Sharing A Secret

[ladysprite]

Hey, y'all, listen up.

I'm going to let you in on a secret. It's apparently a very well-kept secret, and one that only a few people know. I'm not sure why that's the case, but it is. Here you go:

You know those folks called veterinarians? The ones who give your pets their shots? Guess what?

You can ask them questions.

It's true. They do not, in fact, explode upon hearing an interrogative. And they'll even answer. You may not get an answer you like - it might even be 'I don't know - they are mortal, after all, and can't necessarily figure out over the phone why your cat is making that funny noise or your turtle is limping. But they'll try. And it's even free.

As a matter of fact, most veterinarians actually like being asked questions. It gives them a chance to actually help people, and maybe prevent problems. And that's a good chunk of the reason why they got into the profession, usually. It sure wasn't for the glamour or the money, at least.

And while I'm at it - you know that old adage, 'it's better to ask forgiveness than permission?' Not true, at least when living creatures are involved. Please, ask before you do. Though, if you do something, and you're pretty sure you shouldn't have, please don't avoid calling because you don't want to get yelled at. Your vet won't yell at you, I promise. They may tell you that you made a mistake, or suggest that you do something differently in the future, but that's not because they hate you, or think you're a bad person, or want to take your pet away. It's because they want you to learn, and you can't learn if noone teaches you.

F'rinstance:

Good Question: "Hey doc, my cat fell out of a tree and now she's limping. Can I give her some tylenol?"
(Answer: "I'm glad you called to ask - no, tylenol and most other over-the-counter pain meds are very toxic to cats. If you want to make an appointment, we can check and make sure nothing's broken, and prescribe some kitty-safe painkillers.)

Bad Question: "Hey doc, my cat fell out of a tree and she was limping, so I gave her some tylenol. Was that OK?"
(Answer: "No - tylenol is very toxic to cats! How long ago did you give it? If it was within the past hour, and you can make her throw up, then drive straight to the emergency clinic, she might be able to survive. Here's how to do that, and Jane at the front desk can give you directions.")

Worse Question: "Hey doc, my cat fell out of a tree three days ago, and I gave her some tylenol. I didn't want to bother you by calling, but now she's throwing up blood and she hasn't moved for 24 hours. Is there anything I can do for her?"
(Answer: "Certainly - we have a lovely selection of urns that you can choose from, if you want her ashes returned, or you can have her buried at the local Pet Memorial Park.")

Seriously - if you're not sure whether you should do something or not, please call and ask. We don't bite, we don't yell, and we don't hate. If there's anything we *do* hate, it's when problems happen because people don't ask questions.

Good question: "Hey doc, my dog went running in the woods this morning and cut her leg on something pointy. Should I bring her in to have it checked out?"

Bad question: "Hey doc, my dog went running in the woods last week and cut her leg on something point. I wasn't sure whether I should bring her in or not, so I've been watching it, and now it's all purple and puffy and there's green stuff coming out, and she's not eating. What should I do?"

And while I'm on the subject, let me just state that we don't pull these answers out of the ether. We went to school and stuff, and studied hard. So please, ask us. Not your neighbor, unless your neighbor *is* your vet. Not your cousin Joe who has three dogs so clearly knows everything, not the kid at Petco, not the lady behind you in line at the grocery store. You don't have to believe us, you don't have to agree with us, you don't have to do what we tell you to. It's your life and your pet, and you do have free will. Calling and asking doesn't oblige you to do anything. But it does give us the chance to help, and it lets you make an informed decision.

That's all.....

Comments

[sjo.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, everyone in the house is fixed.

[wren13.livejournal.com]

Does she have a buddy she is trying to get to? Is she alone in the yard? Is she more likely to escape when alone? I've had escape artist dogs - I swear Sheba just liked the challenge (she never went far)

[sjo.livejournal.com]

She has a buddy in the yard with her, a big gentle Rottie named Melanie. Melanie didn't leave the yard, even when Vera broke out and left the gate wide open. Vera is likely to try to escape when the humans are away, which unfortunately is every weekday when we go to work.

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, some dogs are just way too smart for their own good. I'll be honest, if a smart dog wants to escape, I have yet to find something that's completely escape-proof. Have you thought about something like having a dog-walker come halfway through the day to exercise her, or letting her go to doggie day-care a couple of times a week? That may be enough to help her redirect her energy.....

[sjo.livejournal.com]

I think a dog walker is a great idea. Our next door neighbor's teenage son used to walk both our dogs, because he loves them, but then he tore a hamstring (he plays high school football). I will have to look into actually *paying* someone, I guess! :-)

[wren13.livejournal.com]

That was my next suggestion - great minds!

ROTFLOL!!!

[flaviarassen.livejournal.com]

can barely type, laughing so hard...

Re: ROTFLOL!!!

[sjo.livejournal.com]

It's true! Except the fish, come to think of it. We don't even know if it's a boy fish or a girl fish, though we call it "he."