Visit to the vet
Often, after a visit to the vet, many pet owners have a lot of questions about their pet's problem. Sometimes the inefficiency of the treatment is not due to the complexity of the case, but to the lack of information provided by the owners to the doctor, sometimes - to an approximate diagnosis.
In order to improve the efficiency of care provided to a sick animal and avoid possible problems with improper treatment, we offer you a number of tips on how to use the services of a veterinarian in the right way and with maximum efficiency.
If you find that your animal is not feeling well and decide to take him to the clinic, do not be lazy to remember well when and where it all began.
Make up a "medical history". You can even write everything down on paper (quite understandable excitement at the doctor's appointment can prevent you from remembering something important). The doctor should know the following: breed of animal, age, sex, previous diseases. If the animal has already been treated for the illness that caused your visit, what it is. If there have been tests (tests, X-rays, etc.), it is better to take the results with you. It is also a good idea to tell your doctor about the operations the animal has undergone (if they have been performed, of course). So, the "medical history" - anamnesis - has been collected.
On the way, try to provide the animal with maximum comfort, and most importantly - as little nervousness as possible.
Most animals with experience of visiting veterinary clinics are afraid of this place, and the task of a companion is to minimize stress. Even more important is to reassure your animal (and yourself) at the reception. In addition to the fact that examination of a resisting animal is much more difficult (and sometimes it is just dangerous for the doctor), excitement (and associated with it, for example, fast heartbeat) can distort the picture of the disease and complicate the diagnosis. Of course, doctors will still discount the patient's nervous state, but it is better to help them.
When you come to the vet's, as mentioned, and it is up to you how effective the follow-up treatment for your animal will be.
Just as with any other service provider, you can ask your vet for competent advice and clear recommendations at your vet's office.
We have already indicated that it is advisable to describe your animal's condition as clearly and in as detailed a manner as possible before the illness and before the visit to the doctor. The patient's medical history, plus the information obtained by the doctor as a result of the physical examination (examination, palpation, auscultation (listening), thermometric (temperature measurement)) are sufficient grounds for a preliminary diagnosis. We would like to focus the attention of animal owners on this concept - the diagnosis can be preliminary and final. The first is based on the results of amnesics and physical examination, the second should be supported by laboratory tests (blood, urine, ultrasound, etc.).
After your visit to the doctor, you should receive a clearly formulated preliminary diagnosis. (I am often approached by people who have not received any information from this visit to the vet. I believe that this is not only the fault of the veterinarian, but also of the owner, who during the examination of the animal could not take control and listen carefully to a specialist, or was not demanding enough to obtain the necessary information. It is better if the preliminary (or final) diagnosis, together with prescriptions, will be written down on paper, along with the name of the doctor who performed the examination.
The success of treatment depends, naturally, on the identified causes of the disease and the impact on them, i.e., on making an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes trivial examination is not enough to make a diagnosis, and then the doctor involves other, additional methods of examination. Don't be afraid to insist on additional examinations for your pet that may clarify the diagnosis, the benefit can be enormous and the harm can be no greater than the reputation of the patient's unnecessarily concerned "parent". However, to require these extra tests, you need to know what tests are being done for different symptoms. In diseases with dermatological (skin) symptoms, scraping (calcification), fluorescent diagnostics (illumination with a special lamp), and sometimes a skin biopsy are appropriate.
In leading gastrointestinal manifestations - gastroscopy, coprological examination (fecal analysis), X-ray, radiography. In urological and gynecological diseases - bacteriological analysis of excretions, urine analysis. In diseases of the musculoskeletal system - X-ray diagnosis, sometimes biopsy. In diseases of the cardiovascular system - ECG, X-ray, ultrasound diagnostics. Of great importance is auscultation (listening). in endocrine pathologies - blood and urine analysis, sometimes other specific examinations. in respiratory diseases - X-ray diagnostics, bronchoscopy. Auscultation (listening) is of great importance. in cancer - biopsy, followed by a cytological examination, sometimes - other specific examinations. in infectious diseases - blood, urine and other excreta analysis. in neurological pathology - special tests (reflex test, sensitivity test), special examinations: cerebrospinal fluid examination (puncture), X-ray diagnostics, etc. in neurological pathology - blood, urine and bronchoscopy. The proposed scheme of organ system tests, as already mentioned, is simplified, and there are many other methods and analyses that help to clarify the picture (Dopplerography, CT, etc.), but because of the complexity and cost of these methods are not included in the general list. Obviously, in almost any disease, blood and urine tests are often necessary. Therefore, we do not stop here separately.
After your doctor's visit, you will be offered a course of treatment. I would like to say that almost no disease is cured instantly. Therefore, before you run to the next doctor with claims of ineffectiveness of the previous treatment, you should apply the prescribed course of treatment for at least 6-7 days, and see the result. You should act more quickly (see the doctor again, possibly another one) if there is an obvious negative reaction to a drug or if the condition of the animal worsens despite the measures taken. Consilium opinion, so popular and relevant in human medicine, does not always work in veterinary medicine, because often the decisions of veterinarians are based on personal ambitions, and the point of view of other specialists is taken into bayonets.
Therefore, we do not a priori recommend you to contact several specialists simultaneously or sequentially, because the opinions are likely to be inconsistent, will cause confusion and will not benefit the sick animal, and time will be lost. If this is the case, it is best to see a trustworthy specialist recommended by friends and acquaintances, whose opinion you will trust.
We ask you to be fair and objective to the veterinarians, as most of them are fanatics of their profession and they do their best to make your animal well. But there are difficult diagnoses where a bad outcome is either predetermined or likely. That's why the 'cured - good doctor, not cured - bad' viewpoint, favourite by many animal owners, is often inappropriate. It also makes no sense to demand guarantees from a doctor, because a favorable outcome can be guaranteed when repairing a refrigerator, and when interacting with a complex biological system, the word "guarantees" itself makes no sense.
As in many other life situations, each option has its advantages and disadvantages. Examination at home is a good convenience for the owner, convenience for the animal, the lack of "flow method" in the work of the doctor - while he is with you, he is engaged only with you and it will not bother other patients.
Usually a doctor on call has more time and opportunity to observe your pet in its natural manifestations, which helps to make a diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.
If you are in a critical position, you can call the doctor at any time of day, or you can simply call and describe the changes in your sick animal that are troubling you. Sometimes, and quite often, the doctor can perform simple operations at home and observe the patient until he is fully recovered. It is understandable to talk about the benefits of having the same doctor operate and observe your pet in the postoperative period.
Calling a doctor at home is not cheap, but, firstly, you buy the inseparable attention of a specialist to your animal, and secondly, there are situations when the transportation of the animal is contraindicated, but people who have large animals and do not have a car know what it costs to travel with a large dog in a taxi back and forth. However, if more data, analysis and research is needed, the animal will have to be taken to the clinic. The clinic also has the obvious advantage of having specialists in various fields. And carrying out complex operations in general is possible only in the clinic. Another advantage of examination and treatment of animals in the veterinary clinic - a comparatively cheap compared to a private doctor, although it happens in a different way - depends on the clinic and the doctor.
Any self-respecting veterinarian will tell you - you cannot diagnose and treat animals over the phone or on the Internet. The purpose of such consultations is to confirm (or not confirm) the problem, to give advice on any research that may be needed to make a diagnosis. No doctor will recommend a specific treatment without at least an examination. Clinic staff usually offer to bring an animal for this purpose, and a doctor working on call will offer to make a call so that he can see the patient.
In order to improve the efficiency of care provided to a sick animal and avoid possible problems with improper treatment, we offer you a number of tips on how to use the services of a veterinarian in the right way and with maximum efficiency.
Make up a "medical history"
If you find that your animal is not feeling well and decide to take him to the clinic, do not be lazy to remember well when and where it all began.
Make up a "medical history". You can even write everything down on paper (quite understandable excitement at the doctor's appointment can prevent you from remembering something important). The doctor should know the following: breed of animal, age, sex, previous diseases. If the animal has already been treated for the illness that caused your visit, what it is. If there have been tests (tests, X-rays, etc.), it is better to take the results with you. It is also a good idea to tell your doctor about the operations the animal has undergone (if they have been performed, of course). So, the "medical history" - anamnesis - has been collected.
Try to provide the animal with maximum comfort
On the way, try to provide the animal with maximum comfort, and most importantly - as little nervousness as possible.
Most animals with experience of visiting veterinary clinics are afraid of this place, and the task of a companion is to minimize stress. Even more important is to reassure your animal (and yourself) at the reception. In addition to the fact that examination of a resisting animal is much more difficult (and sometimes it is just dangerous for the doctor), excitement (and associated with it, for example, fast heartbeat) can distort the picture of the disease and complicate the diagnosis. Of course, doctors will still discount the patient's nervous state, but it is better to help them.
Ask your vet for competent advice and clear recommendations
When you come to the vet's, as mentioned, and it is up to you how effective the follow-up treatment for your animal will be.
Just as with any other service provider, you can ask your vet for competent advice and clear recommendations at your vet's office.
We have already indicated that it is advisable to describe your animal's condition as clearly and in as detailed a manner as possible before the illness and before the visit to the doctor. The patient's medical history, plus the information obtained by the doctor as a result of the physical examination (examination, palpation, auscultation (listening), thermometric (temperature measurement)) are sufficient grounds for a preliminary diagnosis. We would like to focus the attention of animal owners on this concept - the diagnosis can be preliminary and final. The first is based on the results of amnesics and physical examination, the second should be supported by laboratory tests (blood, urine, ultrasound, etc.).
After your visit to the doctor, you should receive a clearly formulated preliminary diagnosis. (I am often approached by people who have not received any information from this visit to the vet. I believe that this is not only the fault of the veterinarian, but also of the owner, who during the examination of the animal could not take control and listen carefully to a specialist, or was not demanding enough to obtain the necessary information. It is better if the preliminary (or final) diagnosis, together with prescriptions, will be written down on paper, along with the name of the doctor who performed the examination.
Success of treatment
The success of treatment depends, naturally, on the identified causes of the disease and the impact on them, i.e., on making an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes trivial examination is not enough to make a diagnosis, and then the doctor involves other, additional methods of examination. Don't be afraid to insist on additional examinations for your pet that may clarify the diagnosis, the benefit can be enormous and the harm can be no greater than the reputation of the patient's unnecessarily concerned "parent". However, to require these extra tests, you need to know what tests are being done for different symptoms. In diseases with dermatological (skin) symptoms, scraping (calcification), fluorescent diagnostics (illumination with a special lamp), and sometimes a skin biopsy are appropriate.
In leading gastrointestinal manifestations - gastroscopy, coprological examination (fecal analysis), X-ray, radiography. In urological and gynecological diseases - bacteriological analysis of excretions, urine analysis. In diseases of the musculoskeletal system - X-ray diagnosis, sometimes biopsy. In diseases of the cardiovascular system - ECG, X-ray, ultrasound diagnostics. Of great importance is auscultation (listening). in endocrine pathologies - blood and urine analysis, sometimes other specific examinations. in respiratory diseases - X-ray diagnostics, bronchoscopy. Auscultation (listening) is of great importance. in cancer - biopsy, followed by a cytological examination, sometimes - other specific examinations. in infectious diseases - blood, urine and other excreta analysis. in neurological pathology - special tests (reflex test, sensitivity test), special examinations: cerebrospinal fluid examination (puncture), X-ray diagnostics, etc. in neurological pathology - blood, urine and bronchoscopy. The proposed scheme of organ system tests, as already mentioned, is simplified, and there are many other methods and analyses that help to clarify the picture (Dopplerography, CT, etc.), but because of the complexity and cost of these methods are not included in the general list. Obviously, in almost any disease, blood and urine tests are often necessary. Therefore, we do not stop here separately.
Apply the prescribed course of treatment
After your doctor's visit, you will be offered a course of treatment. I would like to say that almost no disease is cured instantly. Therefore, before you run to the next doctor with claims of ineffectiveness of the previous treatment, you should apply the prescribed course of treatment for at least 6-7 days, and see the result. You should act more quickly (see the doctor again, possibly another one) if there is an obvious negative reaction to a drug or if the condition of the animal worsens despite the measures taken. Consilium opinion, so popular and relevant in human medicine, does not always work in veterinary medicine, because often the decisions of veterinarians are based on personal ambitions, and the point of view of other specialists is taken into bayonets.
Therefore, we do not a priori recommend you to contact several specialists simultaneously or sequentially, because the opinions are likely to be inconsistent, will cause confusion and will not benefit the sick animal, and time will be lost. If this is the case, it is best to see a trustworthy specialist recommended by friends and acquaintances, whose opinion you will trust.
Exodus of the disease
We ask you to be fair and objective to the veterinarians, as most of them are fanatics of their profession and they do their best to make your animal well. But there are difficult diagnoses where a bad outcome is either predetermined or likely. That's why the 'cured - good doctor, not cured - bad' viewpoint, favourite by many animal owners, is often inappropriate. It also makes no sense to demand guarantees from a doctor, because a favorable outcome can be guaranteed when repairing a refrigerator, and when interacting with a complex biological system, the word "guarantees" itself makes no sense.
Examination and treatment - at home or in the clinic?
As in many other life situations, each option has its advantages and disadvantages. Examination at home is a good convenience for the owner, convenience for the animal, the lack of "flow method" in the work of the doctor - while he is with you, he is engaged only with you and it will not bother other patients.
Usually a doctor on call has more time and opportunity to observe your pet in its natural manifestations, which helps to make a diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment.
Another advantage
If you are in a critical position, you can call the doctor at any time of day, or you can simply call and describe the changes in your sick animal that are troubling you. Sometimes, and quite often, the doctor can perform simple operations at home and observe the patient until he is fully recovered. It is understandable to talk about the benefits of having the same doctor operate and observe your pet in the postoperative period.
Calling a doctor at home is not cheap, but, firstly, you buy the inseparable attention of a specialist to your animal, and secondly, there are situations when the transportation of the animal is contraindicated, but people who have large animals and do not have a car know what it costs to travel with a large dog in a taxi back and forth. However, if more data, analysis and research is needed, the animal will have to be taken to the clinic. The clinic also has the obvious advantage of having specialists in various fields. And carrying out complex operations in general is possible only in the clinic. Another advantage of examination and treatment of animals in the veterinary clinic - a comparatively cheap compared to a private doctor, although it happens in a different way - depends on the clinic and the doctor.
Diagnose and treat animals over the phone or on the Internet ?
Any self-respecting veterinarian will tell you - you cannot diagnose and treat animals over the phone or on the Internet. The purpose of such consultations is to confirm (or not confirm) the problem, to give advice on any research that may be needed to make a diagnosis. No doctor will recommend a specific treatment without at least an examination. Clinic staff usually offer to bring an animal for this purpose, and a doctor working on call will offer to make a call so that he can see the patient.
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