Veterinarians share 10 ways to have good vet relations

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

Veterinarians are essential to the health and well-being of many beloved animals.

Dr. Meredyth Jones is an associate professor at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Recently, she has been speaking to veterinarian’s on what makes for their best relationships with animals owners. After surveying groups of animal veterinarians, she discovered that almost all responses fell into ten distinct themes.

The first is organization. Prepare all necessary papers and files for the veterinarian. When dealing with farm animals, communicate with everyone responsible for the animals and make sure you are all on the same page. It saves time for both the veterinarian and the owner.

Second, round up animals and having them ready for inspection. Rather than waiting for the veterinarian to arrive to load up your animals, have them up front and center. Since many vets charge for time, this can save a ton of money. The third tip is to keep things safe. Take proper precautions and don’t rush the process. Keep your stables clean, use quality materials when building a pen for your animals. Be calm and kind to the animals, especially if they are easily startled. Keep your animals safely restrained so the veterinarian can examine them.

Fourth is to have consistent appointments with your veterinarian. Not only is it good for keeping your animals healthy, you will also build a strong relationship with your veterinarian. Using the veterinarian for more than emergencies is another important tip. Creating a prevention plan with the veterinarian can lower overall medical costs. Fifth is to make emergency calls as soon as possible. Making them too slow can be a matter of life or death for your animals. Not only that, but it also gives your veterinarian time to prepare for the situation rather than having to rush the process.

Sixth is to have a strong understanding of the beef industry, especially if your veterinarian handles cattle. Your veterinarian can help you prepare your cows with proper health and immunity so they are ready for the next step of the process, ultimately benefit- ting the whole industry. The seventh tip is to have a sturdy prevention plan on hand. Tell your veterinarian about your plans for vaccinating and deworming your animals. This will give them opportunities to advise you and help you optimize your plan. They have less bias than companies do, so they can give you a better opinion than most. news.ed@ocolly.com

It is also important to understand the veterinarianclient-patient relationship. This is a legal term used to define the relationship you have with your veterinarian so they can give you certain prescription drugs. The vet needs a diagnosis and understanding of your animal so they know which drugs to give. This is another reason why it is important to consistently meet with your veterinarian and keep them in the know about your animals.

The ninth tip is to explain situations to your veterinarian. They may ask a lot of questions when they are taking care of your animals. This is to make sure they understand the circumstances and don’t make any substantial errors. Be patient and trust your veterinarian.

Finally, give your veterinarian your nutrition program. Veterinarian are trained in nutrition help and can understand the health of your animals better if they know what they are eating and how they are treated.

Veterinarians want to help, and hopefully these tips serve you well in building a stronger relationship with them.