Veterinary Visit Checklist: Part 2 Before You Leave the Office

Don't ever leave the vet's office unless you're fully satisfied that you understand what is going on with your dog. You should be walking out either with a diagnosis and a treatment plan or at least a plan of action and further diagnostics.

Don't leave the vet's office unless you got all your concerns addressed and questions answered.

When I prepare my list before hand, I make two copies. One for the vet to keep, one for me to make sure nothing gets forgotten. I don't leave until all my points had been checked off.

Make sure you understood everything your vet told you and that you're comfortable with the treatment.

Are there more than one treatment option? Did you discuss them all?

If it's complex, write it down or ask them to write it down so you can research it later. If your dog is sick and needs treatment, it's up to you to comply properly. For that, you need to understand what to do as well as why do it. Because if you don't have faith in the treatment, you're much less likely to go through with it. And no treatment, however great, will work unless it's actually administered.

If you're concerned about your ability to follow through with the plan, let your vet know.

Jasmine's vet always includes a note to contact him if for any reason the treatment plan cannot be followed. He'll then work to find a plan that will work.

Here is one thing I have ever seen only one vet ever do - provide an outline of expected treatment progress.

Should your dog feel better after the first pill? Should they get better by the next day? Is it going to take a week? A month? What should you expect to happen?

Such estimate cannot always be accurate, but it provides a guideline by which to assess whether the treatment is working or not. If your vet doesn't provide this, ask for it. Jasmine's expected progress estimate looks like this:

25 % improvement by day 4
50% by day 6
75% by day 10
100% by day 21

The actual outline, of course, depends on what is being treated. This particular outline was given after Jasmine's neck issues.

Ask not only what the treatment should do, but also what it might do and it shouldn't - side effects.

This is so important and yet with most vets getting this information is like pulling teeth. What side effects you might run into? And even more importantly, what should you do?

How should you give the medications?

Most of the time, the label will include how many pills and how often you should give. However, some medications, such as NSAIDs, have to be given with food. Others should be given on empty stomach. Yet, this is not always indicated. If you give NSAIDs on an empty stomach, you might run into stomach problems. If you give other medications, such as some antibiotics or thyroid supplement with food, it might significantly lower their effectiveness. Ask what is the best way to give them.

Ask about any contra-indications and interactions.

If you got a prescription for more than one medication, or your dog is already on other treatments, will there be some negative interactions? Can they be given together or should they be given apart? Should one follow a certain amount of time after another (such as if you're getting stomach protectant with NSAIDs)?

Same applies if you're giving any supplements. Ask whether any of them could negatively interact with the new meds.

What should you do if you miss a dose?

Find out what you should do if you forget a dose. Also find out what to do if you did give the medication and your dog happened to throw up shortly after.

When should you come for a follow-up?

I many cases, it is wise to schedule a follow-up appointment. You might be able to tell whether the treatment work or you might not. Your vet might need to get their hands on your dog again to evaluate progress or results. You might need to run a follow-up blood work or other labs.

What information do you expect to come home with from a veterinary visit?

Related articles:
Veterinary Visit Checklist: Part 1 Before the Visit
Before Getting a Second Opinion: Something Not Right? Speak Up 
Thinking Outside The Box: Solutions Tailored To Your Dog's Needs