It’s Friday evening, and you’re finally home after another long week on the job. Bella, your beautiful French bulldog, looks up expectantly, head tilted slightly to one side.
She seemed happy enough to see you in those first few moments after you walked in the door, but it quickly becomes clear that something isn’t quite right.
The timing couldn’t be worse. This was supposed to be the perfect weekend, unwinding with friends while enjoying city life to the fullest. Brunch, bike rides, maybe checking out that new exhibit at the art museum.
But Bella is Bella, your baby. And you’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she’s healthy and happy.
So what happens next? Dr. Google, of course! The results are there even before you’ve finished typing. Those top few links look pretty good, but then again, so do a few on the next page. How will you know which internet guru or profit-minded corporation to trust with sweet Bella’s deteriorating situation?
The voice of reason makes itself heard, loud and clear. Bella deserves better than this. She needs to see a vet, pronto. But on a Friday night? Or Saturday morning? You two have been through this before. Once at the local one-doc-shop a few blocks away, and more recently at that fancy 24-hour hospital with all the bells and whistles.
Other than the three-hour wait in both places, they weren’t negative experiences. For you, at least. For Bella, it was a different story. There was just something about walking in the door and seeing all those other sick and scared pets staring back at her. It pushed her over the edge.
Even though she hadn’t really been that bad off to start, by the time it was her turn to be rushed into an exam room, you were anxiously wondering if she was going to make it. The relentless panting, that terrified look in her trusting dark eyes, and a totally uncharacteristic accident right on the waiting room floor.
Poor girl. But it makes sense, right? We humans feel the same way about going to our doctor’s office or emergency room. Try to imagine it from your dog’s perspective: strange people poking and prodding in all sorts of uncomfortable places, not to mention all the other crazy and sick animals who are steadily increasing the general tension level. It’s no fun for anyone involved.
No, you wouldn’t put her through that again. Not unless it’s totally necessary. But what other option is there? Shouldn’t there be something that falls between Dr. Google and the half-day horror of a weekend walk-in at the local veterinary emergency clinic?
Now there is. Why not have the veterinarian come to you? If this sounds like vintage James Herriot for the 21st century, that’s because it is. And yet, most urban dog parents don’t even consider home veterinary care as an option.
Mobile veterinarians will come right to your doorstep for a housecall whenever it is most convenient for you. The vet can do a full exam and take his or her time answering questions, giving you the peace of mind and confidence that is often missing in a more rushed clinic or hospital environment.
In most cases, the veterinarian will be able to provide your dog with the treatment she needs right there, or write you a prescription that can be picked up at any local pharmacy or ordered online.
Regardless of what is going on, mobile veterinarians usually come equipped with the right equipment to help make an initial diagnosis. We’re not afraid to refer you to an emergency hospital or specialist if that’s what your dog really needs, but we understand that a simple home evaluation is often all that’s really necessary. That’s what most of us veterinarians do for our own pets, and now we can do it for yours, too.
Next time your dog needs to see the vet, why not try out one of these in-home veterinary services? You’ll save yourself some time while giving your dog the low-stress expert care she needs.
Elliott Garber is a dog-lover and veterinarian who is currently working with VetPronto (link to: http://www.vetpronto.com) to spread the good news about in-home veterinary care. He has seen far too many stressed out dogs and cats at the clinic who could have been more easily treated in the comfort and convenience of their home.
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