according to calendar due dates.

Needles and syringes – the vet must use a new, sterile syringe and needle for each pet.  We choose to use a separate needle to draw up the vaccine and pop on a new, smaller needle to administer it to the pet.  The slightest blunting of the first needle from being inserted into the vaccine bottle may cause your pet to feel the injection just a little bit more, and we want to eliminate that.

Weight – a good vet will let you know how your pets’ weight is going.  Both underweight and overweight issues can be of great concern to the pets’ overall health and weight loss or gain advice should be given to you before you leave the consultation room.

Teeth – in performing the general health check, your vet should pay special attention to the state of your pets’ teeth.  Dental issues, if caught early enough, are reversible with particular food choices or a routine dental scale and polish.  A vet that ignores dental issues may put your pet in danger of developing nasty infections where bacteria eats away at the jaw bone and pus comes out of their gums!

Heartworm prevention – If your pet has not been on a heartworm preventative recently (usually within the last four months), it is important they receive a heartworm test before they receive some preventative products available.  Administering certain heartworm preventative products if your pet DOES have heartworm can be highly dangerous, causing serious illness or death.

As you can see, the annual vet visit is much more about the health check than simply receiving a vaccine.  Most clients have a few other health issues in mind when they book their pets in for vaccinations and they know to budget for those ear drops or that special food that is going to be necessary.

 

Don’t underestimate your gut instincts and the general vibe you get from your vaccination visit.  The vet should be interested in the home health of your pet and give you an opportunity to discuss any other concerns you might have.  Their job is to educate you and your family on how to give your pet the very best life at home, and identify any health issues that may affect the happiness or longevity of your pet.

To follow the next instalment in our ‘How to choose’ series, simply visit OldMillVet.com  or ‘like’ us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/oldmillvet