Hello everyone! Welcome to our March 2012 newsletter.
First off, we would like to congratulate the winner of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Malachy, who is 4 year old Pekingese. Congratulations, Malachy!!
This month we are going to talk about bringing your pets to the Veterinarian. Everyone knows that for most pets, going to the doctor is not their favorite thing to do. You can help your pet by trying to make their visit the most positive experience possible. Here are some tips that may help you make this a much less stressful and scary experience.
Cats can be especially nervous going to the Vet. The moment that you bring your cat carrier out, they know where they are going and they immediately start to get nervous. They then make it quite the struggle when you try to put them in there. With some cats, it helps lower the anxiety if you leave the carrier in a place where they can go in and out as they please. Doing so will let your cat familiarize him or herself with the carrier, and they will learn that the carrier is not going to hurt them. This obviously is more effective if you start this when they are kittens, but it does not hurt to try if your cat is an adult! If your cat can be a little testy at the Vet, make sure that you tell the Technicians, so that they can properly handle the cat so that they can use proper procedures to ensure the safety of your pet and their own. If your cat has a favorite treat, feel free to bring them to the appointment with you as a reward when the appointment is finished. This helps your kitty know that he or she has not done anything bad and that the Vet is not a punishment. As long as your trip to the Vet is routine, they will not have a problem with you bringing treats, but if there is something more going on then they may ask you not to for the safety of your pet.
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Your dog can also be a very difficult patient. Things will go much smoother for you if you familiarize your dog with taking rides in the car. You should take your dog to other places than the vet so that he or she does not associate the car as a bad thing. After a while your pet may really enjoy going in the car. Although they will get a little nervous once you pull in to the driveway of the Hospital, at least you and your pet got there safely. Some dogs get car sick so if this is the case, try to schedule your appointments a few hours before or after they eat their meal.
Some Doctors even offer medications to help make your visit easier for you and your pet. Just like your cat, feel free to bring your dog's favorite treats Êas long as it is just a routine appointment and the dog is not there for anything major. Some dogs have a favorite toy which serves as Êtheir security blanket. Bring that toy with you, -- it will give your pet a sense of comfort and safety. If your dog is unsociable, or just does not like doctors in particular, make sure that you warn the staff so that the technicians can properly prepare for the appointment and keep everyone safe, including your pet. There is nothing to be ashamed of -- they deal with things like that all of the time, so it is better to be safe than sorry.
When you bring your pets to the Doctor, write down the symptoms that your pet is having so that when you get there, you don't forget to tell the Doctor anything important, and the Doctor can be thorough. Never be afraid to ask questions. Your pet is part of your family, and no question is a stupid question. Some people write down questions they have prior to the visit.
Once your pet is diagnosed, feel free to research the diagnosis by calling other Vets or researching using sources such as credible web sites. Your doctor should be able to address any Êquestions or concerns that you have regarding your research. If you feel that something is not right with what your Veterinarian says, it is again better to be safe then sorry. Feel free to get a second opinion. It does not matter what they may think about your decision -- what matters is what is best for your pet.
Always ask questions about the tests that are being done on your pets. Sometimes you may want to add different tests to ensure the proper diagnosis. If you unfortunately get bad news from the results of these tests, always ask about every option. It is not the Doctor's decision on what is best for your pet and you want to know all of your options.
Thank you for reading our newsletter, and we hope that you enjoyed it!! Feel free to tell your friends and family about our newsletter so that we can get them added to our mailing list in time for next month! Email us at info@ledgewoodkennel.com or visit our Facebook for updates and more!! We look forward to hearing from you!