WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE YOUR PET TO A VETERINARIAN?

The Memphis Shelby County Veterinary Medical Association has provided the following information for your convenience:

When to take your pet to the veterinarian is a good question. In general, you should always take your pet to see a veterinarian when he is sick. Animals reveal they are sick in a variety of ways. Decreased appetite or no appetite at all is a big clue to illness. Pets do not eat just because they do not feel well. Diarrhea that persists for more than 24 hours is a concern. If there is blood in the diarrhea, you should definitely call a veterinarian. Continuous vomiting or vomiting more than twice within a 24-hour period is abnormal. In addition, if your pet displays any abnormal form or urination such as straining to urinate, increased frequency of urination, discolored urination, or inability to urinate, call a veterinarian. The inability to urinate is an emergency situation so call a veterinarian immediately. Changes in luster of hair coat, losses of hair, or excessive scratching are all signs of skin problems that a veterinarian should examine.

Emergency situations are also reason for a trip to a veterinarian. These include automobile accidents, fights, poisonings, difficult labor and more. Even if your pet seems fine following one of these episodes, you should still take him to the veterinary clinic so they can examine him for underlying problems that you may not see.

Finally, routine preventive care is a reason to see a veterinarian. This includes annual vaccinations, parasite checks, dental exams, spays and neuters. Each year your pet should get a routine checkup. These checkups will include vaccinations as well as parasite scans. At this time the veterinarian will also examine the pet's teeth. Your pet must have healthy teeth to eat properly and maintain a normal state of nutrition. If you have a pet that you do not breed or do not intend to breed, you should consider altering the pet. This will greatly reduce chances of cancer, uterine infections and unwanted pregnancies. If you do breed your pet, a thorough exam is in order before breeding, during pregnancy, and after delivering for the female and her babies. Older and younger pets should see a veterinarian more than once yearly. Geriatric patients should see a veterinarian at least twice yearly to examine the pet for any changes that may be progressing. As a pet ages, just as with humans, more medical problems develop and surface. A veterinarian will recognize these problems and develop a plan of action to deal with them. Animals less than one year of age are in the process of growing and as they grow things are in a constant state of change. A veterinarian will be able to identify any abnormal problems that may develop early in the process to curtain any permanent consequences. Young animals need to have a series of vaccinations to build their immune systems against infectious diseases.

In summation, you know your pet better than anyone, so if he seems "off" to you, call your veterinarian. If your pet shows no sign of illness, he should see a veterinarian at least once a year.

Compliments of the MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 

RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL OWNERS OF TENNESSEE encourages anyone whose pet has any one, or a combination, of the following symptoms to contact a veterinarian immediately:  Abdominal swelling, Abnormal behavior, Anxious expression, Collapse, Confusion, Extreme and continued panting, Foaming at the mouth, Inability to pass stool, Rectal temperatures greater than 104 degrees, Salivation (Excessive), or General weakness. This list is NOT all-inclusive. Should your pet have any symptoms you are concerned about, take the pet to your veterinarian immediately.