An attentive dog owner can be sure that they are receiving the best health care for their pet by understanding the best practices in veterinary medicine and ensuring that 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 happen to be taking short cuts and putting innocent pets at risk. Ask yourself the following questions about your current veterinarian, and ensure that your own pet isn't at risk.
Does The vet Use An Individual Record For Each Patient?
If you are who owns multiple pets, you should be sure that each pet has its own medical record. Lumping all the pets together on a single chart is considered to be an inferior practice and this shortcut can result in confusion, putting all your pets at risk.
An effective record of the health insurance and history of each of your pets needs to be clearly noted on a chart which is focused on that pet only. Only by tracking each pet individually can the veterinarian and also the support staff make sure that all of the data on 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 permanent medical record. A reputable veterinarian won't 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 something fee for a duplication of the pet's records.
Does The vet 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 definitely cost the veterinarian a bit more, but these bottles provide a safer, better controlled dosage and a good vet will opt for the single-dose vaccines.
Usage of the large economy-size tanks indicates a preference on the part of the veterinarian to place profit ahead of the health of the pet. There are several reasons that a conscientious veterinarian will only use the single-dose bottles. Firstly, the only dose vials lessen the possibility of `technician error'. Multi-dose tanks require the support staff to measure the exact dosage for every patient. A slight human error in measurement could cause your pet receiving too much or too little of the vaccine. Using a single dose vial eliminates the risk of human error.
Single dose rabies vaccines are also an essential record keeping tool. Each single-dose vaccine includes a removable label containing 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 communicate with the manufacturer.
Lastly, the presence of an individual serial number from the single-dose vaccine is the best way for you to realize that your pet actually received the vaccine. While rare, there have been cases where unscrupulous veterinarians have watered down vaccines to be able 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?
Remember that a good veterinarian will care as much about you as an informed owner as he cares about your pets. He usually supplies you with the information and resources you need to take the best possible care of your animals. Helping you to educate yourself about the needs of your pet is an important component of complete veterinary care.
After assessing your pet's health, a good veterinarian will be sending you home with informative handouts that explain your pet's condition and the proper course of treatment. Most veterinarians will also have educational videos and resources 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 type of client support? A well-rounded veterinary practice takes the training of its clients seriously. If this component is lacking, it might indicate that offering you useful educational tools that will help you care for your pet isn't a priority. This is the sign of a substandard veterinary practice.