Four Things You Should Tell Your Vet The First Time Your Pet Visits

When you first take a pet to an animal hospital, this is a new situation for you, your pet, and the veterinarian. Veterinarians are experienced in dealing with the surprises some animals bring, but it helps to know certain things in advance and at the time of admission. Here are four things you should definitely tell the vet and the animal hospital staff the first time you bring your pet to the hospital.

Your Pet Was a Formerly Abused Animal

Despite the animal shelter's best efforts to rehabilitate abused animals and make them adoptable, there is still a chance that a pet could react negatively to touch. Informing your vet of this fact helps prepare the vet and the hospital staff for any lashing out your pet may do. It also helps the staff understand why your pet may be very uncomfortable with the hospital situation.

Your Pet Does NOT Like Loud Noises

Most animals do not like loud noises. They are built to run from predators, and predators make loud noises before attacking. If your pet freaks out at the sound of vacuums, shoes clicking on a hard floor, or anything else that produces a repetitive noise above thirty decibels, you need to tell the vet and the staff that so that they can reduce the noise -- and the stress your pet feels.

Your Pet Does Not Like Males/Females

Pets are quite particular about who they gravitate towards and which human sex they favor. If you have a cat that constantly hisses, scratches, and attacks all the human males in your home, you need to relay this information. Any male vet staff in the hospital would bode well to avoid your pet and avoid injury. Likewise, if your pet hates female humans, relay this as well, since most animal hospital staff is comprised of female vet technicians and female veterinarians.

Your Pet Is on a Special or Restricted Diet

Regardless of how you came by your pet, if it needs a special food, tell the vet and the hospital staff. Chances are, you may have to bring a day's worth of food from home, as animal hospitals do not always stock pet food for specific dietary needs. Any pet that has to stay overnight in the pet hospital will need to eat after surgery, and the staff would not want to make your pet sick by giving him/her the wrong food.

To learn more about what to expect and what to address at your pet's first appointment with a new vet, contact a vet like those represented at http://www.kenmorevet.com.