The perfect patient
Düsseldorf. If a family member has a sick, feathers or fins affects or is injured, the vet should help as quickly as possible. For this, the practice team needs different documents and information. A checklist for an emergency if it has to be quick.
The cat gasp, the budgie limp, the dog has a swollen eye – whatever lacks your own pet, you want to know it as quickly as possible in expert hands. Anyone who takes care of the most important points before an emergency is well advised in an emergency.
1. Select the right veterinary practice in advance
Animal owner should find out in advance as if possible, in which practice help can be expected, Dr. Petra Sinder, first vice president of the Federal Association of Practicing Veterinarians (BPT) And even owner of a small animal practice: “There are now pure cat practices, those for ornamental birds or for reptiles. The term 'small animal practice' usually indicates that you deal with dogs, cats and small home mammals. ”
If reptiles or ornamental birds cannot be treated, the relevant experts are pointed out. If the right veterinarian is found, the contact details should be noted and always be at hand.
2. Inform about the history of the animal
It is central to the treatment that the practice team has the exact possible information about the condition of the animal. So the owner should inform what complaints are about, whether it is a recurring illness or there are previous illnesses and whether it has already been treated with medication. It makes sense to bring the corresponding packaging.
3. Specify the duration of the disease exactly
Dr. Sinder also advises to specify the duration of the disease. This can have an impact on the urgency of the treatment: “A cat that has already vomited three times today has to be examined on the same day,” she says. “A cat, on the other hand, that does it twice a week will get an appointment at some point a week.”
For veterinarians, exact information is important in order to be able to estimate whether it is an emergency: “For example, one should not speak of heavy bleeding if three droplets have fallen to the ground from a claw,” recommends Dr. Sinder. “An open, bleeding injury, on the other hand, should never be observed over hours.”
4. Observe the behavior of the animal closely
Information on the behavior of the animal also helps to carry out the treatment safely and easily. So the owner should point out if the animal is expected to react anxiously or aggressively. The owners should bring a muzzle for appropriate dogs. Defensive cats, on the other hand, can be helped with special transport baskets, such as Dr. Sinders explained. These enable a visual examination from all sides and even offer the option of administering injections.
5. Bring the relevant documents
Pet owners should also bring the animal's vaccination pass and documents to previous treatments. “If an animal has already been treated elsewhere, the receipts should be carried, because on this the suspected crawl, the measures taken and the prescribed or injected medication must be,” explains the expert.
She points out that this information according to the new fee schedule for veterinarians (Got) It is mandatory: “After that, you should always ask every time you visit the vet, as well as about a copy of the laboratory values.” This saves yourself unnecessary examinations, costs and at the same time stress for the animal.
6. Prepare the animal in good time for the appointment
In the case of upcoming examinations, at least four hours in advance should no longer be fed. But water is still allowed. In addition, Dr. Sick another tip for the owner of free -range cats: “Cats for whom a visit to a practice is planned on the same day should never be left out. It would be very embarrassing to have to call that the patient cannot be brought because he cannot be found. “
7. Link the vet visit positively
The forward -looking animal owner already trains the visit to the practice with his young and healthy pet, so that this combines it with something positive. First there is a getting used to the transport box and gradually also to the movements and noises in the car as well as the usual handles at the veterinarian.