They say that there is no such thing as a stupid question and we think that’s true. Asking questions is how we learn and grow as people.
We hope that you feel comfortable asking the friendly staff at Union Lake Veterinary Hospital whatever it is you may be wondering about, but in the meantime we have compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked veterinary questions that we hear from our clients and, in some cases, links to our other blogs with a more in-depth answer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pets
Everyone here loves animals, and oftentimes we are the go-to resource for all things animal-related. We may not know everything about every animal, but we do know quite a bit about those that we deal with on a day to day basis. Have you ever asked:
- What should I feed my pet? – Choosing a pet food can be overwhelming, but we can help you make a good decision.
- Is pet insurance worth it? – Taking good care of your pets can be pricey, and pet owners who are prepared for the costs tend to do better. Pet insurance can be a great option for many people.
- How can I help my aging pet? – Older pets can require extra care, but with a little effort we can keep our senior pets happy and healthy. Good health care, nutrition, exercise, and a little TLC can go a long way. Our blog has a series of articles on senior pet care–just search on the word ‘senior’.
- How do I know when it’s time to say goodbye? – It is a question no pet owner ever wants to answer, but one most of us will have to deal with at some point or another. Knowing when it’s time can be difficult, but we are here to help walk you through it.
- What should go in my pet’s first-aid kit? – Everyone should have a pet first-aid kit and an emergency preparedness plan. We are happy to help you put one together.
Frequently Asked Veterinary Questions
As you might expect, most of our most frequently asked veterinary questions have to do with your pet’s medical care. Our clients often wonder:
- Does my old dog really need pain medications even though he seems fine? – Yes. Dogs are not good at letting us know that they are in pain, but those that have been diagnosed with a painful condition such as osteoarthritis tend to do better for longer when their discomfort is appropriately treated.
- Why do I need to come back for a recheck? – When your pet’s doctor recommends a recheck appointment, it is important to keep the date, even if your pet seems better. Rechecks are an important time to be sure the problem is totally resolved, answer any questions you may have, and discuss preventative measures for the future.
- Does my pet really need all those vaccinations? – We recommend vaccines based on your pet’s individual risks and needs. We feel that each vaccine we recommend for your pet is an important part of preventative health care.
- Do I need to do blood work on my healthy pet? – In short, yes. Running blood tests on apparently healthy pets can reveal problems early before they are a problem and allow us to establish a baseline normal for an individual animal.
- Why did my dog still get kennel cough even when he/she was vaccinated against Bordetella? – Kennel cough is a complicated disease, and isn’t caused by just one bug. While we vaccinate for the most common ones as we do with the human flu, there are still other bacteria and viruses that can cause kennel cough. Vaccination, however, does decrease severity and length of infection.
- Why do you recommend full mouth dental x-rays? Full mouth X-rays are important because they have the ability to provide so much more information about your pet’s oral health than is visible to the naked eye.
About Our Hospital
Some questions have more to do with our personal lives and general hospital policies. We often hear:
- What kind of pets do you guys have? – Check out our staff page to get to know more about us and our pets. We are always happy to talk about our personal animals, as well, just ask!
- Why can’t you just hold my pet down to get things done? – We want pets to like to come and see us. It is our goal to be sure that we are able to treat your pet in a manner safe to the animal as well as our staff and minimize everyone’s stress.
We hope that you never hesitate to ask any questions you might have about your pet and his or her care. We are here to help you, and when we know what questions you have, we are better able to help you take good care of your four-legged friends.