Pet talk

When does my pet need a vet?

Veterinarians are in business to help animals, but we can’t help if we don’t know there is a problem. There are just as many types of pet caretakers as there are pets. Some call and inquire about the most minor change in their pet’s attitude, while some call with the statement, “Fluffy has not eaten in two weeks and has been vomiting and has had diarrhea; she has been losing weight. Now I am worried because she can’t stand up.”

Since there is such a wide margin of levels of concern, I thought I would give some guidelines and protocol for when to get professional help.

Some changes in our pet’s health are self-correcting. We all have busy lives and don’t want to call for every little hangnail. Pets can feel sick one day and be normal the next. It is human nature to want to wait to see what happens before we take any action. I hate to feel that some people wait just because they want to save the cost of an office call. I answer questions on my website, www.doctorsforpets.com, and I often receive questions that will say, “ I hope you can help me because my veterinarian is too expensive.”

Here is a list of the things each pet guardian should be watching. Changes in eating habits are important. An increase or decrease in appetite is important to notice and can indicate disease. Increased appetite can indicate a blood sugar disorder or something called Cushing’s disease. Also water intake can be an indication of disease. There are actually 12 major diseases that can cause an increase in water intake and urine output.

Urine and stool are often indicators of a diseased animal. Changes in bathroom habits can be used, at the very least, as important data to identify disease, but they also provide us with useful information for biological samples. One of the more ugly parts of pet ownership is the waste patrol. Pet guardians are sensitive about delivering waste to the veterinary hospital. It is an inexpensive way to diagnose disease, however, and gives the clinician a window to the animal without even touching the pet.

So when do you call the veterinarian? Calling does not cost anything, and so far most veterinarians encourage early communication to prevent more serious disease. As an example, if your dog vomits, it would be a good idea to call your veterinarian. Usually the receptionist or technician will ask several questions to assess the situation. Questions such as: Is the animal acting normal? Did the dog get into the trash? Did the gardeners put out any chemicals lately? Based on the response, the veterinarian may or may not get involved at this level. This first call accomplishes peace of mind for the guardian and the notes in the file could be very useful if the animal is presented several days later. Cats, on the other hand, may vomit once a week normally because of the ingested hair from grooming. That could be normal, but daily vomiting in the cat requires a call to the veterinarian.

So vomiting, diarrhea, increased or decreased appetite, changes in urine habits or blood in the urine would all be reasons to call the veterinarian. Changes in energy should be noted and if persistent (more than two days) a call to the veterinarian would be in order. Usually energy changes are on the lethargic side but can also be elevated with diseases like hyperthyroidism. Some common sense needs to be applied in this area. The important thing is that there is no harm in calling even if you can’t talk to the veterinarian on a given day. The staff is used to handling calls just like yours, and is a valuable asset in decision-making.

Of course there are many changes in personality that would not require you to contact your veterinary professional. If your pet sleeps more on a given day or breaks house training once or if your older pet was limping the day after going to the beach, those would fall into the ‘watchful waiting’ category. Taking notes will help decide if the problem is persisting or getting worse.

Common sense is key. It does not cost to contact your veterinarian if you are concerned. It is always better to call about the little concerns than wait for them to become an emergency.

Dr. McDonald practices at McDonald Animal Hospital, 225 South Milpas St., Santa Barbara, and can be reached 730.1764, or by fax at 564.8764. He can also be reached at DrGreg@doctorsforpets.com. Any faxed questions may be answered in future PetTalk columns. Dr. McDonald also produces a national syndicated radio show called PetPointers that can be heard on KTMS AM 990 at 11 a.m. Saturdays.