5 Vital Questions To Ask Your Vet

 

It wasn't simple to pick one of the "critical 5" inquiries to make to your vet regarding your cat from my list. It gets more challenging the longer the list is.

Of course, my dream is that this method will be used by veterinarians and cat owners worldwide to improve the quality of pet healthcare. You can modify the idea, if not the questions themselves, to fit just about any creature, with a little imagination.

As you may already be aware, I started compiling my list of inquiries in response to reader comments. The types of queries that website visitors were posing to me made two important truths painfully evident

•  Several folks merely don't seem to get along well with their veterinarian.

By that, I mean that they don't seem to receive the information they require for whatever reason. I must admit that I've been surprised by the inquiries people have had about the health and behavior of cats. These people hadn't talked to their veterinarian. Their vet should have been able to assist them with this matter. Regrettably, the response was sometimes no. Yet the tragic truth of the second fact was far worse.

• They had consulted one or more veterinarians regarding the matter, but they were never given a clear explanation of what the issue was or what they should do to fix it.

These people have in some cases waited a long time to receive assistance from others. They weren't really satisfied with my normal response, "Here is what I know; now go ask your vet about the particulars," from me.

Getting another veterinarian wasn't always the best solution, though. Either it couldn't be done or it has already been done. The logical step after that would be to keep seeking for a vet who could assist. Yet the majority of the time, that probably isn't necessary.

At the time, I didn't have a specific response for these individuals, but I did know two things. Before they could help their cat, these people had to get to a location where they could collaborate with their veterinarian. Second, they had to figure out just what questions to ask in order to speak with their vet.

As cat owners, one of our objectives should be to foster and promote communication with our veterinarians. Nonetheless, it appears that few of us give this much thought.

So, how do you do that? Two ways…

1. Ask good questions that lead to a two-way information exchange.

My firm belief is that the quality of information that we receive is directly related to the questions that we ask. Based on that notion, I decided to try to help you, the cat owner, and put together a list of “questions to ask your vet.”

2. Arrive at your vet visit prepared, with questions in hand.

Show up at your vet visit with written questions, and write down the responses. While you’re there, jot down any new questions, along with their answers, that come to mind. If you don’t, you will either forget to ask, not ask in the right way, or worse, forget the answer! Your pet will thank you.

Of my entire list of questions to ask your vet, I’ve selected 5 that are vital. Here they are…

1. Should my cat be indoors or outdoors?

This decision impacts how you and your cat interact. More importantly, it determines to a significant degree how long your cat may live. As a rule, indoor cats live many times longer than outdoor cats.

2. What are the most common diseases and conditions that I should know about?

You and your vet should briefly discuss the most common conditions that develop in cats. This discussion can expand to include breed and may vary based on geography.

3. What are the most common signs of disease that I should look for?

In addition to knowing which diseases are common, you should know what to look for. Getting a good idea of the common signs of disease will help you detect trouble early. Some common signs of a number of diseases are excessive thirst and urination, excessive vomiting, weight loss, and lethargy.

4. What do you recommend for cat litter?

This can be somewhat controversial, but you should get your vet’s opinion. There are many options, probably too many, on brand and type. Using the “wrong” cat litter can have a profound effect on the well-being of your cats. some will refuse to use the litter box if you even change brands. Expand this into a discussion on litter box type, number, and placement as well.

5. Is there a particular diet or brand of pet food that you recommend? Why?

This again is controversial, but all important. The AAFCO sets certain guidelines on pet food ingredients, but that does not mean that commercial pet foods are all the same. In addition, a number of well-meaning cat lovers, including some breeders, are recommending homemade cat food, or raw meat diets.

Watch out, as these can be dangerous, especially if not done correctly. Find out what your vet is feeding her own animals, and why.

Again, I’ll stress the value of the dialogue that begins based on these questions. If you’re a good conversationalist, you’ll be able to rewrite these questions in your own words. If you are like most, however, you should write them down as is, and let the conversation flow from there.

Are there more questions to ask your vet than just these? Of course there are? Are there others that are also vital to you and your cat? Absolutely, and some of them only you may know. The above list, however, should get you started on a great dialogue, and give you some solid information that a surprising number of pet owners simply do not have