Our canine pals all have slightly different care needs. Many of these vary based on Fido’s age, size, breed, health, and lifestyle. An active Lab that loves to swim and hike with his humans will have different care requirements than a Pomeranian lap dog. However, one thing that all dogs need is veterinary care. Just like people, dogs need to visit their doctors regularly to stay healthy! Read on as a local Slidell, LA vet offers some advice on taking your furry friend to our animal clinic.
Scheduling
Emergency visits should always be done as soon as possible, even if that means going to a 24/7 urgent care instead of your usual vet. However, if you’re bringing your pet in for routine wellness care or for something minor, book as far in advance as is reasonable. If your pup is going to a new clinic, you’ll want to have some information on hand. The clinic will likely want to know Fido’s breed and age. They may also ask whether he’s been fixed yet. In addition to that, you may need to provide your pet’s medical records, such as his vaccination documents.
We’d recommend asking if you need to bring anything, such as a stool sample.
When booking, make sure to let the office know about anything extra you want checked or done. For instance, if you’d like to get Fido’s nails clipped, schedule that when you make the appointment.
Crate Training
If your canine pal hasn’t been crate-trained yet, we recommend starting to work on this now. Many dogs actually enjoy their crates. Proper training and use are both critical here. It’s very important that your pooch see his crate as a comfy den, somewhere that he is safe and cozy. If Fido has spent too much time in crates, or has a bad association with them, it’s going to make him uneasy. Add comfy bedding and a few toys to the crate to make it nice and inviting for him. If your pup hasn’t been trained yet, ask your vet for tips.
Burn Zoomies Before The Appointment
It’s a good idea to have Fido burn off his zoomies before he goes to the doctor. A good walk or play session will help your pet expel any excess energy he has, so he’ll be calmer during the appointment.
In some cases, your vet may request—or even require—that Fido be given sedatives beforehand. Follow directions to the letter.
Medical Issues
If you’re bringing your pooch in because of a medical issue, you may need to provide a bit more information. It will help to make notes of some key information, such as when you first noticed the symptom, if it’s gotten better or worse. In fact, the more information you can provide, the better!
Emergency Visits
Dogs are susceptible to many of the same health problems as people. Some develop slowly, while others can come on seemingly out of nowhere.
Some symptoms can wait for the next available appointment, while others would require emergency care.
Here are some of the things that would warrant an immediate trip to the clinic or ER:
- Bleeding
- Seizures
- Shortness of breath
- Vomiting
- Blood in Stool
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Choking
- Inability to urinate or defecate
- Eye injury
- Sudden blindness
- Lameness or inability to walk
- Broken bones
- Balance trouble
- Unable to deliver puppies or kittens
- Unconsciousness
- Obvious pain
- Trauma
- Loss of consciousness
- Fractures
- Limp
- Pale gums
- Known or suspected injury or poison ingestion.
Many of these symptoms can be signs of a variety of different issues. That’s why it’s important to get them checked out ASAP.
First Aid
If your pet has been injured, you may need to perform some basic first aid at home before you can transport him safely. This is one reason we always recommend having a pet first-aid kit. You can get ones made just for Fido, or start with one that was made for humans and then add to it. Some of the things you would want to include are gauze, non-stick bandages, adhesive tape, cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic spray/ointment, milk of magnesia, digital thermometer, medicine pillbox, scissors, tweezers, magnifying glass, syringes, flashlight, towel, soft muzzle, collapsible bowl.
Keep in mind that even the best first-aid kit won’t be of any use if you aren’t sure what to do. You may also want to download a pet first-aid app, or, even better, buy or print a brochure.
We would also recommend saving both the number for your vet and the nearest emergency clinics on your phone. You may also want to include the number for a pet poison control center.
Keeping Fido Calm
It may be easy to joke about dogs being scared of the veterinary clinic, but it really is no laughing matter. In fact, it’s completely understandable. Our canine pals have very sensitive noses. The strange scents alone are often enough to set pups on edge. After all, Fido is going to be picking up the smells of other nervous animals, some of whom are very sick. We also can’t exactly explain to our patients why they need vaccinations or exams.
We understand this, and we do everything we can to make appointments easy for our furry patients.
Questions
It’s not uncommon for people to think of things they wanted to ask about … after they’ve gotten home again. One thing you may want to do is get a small notebook for Fido. You can jot down all your questions, and also make a note of the replies. For instance, if your vet suggests a specific type of supplement, putting that in Fido’s doggy notebook will help ensure that you don’t lose or forget it.
Here are some things you may want to ask your vet:
- What should I feed my pet?
- How much exercise should Fido get?
- What common diseases is my pup susceptible to?
- What vaccinations does Fido need?
- How often should I bathe my pet?
- How are Fido’s teeth?
- Is my pet’s microchip okay?
- Is it time to switch to senior care/food?
- Is Fido overweight?
Of course, that is just a sample. Please do not hesitate to ask for more information or advice about your canine buddy’s health or care needs. For instance, you may want to ask your vet to show you how to clip your pet’s claws or brush his teeth.
Coming Home
Once your appointment is over, do something special for Fido to help him form a positive outlook on the experience and get that tail wagging again. A trip to a park isn’t a bad idea. You can also take your pooch through a drive-through or bring him to a pet store so he can pick out a new toy. A special treat or some extra snuggles won’t hurt, either!
Tips
Keep in mind that your pet’s veterinary care needs will change over time. Your furry pal will need to come in a few times during that crucial (and super cute) first year. Vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, microchipping, parasite control, and exams are all on the agenda. Once your pup is an adult, he may only need annual visits. Then, once Fido hits his golden years, he may need to come in more often.
Make An Appointment At Our Slidell, LA Veterinary Clinic
Do you need to make an appointment for your canine companion? Please feel free to contact us anytime. As your Slidell, LA pet hospital, we are dedicated to providing top-notch veterinary care.
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