When you call or visit your veterinarian, you can expect to be asked for information about your animal and details of its medical history, especially if this is your first contact with that particular vet.
You can expect to receive a fairly accurate estimate of costs for routine procedures such as vaccinations and sterilisation. If the situation is more complex, it may be harder to estimate what the final cost will be. Remember that as your vet progress with a patient, the diagnosis, prognosis and costs may change. It is vital you bring costs up even if your vet doesn’t.
Veterinary hospitals have a wide range of equipment on-site, and usually offer all the necessary diagnostic tests and treatments in one place. If there’s a serious problem, your vet might recommend a visit to a veterinary specialist who has particular expertise.
You can also receive prescription medication for your animal from your vet, along with helpful advice about how best to take care of your animal – feeding, socialising, exercise and training.
Develop a relationship with your vet and remember that you are free to get a second and even a third opinion if you are not entirely satisfied with your vet.
It’s important that pets have regular health checks at the vet. Dogs and cats age much more quickly than humans, and it’s important to catch problems early if you want to ensure a long and happy life for your companion animal.
Annual Health Checks
Because pets age so rapidly, major health changes can occur in a short amount of time. Minor problems can often go unnoticed at home, until they become more serious. Most problems can be treated more successfully (and more cheaply) if they are recognised early. The risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease and other serious conditions all increase with your pet’s age. Annual health checks can help your veterinarians diagnose, treat or even prevent problems before they become life-threatening.
Your vet will:
- Check for early signs of disease.
- Make sure teeth, skin, eyes and ears are healthy
- Update life-saving vaccinations
The examination will generally cover the following areas:
- Teeth & mouth
- eyes
- ears
- skin
- feet/nails
- lymph nodes
- bones/joints
- heart & lungs
- abdomen
- genitals
They’re also a great opportunity to ask us about pet nutrition, pet behaviour and other issues.
Remember that older pets or those with chronic health problems will need to be checked more often!