Though you may not want to think about taking your pet to the vet, the truth is that it is something that you are going to have to do, multiple times in your life. In order to be a good thing, you need to have a good relationship with your veterinarian and the entire staff. So, how can you do this? Here are some things that you can do to make sure that you have a good relationship with your veterinarian.
Written By: Shelley Wenger
1. Make sure that you have a veterinarian BEFORE an emergency.
You would be amazed at how many people wait until their dog is sick to call a veterinarian. You should have a relationship with your veterinarian before anything happens. This way, you know who to call when you are facing something troublesome.
2. Be kind.
In a world where we deal with so many clients who are struggling (and taking it out on us), a friendly face can go a long way to make our days brighter! Our last client could have been awful, or we may have put an animal to sleep that we have taken care of since he or she was a puppy. You have no idea how hard it is to smile through the heartbreak that we see!
3. Learn about us.
Ask any veterinarian and technician, and they all have their favorite clients. These are the ones who know your name and may even know your voice when they call in! They may know your children’s and pet’s name. They may celebrate special events with you. Learning a little about us can make us feel really special, and we will do the same for you. We may even go above and beyond to help you, since you are so special to us.
4. Be respectful of our time.
We know that your time is valuable, and so is ours, so please show up on time for your appointment. In fact, you need to make sure that you call and schedule an appointment. Just showing up with your pet isn’t going to help! You also shouldn’t bring your other pet along, just hoping that we can squeeze him or her in. This is incredibly rude, and we may get behind, just because we can’t say no.
5. Be understanding when we can’t fit you in.
The number of veterinarians and technicians is dwindling, even as the number of pets is on the rise. This means that we simply can’t see everyone! Most veterinary clinics are booked out for weeks and even months.
6. Or we don’t have the ability to handle your emergency.
We can’t just drop everything to help your pet in an emergency, especially if your pet needs to have surgery. Most clinics don’t have overnight staff to watch your pet. For this reason, an emergency clinic may be better staffed to help your pet. If your pet is really struggling, you should probably take your pet to an emergency clinic so that he or she can get the care that he or she deserves.
7. Always let us know beforehand if finances are a concern.
We understand how money can affect the decisions that you make when it comes to your pet’s care. However, just let us know what we are working with. That is much easier than agreeing to everything and then realizing that you can’t pay for the blood work and x-rays that we have already done.
8. You should never make your irresponsibility our problem!
If your pet doesn’t have his or her shots up to date, and they need to go in the kennel tomorrow, this isn’t our problem! You have probably been planning your vacation for months, so you should have looked into that at the same time. Besides, we probably also sent you a vaccine reminder so that you would schedule an appointment to keep your pet up-to-date on vaccines. We will try to help you, but we just might not have any place to schedule you!
9. This also includes any sickness that you now feel is an emergency.
If your pet has had an ear infection for five days, don’t expect us to squeeze you in the day that you decide it is an emergency. If your cat or dog has been vomiting, call right away and schedule something as soon as possible. Don’t get mad when we can’t fit you in because you waited to call!
10. Also, make sure that you listen to our advice (not your friends on FB, the breeder, or the groomer).
When one’s pet is sick, the first thing that people do is ask their friends. They even post it on Facebook and take anyone’s strange advice, before consulting professionals. It also amazes me how many people trust the opinions of their breeders and groomers over the people who went to veterinary school. Now, many of them are very knowledgeable, but if something is wrong, you really need to talk to a professional. If you want to have a good relationship with your veterinarian and the staff, you really need to find one before you have a problem! It also helps to be kind, because you don’t know what they have gone through that day. You should also be respectful of their time. Show up for your appointments on time, and don’t make us squeeze someone else in too!
It also helps to put yourself in our shoes. When we say that we don’t have time to see your pet, it means that we don’t have time to see him or her. We have probably already overbooked ourselves, and we simply don’t have the time. We may also not have the staff to properly care for your pet. If your pet needs emergency surgery or monitoring, an emergency clinic might be the best place for your pet!
Shelley Wenger is a certified veterinary technician and has been helping animals have better lives for many years. She is also a dedicated writer, and can be found on Medium and Newsbreak. She is also happy to help others with their blogs and other writing projects.
She has just started a new venture in designing t-shirts, mugs, totes, and other gifts. You can check out her Zazzle store Designs by Shelley. Many of her designs share her love of dogs, cats, and farm animals. She has also designed other pieces for moms, grandparents, and plenty of baby gifts! When she isn’t working, writing, or designing, she is spending time with her husband and two sons on their hobby farm, with their faithful Border Collie Rosie by their side. They raise chickens, ducks, rabbits, and goats. And no farm is complete without a cat named Jumper.
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