Talk to your vet before adopting (article)

[tdierikx]

On 05/07/2017 at 0:05 PM, Rascalmyshadow said:

Vets are good for medical advice, behaviourists are good for problems/issues, breeders are good for specific breed advice, groomers are good for maintenance/handling advice no one group can advise on everything and no one group has 100% reliable people either, its a matter of doing as much research as possible through out all these groups as well as doing lots of reading, eventually common denominators start to show up and that's usually a good place to start.

This... hit the nail on the head...

 

I normally take any new pup straight to my vet for a checkup and to meet each other even before I go home... but I'd not ask a vet for breed advice that wasn't of a health nature.

 

T.

[Rappie]

Coming a bit late to the discussion ....

 

To start with, I know the author of that article personally - she is an excellent veterinarian and journalist and in addition to all the other stuff she does while somehow bending space and time, she has just co-authored a textbook on veterinary Ethics. I would be doing well to be half the person that Anne is, let alone vet. It's 

 

Secondly, the average DOLer is already well ahead of the average 'never owned a pet before in my life' prospective pet owner. I see a lot of new puppy and kitten consults where the owners have clearly not done a scrap of research about what they're embarking on (active working breeds in apartments, buying a dog and being completely surprised when it grew big, having no idea that pets require toilet training or that you need to spend time with them etc ). I think vets are well placed to give general advice in this situation considering often the alternate place of contact might otherwise be a large chain pet store who are, of course only going to give unbiased advice. Regardless of who the prospective owners see, the idea of having an idea of what you're in for PRIOR to bringing a new family member home is a great idea.

 

[KobiD]

9 hours ago, Rappie said:

 

Secondly, the average DOLer is already well ahead of the average 'never owned a pet before in my life' prospective pet owner. I see a lot of new puppy and kitten consults where the owners have clearly not done a scrap of research about what they're embarking on (active working breeds in apartments, buying a dog and being completely surprised when it grew big, having no idea that pets require toilet training or that you need to spend time with them etc ). I think vets are well placed to give general advice in this situation considering often the alternate place of contact might otherwise be a large chain pet store who are, of course only going to give unbiased advice. Regardless of who the prospective owners see, the idea of having an idea of what you're in for PRIOR to bringing a new family member home is a great idea.

 

There really is no excuse for this, given everyone has access to technology and that the web is filled with a multitude of information from articles to forum based material. Generally, the people who buy a pet on impulse will be the same people who would bypass the option of seeing a vet.. Another valuable source of information is the person who is selling the animal as well.. When we acquired our rescue pup, the shelter provided a nice big package of information regard things we should know, contact numbers, etc etc. I'm sure reputable breeders (given they are selective about who the sell to) would also be into educating people. 

 

With rescues though, it really is hit/miss with what you are getting both breed wise and behavioural. You just can't tell from the short time you spend with them, and it's likely that a vet wouldn't be able to either. The staff at shelters generally just make an educated guess, but even then it's still a guess. 

 

End of the day, I figure some people simply act on emotion/impulse where others like to be well informed prior; and that carries through multiple aspects of their life. It's a really hard proposition to try and help people who have trouble helping themselves. 

 

[Rappie]

I agree @KobiD. Certainly wasn't trying to suggest vets are the only source of information, just that they could be a good one along with many others. You're right though, that some people will never be inclined to do any preparation and are unlikely to change. 

[Scottsmum]

3 hours ago, KobiD said:

There really is no excuse for this, . 

 

No. There's not, but it happens far, far too often.

 

Seeing your GP/ vet is at least a positive step.

[juice]

Watching Lisa to the rescue confirms my opinion , product placement everywhere and vet with no clue on breeds . 

[Little Gifts]

What confuses me is if you don't already own a pet (or haven't had one for a while) you might not even have a vet who knows you. Going to see a random vet you have no relationship with is a tad useless. He's hardly going to not upsell on a few things. But if you had pets and a vet relationship that was good it would be useful to talk to your vet about your interest in a new breed. A good vet might also know good breeders or give you advice on how to find a good breeder and develop a positive relationship with them. I know both my vets would be a useful sounding board but only because I have been using them for almost 30 years and they know me and my pet owning abilities. If a vet told you how much it could cost to own that puppy in the pet shop window they'd probably lose a customer! On the flip side, getting yourself a good vet once you do own a pet is very important and I agree with others who have mentioned getting your vet to check your new dog soon after you have brought it home.

Edited July 30, 2017 by Little Gifts

[Two Best Dogs!]

I had a vet check both my dogs on the day I got them, but I wouldn't have bothered asking them for breed suggestions before the fact. My vets simply don't know our life enough for me to value their input on this kind of topic. I did heavily check in with my trainers and behaviourist though. Mostly came down to individual behaviour rather than breed, for us, though.

 

Better than talking to nobody though. 

 

atgh stupid mobile forum won't post properly 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Thistle the dog