An attentive pet owner can be sure that they are receiving the best health care for his or her pet by understanding the best practices in veterinary medicine and making certain their pet's doctor is following them. Like a Veterinarian and owner of a busy animal hospital in Port Saint Lucie, Florida, I've realized that many doctors have been taking short cuts and putting innocent pets at risk. Ask yourself the following questions about your current veterinarian, and ensure that your own pet is not at risk.
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Does The vet Use An Individual Record For Each Patient?
If you are the owner of multiple pets, it is important to be sure that each pet features its own medical record. Lumping all the pets together on a single chart is considered to be a substandard practice and this shortcut can result in confusion, putting all your pets at risk.
A proper record of the health insurance and history of each of your pets needs to be clearly noted on the chart which is focused on that pet only. Only by tracking each pet individually can the veterinarian and the support staff be certain that all of the data about the record applies to that pet which pet only. Keep in mind that you have a right to view and acquire a copy of your pet's medical record. A reputable veterinarian will not hesitate to share that information with you. However, please remember that many Veterinary offices will charge a small fee with this. Florida law allows Veterinarians to charge a service fee for a duplication of the pet's records.
Does Your Veterinarian Use Individual Vaccine Bottles?
Vaccines are for sale to veterinarians in either 'individual single-dose bottles' or 'large economy size tanks'. The single-dose bottles will cost the veterinarian a bit more, but these bottles offer a safer, better controlled dosage along with a good vet will opt for the single-dose vaccines.
Usage of the big economy-size tanks indicates a preference on the part of the veterinarian to put profit ahead of the health of your pet. There are several reasons that a conscientious veterinarian will only use the single-dose bottles. Firstly, the single dose vials lessen the chance of `technician error'. Multi-dose tanks require the support staff to measure out the exact dosage for every patient. A slight human error in measurement could cause your pet receiving too much or too little from the vaccine. Using a single dose vial eliminates the risk of human error.
Single dose rabies vaccines will also be an essential record keeping tool. Each single-dose vaccine includes a removable label which contains a vaccine serial number and LOT Number. In case of a vaccine reaction, the veterinarian is able to quickly retrieve the vaccine data and properly contact the manufacturer.
Lastly, the existence of an individual serial number from a single-dose vaccine is the best way for you to know that your pet actually received the vaccine. While rare, there has been cases where unscrupulous veterinarians have watered down vaccines in order to increase profit margins. This could not be possible using the single dose vaccines, as each sticker must complement with a separate patient.
Does Your Veterinarian Care About Your Education?
Keep in mind that a good veterinarian will care just as much about you as an informed owner because he cares about your pets. He should provide you with the information and resources that you need to take the best possible care of your animals. Helping you to educate yourself about the needs of the pet is an important component of complete veterinary care.
After assessing your dog's health, a good veterinarian will send you home with informative handouts that explain your pet's condition and the proper treatment. Most veterinarians will also have educational videos and resources readily available for clients to review free of charge. Before selecting a veterinarian, check out his website. Are links to free resources on offer? Does the vet offer any kind of client support? A well-rounded veterinary practice takes the training of its clients seriously. If this component is lacking, it may indicate that offering you useful educational tools to help you care for your pet is not a priority. This is the sign of a substandard veterinary practice.
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