What questions should you ask your vet?

What questions should you ask your vet?

Dr Melissa Meehan, resident vet and presenter on Channel TEN’s Pooches at Play, says to get the most out of the consult, be organised and concise when explaining things. “Make a list
of any issues that you are worried about — no question is too silly when it comes to the health of your fur-kid and vets are always more than happy to answer them,” she says.
“Mark lumps and bumps you want checked with a non-toxic marker so you can fi nd them easily. If you aren’t happy with an explanation or feel your pet isn’t getting better, ask for a referral
to a specialist. There are now many specialists for pets in all areas of medicine.”
Dr Matthew says it’s critical to ask questions about your pet’s diet and weight. “Ask your vet to assess your pet’s body condition score and ask if it is optimal. Ask if the diet you are feeding them is working and if the diet needs to be revised and upgraded,” he says.
Ask your vet for ideas of what else you can build into your pet’s routine to improve their physical or mental health. Finally, check when your vet would like to see your pet again and what you should look out for between visits.

First-aid kits for pets
Dr Kate says your fi rst-aid kit will depend
on your location. Do you have a vet up
the road or will it take three days to get
help? Here are her recommendations:
The basics
• Phone numbers and addresses
of your vet as well as the emergency
vet in your area
• Paperwork for your pet, such as
medical history
• A pet carrier for cats
A little more involved
• A pet fi rst-aid book
• Scissors
• Bandages
• Disposable gloves, some gauze
swabs and adhesive skin tape
• Saline water to wash out eyes
or wounds
• A towel or blanket
• Small torch or light
• Magnifying glass
• Muzzle

A pretty extensive fi rst-aid kit
More complex pet fi rst-aid kits also contain
products such as the below (as well as the
above). However, many need to be used
under the guidance of a veterinarian and
therefore are possibly most useful in areas
where you just can’t physically get to a vet.
• Rectal thermometer
• Cold or heat packs (wrap in a towel
before using them)
• Antihistamines
• Wound disinfectant such as Betadine
• Tweezers
• Syringes
• Rehydration solutions such as
hydrolyte
• Tick removers
• Activated charcoal

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