You’ve made it to week six of Fenrir’s 12 Week Plan! This week is all about health checks. We’ll go over how to choose a good vet, how you can prepare for the trip, and even scheduling.
Your dog needs to get regular checkups just like you do. The vet will make sure they’re healthy and that there are no signs of disease or illness. They can give scripts for medication and care advice tailored to your dog. It’s an important part of your dog’s life and the key to lasting health.
Ideally, they’ll see the vet for a visit once every six months. This differs from us humans, because their lifespan is different. Depending on your age and health, you may see your doctor only once every few years or once a year. Your dog ages more quickly, so they need more frequent visits.
If you haven’t had a visit with your vet in the last six months, don’t delay! You can call and make an appointment today. It’s never too late to get started on good health care and management. So, let’s get started and take a look at all you need to know about health checks for your dog.
Choosing a Vet for Health Checks
This task can be daunting. There are so many vets out there. Some of them focus on general care, others may specialise in surgery or dentistry, and some may even be well versed in specific dog breeds. It’s a lot to take into consideration.
Reading reviews online can help you in your preliminary search, but it shouldn’t be the only means you use in choosing your veterinarian. You should also talk to friends and family for recommendations. They’ll be able to give you personal accounts and tell you what they like and dislike. Since your veterinarian is a person, you need to find one you get along with. Not all personalities mesh well and a friend will be able to tell you that much more easily than you’ll be able to figure it out from an online review. You’ll also be able to discuss how they treat and handle animals to make sure they match up with your own ethics.
Location and travel time also need to be put into consideration. If you’ve done all of your research and have decided on a vet, but then you find out they’re very far away, is the trip worth it to you? Or is there a comparable option that is much more accessible? This is especially important if you have a dog that gets anxious in the car or suffers from motion sickness.
Once you’ve found a vet you think you’ll like and they’re within distance for you, the next step is going to look at the facility. Depending on the practice, you may have to schedule a visit, so call ahead of time! Once you’re there.. Is it clean? How do the staff behave? Do you and your dog feel comfortable? This is also a great time to ask other questions. You need to see if your vet provides 24 hour emergency care. If they don’t, they should be able to provide you with directions to the closest ER.
You can also ask about pricings, fees, and what they offer in-house. Anything in-house is what they can perform and give feedback for at the clinic. This normally includes things such as x-rays, blood work, and urine samples, as well as dental procedures and surgeries. Some vets may have more or less training and certification and may be able to offer more or less, so it’s important that you check.
If you have a dog with a health condition that requires a specialist, that’s something to keep in mind as well. It may be more difficult to find a vet or you may have to travel farther. Those are things that you’ll need to plan for.
Preparing for Health Checks
We touched on this briefly during week one when we talked about socialising your dog. The vet is a great place for socialisation, but it’s also important that your dog is comfortable. It will make visits less stressful, faster, easier, and much more enjoyable for everyone. Going to the vet should be a part of your regular socialisation routine.
Call ahead to see if the receptionist is willing to book you for a visit or if you and your dog can walk-in and hang out for a little while. It will help get them used to all of the new sights and sounds. Just don’t forget the treats! You need to reward and build positive associations while you’re there. Staff members will be more than happy to give some treats as well. You want your dog to see the vet as a fun place with friends.
Crate training is also a useful tool for the vet. If your dog is scheduled for any sort of surgery, they’ll need to be kept in the kennels while they recover. This may just be for the day or it may be overnight. In either case, it will be much easier and less stressful on them if they’re already crate trained. They’ll understand that the kennels aren’t a scary place and won’t have to be handled more than necessary to get them in and out.
This next one may seem a little mean, but it’s not. Getting your dog used to a muzzle is important as well. Vets won’t use them unless they’re necessary, but sometimes they are. It will be so much easier on your dog if they’re already used to muzzles. No one wants to deal with a scary new thing while they’re already stressed out. A muzzle will help protect your dog as well as staff during certain procedures. Your dog may normally behave very well, but just like you, anxiety can cause them to act out. Muzzles are also worn for short durations and your dog won’t be kept in one any longer than necessary.
Scheduling Health Checks
Don’t wait until something is wrong to book an appointment! You don’t have to book last minute either. Most practices will let you schedule up to a year in advance. So, it should be easy to get a date and time that works for you regardless of why you need to visit. Whether you’re doing your regular once every six months checkup or you need an extra senior exam, there will be a date and time for you.
When you call in to make an appointment, your receptionist will ask you the reason for your visit. This is the time to mention any concerns you have. If your dog is older and having issues with a chronic condition, they may need more time with the doctor. Your receptionist will be able to make note of that for your appointment day, so your dog gets the attention they need.
Scheduling an appointment is only half of the battle though. Once you’re in for the appointment, you need to talk with your vet. No concern is too small. If you’re worried about something, make sure you mention it so that it’s addressed before it becomes a problem! The earlier you can catch illnesses and other issues, the better. They’ll be so much easier to treat and manage.
It’s also very important that you follow the vet’s instructions. Your dog won’t see any improvement if you’re not diligent. If the vet gives a prescription for meds, you need to follow the instructions whether they’re frequent or not so frequent. Use your phone to set reminders for yourself.
You can also schedule your next exam at check out so that you don’t forget! Your receptionist will be more than happy to book you for your next health check or a follow up exam when you go to pay. This is another great time to use your phone and make a reminder in your calendar. Most clinics will also call 24 hours beforehand to remind you, but no one wants to be caught off guard by an appointment that they forgot about.
A lot of vets even have an app now where you can look at records, check appointment reminders, and send messages directly to the clinic. It’s an amazing tool that you should make use of. You’ll be able to send a photo of your animal through the message centre, so if you’re concerned but it isn’t an emergency you can save yourself and your vet time. Some even allow you to book appointments and get medications refilled.
Conclusion
We know finding a vet and booking a visit can be hard, but we hope this week has helped you. Make it the week that you finally take the plunge if you haven’t already. Call up your vet and make an appointment or find a vet you like. Make sure you get started on the future of your dog’s health!
We’d love to hear and see your vet success stories. So send us a photo of your dog at the vet or tell us all about it on social media.