Does Your Pet Have a Vet?

You and your pet having a relationship with a veterinarian, termed the veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR), is essential for providing your pet with a long, happy, and healthy life. A VCPR is actually a law, and basically means that your veterinarian must know your pet well enough, by at least performing a full physical exam, to be able to diagnose and treat it. It is highly recommended to find a veterinarian who you feel comfortable with and trust, even if you have to try multiple clinics, so that you have a partner in your pet's health. It can be incredibly scary and stressful to have an ill or injured pet, have to go to an unfamiliar hospital, have a bunch of strangers handle them, and recommend expensive or invasive things when you don't know what is going on. The best way to be more prepared is to take your pet to wellness exams for preventive care, that way a relationship can be formed to help keep your pet happy and healthy, and prepare you for when they are not.

Tips For Forming a VCPR

1. Start by checking out vets near your home, you don't want to have to cross the city in rush hour if your pet needs urgent care, plus you probably won't make it to all your pet's checkups if its super inconvenient.

2. Look for AAHA-accredited hospitals, which go through rigorous on-site evaluations to evaluate nearly 1,000 standards of care, and consider if your pet needs to be seen in a Fear Free setting, which has advanced training in reducing your pet's fear during trips to the vet.

3. Be honest! Tell us about your expectations (what you want to accomplish at your appointment), your reservations (finances, fear, etc.), what you really feed/fed your pet, what you do/don't understand, what treatments you tried at home on your pet or medications you gave them, or what your pet could have actually gotten into (no matter how embarrassing or illegal). This allows vet staff to fine-tune the experience for you and your pet and provide the best possible care.

4. Keep copies of health records for your pet! Bring all available medical records to your new veterinary office, or at least provide contact information for previous veterinary visits so records can be acquired. This should be performed at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment, as legally and practically it can take a couple days for records to be completely transferred.

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