Dog Owners: What to Expect During a Vet Examination

Off to the Vet We Go

If you are new to the dog world, have not really thought about it or never asked your vet what they all do during your dogs examinations, then you may be wondering what actually happens at these visits. It’s nothing out of the ordinary only blood panels, vaccinations, full body check overs, and all other sorts of procedures as well to name a few, it is important to know what your vet is going to do so you can prepare your pet before hand

Preparation

Before you even bring your dog to the vet you need to prepare them psychologically to be calm and restrained, so make sure your pup has no problem being touched all over because your vet will do this when examining. If you see your dog is mildly distraught during a checkup you can gently massage their ears or any other area that usually has a calming effect for them, treats can also be a short term solution if they are distracted.

Scaredy Dog

A muzzle may be required if the vet feels the dog is going to physically object to some of the procedures that occur during the examination, this is very uncommon and usually only happens with older dogs who have not been conditioned to react well in the vet environment. Some vets will even use high pitched frequencies emitted through electrical equipment that instills a general calmness when a dog might be feeling restless.

Vaccinations

Dogs need to be vaccinated at certain ages in order to help improve their resistance against fighting diseases that commonly cause problems in dogs, some dogs will need breed specific vaccinations and other may need shots due to allergies. Vaccinations are usually started when the pup is 5 to 6 weeks old, but is generally a rule of thumb to deworm the dog before any vaccinations are administered. Booster doses will also need to be given in months and years to come to help build the immune system as the dog gets older. Your vet or maybe even breeder will tell you all the vaccinations that are necessary for you pup, and when this should be handled.

Regular Checkups

It is crucial to bring your dog in for regular checkups, this can actually save money a vet will be able to determine potentially dangerous diseases as soon as they are come up, so that you do not need to pay a lot of money for surgery and drugs. You should be inspecting your dog at home yourself as well, but a vet will be able to find anything you have missed and are trained as experts to do so. Finally, if you notice your dog looking ill or in pain do not wait until their checkup, seek attention immediately from your veterinarian.