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Understanding Pet Problems

About a year after I purchased my dog, I realized that he was really struggling with his health. He just wasn't his lively self, and I was concerned that he was slowly dying. I decided to take him to a veterinarian to have his condition diagnosed, and we were able to learn a lot about his health. Within a few short months, he was on the road to recovery, and I was really grateful that I had done the work to make things better. This blog is all about understanding pet problems and knowing when to seek professional veterinary help.

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Understanding Pet Problems

Tips For Pet Owners With Regards To Animal Hospitals

by Ann Nelson

Animal hospitals go above and beyond a standard veterinary practice. If your pet is ever seriously injured or very sick, an animal hospital has the right equipment and staff to handle most cases. Before you select an animal hospital and veterinary staff for your pet, you should do all of the following.

Tour the Animal Hospital

Asking to take a tour of the animal hospital is not unusual. Most of the staff in an animal hospital are open to allowing pet owners and groups tour the facility to find out more about what is done there.

As you tour the hospital, look for all of the following:

  • At least two surgical suites where both minor and major surgeries on pets can be performed
  • Adequate supplies to care for pets both before and after stints in the hospital
  • Cages or outdoor pens where animals have adequate quiet to rest and sufficient room to move
  • Laboratory with microscopes, slides, machines for sterilization of surgical tools, etc.
  • Adequate medicinal supplies
  • An x-ray room with a door that can close and a table big enough for even the largest of pets
  • On-site x-ray development
  • Non-slip, urine- and feces-resistant flooring so both pets and people do not fall and injure themselves
  • Several exits of varying sizes to accommodate all pets and allow for the best emergency evacuation of the facility
  • Staff that genuinely care about, and care for, animals

This list just highlights the minimum necessities of any good animal hospital. If you do not see most of the above, you may want to skip this hospital as an option for your pet.

Ask for a Rates and Fees Schedule

Pets are never cheap. You already know this, but different animal medical facilities charge different prices for their services. Ask the staff at each animal hospital you tour for a copy of their rates and fees schedule. It may just be the deciding factor between two hospitals that are fairly equal in what they can provide for your pet.

Find out If the Hospital Boards Pets

Some animal hospitals offer boarding for pets who are transitioning into new housing or whose owners will be out of town for a few days. This is a nice perk, since your pet is definitely in safe hands in an animal hospital. If your pet were to become sick or injured while staying in the hospital, the vets there can address the problem right away.

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