Would You Take Your Pup To The Vet On A Leash?!

[Alyra]

I took our dog quite a few places when he was young- I figured the exposure and socialisation was more important than the small risk. I just kept away from dog parks and the like. I think it was a valuable learning curve for him.

[ncarter]

I prefer to be overly cautious and carry my dogs in for their puppy shots. Last time I was greeted by a very mangy looking dog not on lead and another sick looking mutt.

How are you to know the nurse didn't use alcohol foam which dries in seconds and is outside every room? They could have done it out of your vision. Do you want your meds given with gloves on? You do realise they aren't sterile gloves and are actually just a barrier between staff and patient.

People have no idea when it comes to hospital practices.

If you hang round a hospital as a patient with nothing to do, you'd probably start noticing what goes on. No healthcare worker washes their hands all the time in between having patient to patient contact. I'd prefer not to have someone's fingers all over the tablets im about to put into my body, how do i know they havent just wiped the bum of someone with MRSA and then not washed their hands properly or at all.

Edited January 26, 2012 by ncarter

[OSoSwift]

I, with two friends have ran a puppy pre-school for 8 years open to puppies 8 to 16 weeks who are up to date for their age with vaccinations and have never once had any issues with parvo. We have had one class where kennel cough was brought in by a stupid.

In the few rare cases where there has been an afterhours call out (we use the front reception room of the clinic) all puppies and owners are removed the room thoroughly disinfected and dried and puppies returned.

We are VERY concious of hygiene and especially parvo

[sandgrubber]

I think that this day and age we go overboard. In the old days we took our dogs put from day dot, fed table scraps and our dogs lived longer lives with less allergies etc. I kept mine home to be on the safe side until 12 weeks but then they went everywhere.

I agree with going overboard, but parvo scares the sh!t out of me. It's so easy to use a mobile vet or have the vet give the shots in the car. Why take the risk?

I don't think extreme caution is necessary in most cases, but when there's an active parvo outbreak in the area, I don't think you can be too cautious.

btw, In the old days, like when I was a kid, parvo virus didn't exist!

[Guest donatella]

That is because the only time a nurse has to 'wash' their hands (soap and water) is on commencement of a shift, before lunch, after lunch, before going home and any contact with patients with c.diff (as it only responds to soap and water. Ever other time (MRSA inclusive) alcohol foam or gel is 100% ok. It is literally available every few meters in a hospital, one pump, rub your hands and it's dry in seconds. most of the time this is done out of patient view (outside room) so unless you're a mobile patient walking around the ward you could miss it entirely. There are so many 'know it alls' who know very little.

I prefer to be overly cautious and carry my dogs in for their puppy shots. Last time I was greeted by a very mangy looking dog not on lead and another sick looking mutt.

How are you to know the nurse didn't use alcohol foam which dries in seconds and is outside every room? They could have done it out of your vision. Do you want your meds given with gloves on? You do realise they aren't sterile gloves and are actually just a barrier between staff and patient.

People have no idea when it comes to hospital practices.

If you hang round a hospital as a patient with nothing to do, you'd probably start noticing what goes on. No healthcare worker washes their hands all the time in between having patient to patient contact. I'd prefer not to have someone's fingers all over the tablets im about to put into my body, how do i know they havent just wiped the bum of someone with MRSA and then not washed their hands properly or at all.

[Atanquin]

I carried zorro in but he was little :) so that was easy. I do think we can be OTT at times. I took zorro out when he was 10 weeks old to the markets to the beach everywhere ( not that I got far having to stop every 2 seconds so people could have puppy cuddles) but he was little and easy to carry and if I was tired I would just get my mum to carry him which she loved :D

I know there is a risk of parvovirus but you could have a freind come over and they could have it on them from saying hallo to another puppy or dog.

[mumof4girls]

I would like to think a vet would be more hygiene savy than other places?? Well you would think so..

We've been to five different Vets in four different major towns over the last seven years.

Please don't ask.

In the final analysis.

Vet Clinics are not places to hang out at.

They are strictly for sick and injured animals only.

Many call themselves a hospital.

My conclusion, do not take your dog to a Vet unless it is absolutely necessary.

Broken leg, Paralysis tick, snake bite, dog bait certainly.

But Puppy School? Not in a Vet clinic when it can be avoided.

We've been to three puppy schools but never on the floor of a Clinic.

And certainly not during a Parvo outbreak.

I hope this helps.

Px

I guess you take a risk wherever you go.. I could take my boy to an obedience class that has many many dogs walk through the door during the day/night and the puppy school'class could be big or small, one of the dogs could be a carrier of something.. I ask mine if they had had any recent cases of parvo and I was told no, you can only go by what you get told.

.I was talking to my neighbour yesterday who went to a RSPCA puppy class and in the class they had 2 dogs at a time sharing crates .. I must say that would erk me.

I sat back with a big distance between pups at the vet one with mine on my lap only getting down and put on a mat lol I'm sure they thought I was and overprotective owner! At least at the class I go to pups are quite a distance apart and like I said floors are disinfected before the class and after.. I'm actually concerned wherever I would go with a pup and to go to the one I wanted it was a half hour trip one way and he gets stressed out in the car so that wasn't really an option,my only other choice is a vet and the one I chose was the cleanest being 10mins away..

Edit to say: Thank you for your reply tralee :-)

Edited January 27, 2012 by mumof4girls

[Tralee]

Edit to say: Thank you for your reply tralee :-)

You're very welcome.

I hope you had a nice Birthday. :)

[ncarter]

That is because the only time a nurse has to 'wash' their hands (soap and water) is on commencement of a shift, before lunch, after lunch, before going home and any contact with patients with c.diff (as it only responds to soap and water. Ever other time (MRSA inclusive) alcohol foam or gel is 100% ok. It is literally available every few meters in a hospital, one pump, rub your hands and it's dry in seconds. most of the time this is done out of patient view (outside room) so unless you're a mobile patient walking around the ward you could miss it entirely. There are so many 'know it alls' who know very little.

[

Oh sorry I meant no healthcare workers undertakes standard precautions in between having personal contact with patients all of the time. Thats why people dont like having their tablets touched, which i think is fair enough.

[Flaves]

Yes i would and i do

They are dogs, they have 4 legs and can and should use them

[mumof4girls]

Edit to say: Thank you for your reply tralee :-)

You're very welcome.

I hope you had a nice Birthday. :)

I did I watched trashy tv and ate chocolate :-)

[wolfies mom]

we always have him on a lead/ halter at the vets and out side our home .

[Malamum]

I'm another one whose dog was way too big and too heavy to be carrying around. I also believe the risk to be minimal so even if my dog wasn't too heavy I'd probably still have had him just walk on a leash.