Talking With Pet Doctors

Tips To Help You Communicate More Clearly With Your Vet

by Christy Adams

Your pet cannot speak English, so it is your job to speak on their behalf. The most important time to be able to speak clearly for your pet is when you are speaking with their veterinarian. So, how can you communicate with the vet as clearly as possible? Here are a few tips.

Write down notes before the appointment.

Often, people get a little nervous when they bring their pets to the vet. This is understandable; you're worried about your pet! In your nervousness, though, you may forget to mention some important details to the veterinarian. Taking notes before the appointment can help with this. Write down the important symptoms you need to mention, questions you want to answer, and so forth. Make sure you bring the paper with you so you can check your notes. Or, take the notes on your phone!

Leave out unnecessary information.

Sometimes, patients share such detailed, meandering information about their pet that it can be tough for the vet to sort out what's really important. If you're not sure whether a certain detail is important, feel free to mention it. However, you should leave out unnecessary things like buying them a new food dish. It's not that your vet doesn't care about the little things you want to share about your pet, but this extra information can cloud what's important and take time away from the point of the appointment: diagnosis and treatment.

Be honest.

When your pet is hurting, you never want to think it's your fault. You might be afraid to admit, for example, that you left out the grapes and your dog ate them. But in order for your vet to make an accurate diagnosis and recommend the right treatment, they need to know the truth. Be as honest as you can about what's going on with your pet, and remember, your vet's job is not to judge you!

Answer questions concisely.

When the vet asks you questions, try your best to answer as clearly and concisely as possible. Don't drift off to another topic. If your vet wants to know about another topic, they'll ask. Answering questions clearly and concisely gives your vet time to ask more questions.

With the tips above, you can do a better job of communicating with your vet. Your pet is lucky to have a great option for you!

Contact a veterinarian in your area for more information.

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