Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

How To Use Your Power In Finding The Right Veterinarian (4)

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The Right Veterinarian -Part 4

A Veterinarian cares only about the money, right? Sure they have to, but you’d be surprised at how they really feel.

Money matters have a lot to do with feelings and ego. In general, a veterinarian doesn’t want to talk about money, though if you want to work effectively with your veterinarian, having the dollar discussion may be inevitable.

The unfortunate truth is that veterinary medicine is expensive. But it is not overpriced. “Expensive” means numerous dollars are required, while “overpriced” is a label that requires placing a value judgement on something that is essentially a value-free, market-determined issue.

If you think that your veterinarian is overpriced, don’t punish him or your pet with resentment. Take the market solution and look for a new veterinarian instead.

Because most people, veterinarians included, don’t want to talk about money, increasingly doctors discuss only medical matters and let practice managers or others in the office deal with the issue of money and costs. Most veterinarians feel the same way about the issue: They feel bad when clients cannot afford what needs to be done to fix the pet in question.

And although most vets prefer not to talk about money, I am not sure that a blanket policy of avoiding money talk is feasible, or wise, for the doctors. Unless there is no shortage of money, it is impossible to make medical decisions without putting a price tag on them.

What is important, especially now that compensation schemes – particularly in large and corporate practices – are often “production-based,” is that veterinarians disclose their financial interest in the case.

It has been well established that doctors are often unable to completely divorce their financial interests from their medical recommendations. This is not because doctors are evil, this is because they are human. Skepticism is always a healthy thing, especially when it is about oneself. Veterinarians should make a practice of questioning their motivations, and welcome the help they can get from their clients.

As the person paying the bill, it’s your responsibility to ask for an estimate. Be aware, however, that an estimate is a dual-edged sword. On the one hand, it tells you what to expect. On the other hand, dogs – like any other biological system – have a way of defying the odds on occasion.

The goal of your veterinarian is not to have the treatment come in at exactly the price on the estimate (though that would be pleasant); rather to use the precise treatment necessary to ensure that your dog is fixed up and is out of  harm’s way with whatever disease, ailment, or problem that is happening at the time.

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Here’s Dog Trainer Chet Womach On How To Save Money By Handling
Basic Vet Issues At Home

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To discover how to treat your dog at home with over 1000 at-home veterinarian health remedies, Click Here.

3 Tips To Help You Find The Best Veterinarian

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Choosing a Veterinarian

Since you do not have much time to spend researching for the ideal veterinarian once you have your dog, it is a good idea to do your search ahead of time, before you bring the puppy home.

But before you reach over for your phone book, check out for other resources and find out what you can get “through the grapevine”.

First, see if your breeder can recommend you to his or her Veterinarian. Also ask for recommendations from other dog owners that you can trust. You can learn a lot from their experiences, but use your own judgment because their opinions are going to be subjective and may not necessarily be accurate.

If you do not know anyone who owns a dog, your next bet is to go to the Yellow Pages or go to the Internet and look for vets in your area.

Below are 3 factors to consider when choosing the right Veterinarian.

1. Is the Veterinarian close to your home? Try to find an office as close to your home as possible, preferably within a 10 minute driving distance.  It’s very important to know that help is just a few miles away, especially during an emergency.

2. If your dog is suffering from a specific type of health problem, such as cancer or some kind of behavioral problem, look for a Veterinarian who specializes in that type of field.

3. Similar to human health care, veterinary care is either done in a small practice (where you are able to see the same vet on every visit  throughout your dog’s life), or a large practice (where you get to see the first available vet on duty). In a small practice, your Veterinarian will be able to get to know your pet on a more personal level. This will help him with his diagnosis and keep track of your dog’s health better in the long run.

On the other hand, it may be more practical to choose a Veterinarian that belongs to a large practice because it is quicker to get an appointment in an office where there are more doctors available.

This having a Veterinarian to contact is crucial, especially during an emergency.

————————————————————–

Here’s Dog Trainer Chet Womach On How To Save Money By  Handling
Basic Vet Issues At Home

————————————————————–

To discover how to treat your dog at home with over 1000 at-home
health remedies, Click Here.

Dog Health – Confused About Dog Nutrition? Read This

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Giving your puppy good food, healthy treats, and the necessary supplements will not only increase dog health, but it will also affect his behavior and his ability to be trained to learn new things.

Every dog is different, and there are certain factors to consider when determining the diet program that will fit the needs of his growing body and dog health.

However, there are also general rules that owners must follow to ensure that their pets are getting the balanced food and supplementation that their bodies require.

For Good Dog Health Avoid Giving Your Dog Human Food

Most vets and breeders do not recommend adding table scraps to your dog’s diet. They will also likely tell you that the majority of commercial vitamin and mineral supplements that are available today are only a waste of money.

When you give your puppy human food, he will not only get used to eating that type of food, but the difference in the taste of human food and dog food will cause him to reject his own food.

He will become a finicky eater, affect overall dog health, and be more difficult to get him back to eating his regular food.

For Best Dog Health, Take It Easy On The Supplements

It is also not necessary to give your dog a separate vitamin and/or mineral supplement along with human food and his own food. The majority of supplements out there are ineffective and can even be dangerous to some level.

For example, providing your puppy with an extra calcium supplement is not at all beneficial. It doesn’t aid in bone growth, but actually does the opposite. In some cases, extra calcium in your puppy’s body can actually develop to certain types of bone problems.  Adding a combination of supplements is just as harmful to your pet because they can create an imbalance to his diet.

Keep It Natural When It Comes To Dog Health

Your puppy is better off with his own food, which is a good, commercial dog food specifically tailored to his needs (ask your vet for recommendation). In addition to the dog food, you may also give him a multivitamin such as Omega 3 oil and occasional liver tablets which, in my opinion, are one of the best treats you can give your dog. Omega 3 and liver tablets are available in most health food stores, pet stores, and online catalogs.

Other supplements to give your dog are natural, whole foods. A few examples of these are wheat grass, brewer’s yeast, bee pollen, and barley. These are foods that contain nutrients from nature and will not interfere with the nutrients in your dog’s diet causing good dog health.

Make Socialization Fun: Plan A Safe Puppy Playdate

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Puppies should be exposed to, and allowed to play with, other healthy, vaccinated puppies and dogs (as long as everyone plays nicely). Puppy playdates are a great way to let your pup socialize and learn to properly interact with its fellow canine buddies. When puppies don’t interact with other puppies, they never learn social cues from other dogs, which can lead to fear or dog-aggression as the pup grows into adulthood.

However, make sure you take your puppy out for positive experiences at the right time and in the right places. Having the right vaccinations is vital to your pup’s health. Although specifics vary, depending on your vet and region of the country, most vets recommend a core set of vaccinations be given two to four weeks apart. A common schedule is canine parvovirus, adenovirus-2, parainfluenza and canine distemper at 8, 12 and 16 weeks.

Several days after puppies have completed their initial vaccinations, they can socialize with other well-cared-for puppies, and go to small public gatherings. However, it would be wise to wait until after 12 to 16 weeks of age and the completion of the final vaccinations before taking puppies to a larger public place, such as a dog park or dog show.

Puppy socialization class is a wonderful way to have your pup interact with lots of other puppies. You can make friends at these classes and set up home playdates with other new pups or dogs.

It’s best to introduce the dogs while on-leash or on opposite sides of a fence or barrier before allowing them to interact, especially if you don’t know the other dog well. Many adult dogs are good with young dogs, and can teach them proper doggie manners, but its important to watch out for aggressive adults. When in doubt, just don’t let your pup play.

Although new and different experiences are important to a puppy’s development, it’s also important not to overwhelm the little guy or gal. Let your pup stand back, observe and move at its own pace. Owners of more than one young puppy at a time know that every pup’s personality is different, and while one may find a specific new experience exciting, the other may start out with a nervous perception, and may need extra time to adjust.

The most important thing to keep in mind when setting up puppy playdates is that the experiences are best kept positive when all dogs are matched by age, size and personality type. The key aspect of a playdate is that you have plenty of supervision and make certain you allow for rest or nap time.

3 Tips To Help You Find The Best Veterinarian

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Since you do not have much time to spend researching for the ideal veterinarian once you have your dog, it is a good idea to do your search ahead of time, before you bring the puppy home. But before you reach over for your phone book, check out for other resources and find out what you can get “through the grapevine”.

First, see if your breeder can recommend you to his or her vet. Also ask for recommendations from other dog owners that you can trust. You can learn a lot from their experiences, but use your own judgment because their opinions are going to be subjective and may not necessarily be accurate.

If you do not know anyone who owns a dog, your next bet is to go to the Yellow Pages or go to the Internet and look for vets in your area. Below are 3 factors to consider when choosing the right vet.

1. Is the vet close to your home? Try to find an office as close to your home as possible, preferably within a 10 minute driving distance.  It’s very important to know that help is just a few miles away, especially during an emergency.

2. If your dog is suffering from a specific type of health problem, such as cancer or some kind of behavioral problem, look for a vet who specializes in that type of field.

3. Similar to human health care, veterinary care is either done in a small practice (where you are able to see the same vet on every visit  throughout your dog’s life), or a large practice (where you get to see the first available vet on duty). In a small practice, your vet will be able to get to know your pet on a more personal level. This will help him with his diagnosis and keep track of your dog’s health better in the long run.

On the other hand, it may be more practical to choose a vet that belongs to a large practice because it is quicker to get an appointment in an office where there are more doctors available. This is crucial, especially during an emergency.

Once you’ve found your vet, check out Veterinary Secrets Revealed to save yourself hundreds of dollars on Vet visits.

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