Veterinarians are not considered just animal doctors any longer. Whether they are engaged in the care of domesticated animals or have dedicated their lives to wilder species, they are a section of medical professionals that usually get involved in this profession for the love of animals over everything else. A good vet will first establish a relationship with the animal in his care and that is most prevalent in vets looking after pet dogs, birds and cats. Since domesticated pets are already humanized to a certain extent, it is important for a vet to develop a personal equation with the animal. Vets consider trust to be a vital component in their treatment technique. Apart from these emotional ties a vet is required to provide basic medical care which includes yearly vaccinations, monthly check ups along with nutrition and exercise advice, emergency care and support.
All vets maintain medical records of the animals under their care. Since pets require yearly inoculations, it is advisable to encourage such record keeping. There are two core vaccinations for dogs, the most important being Rabies vaccine because rabies is a fatal disease that can be transmitted to humans and has no cure. The vaccine is given between 12 and 16 weeks of age, a booster shot is given after one year, subsequently additional boosters are given every three years. The second is the Distemper combination vaccine which includes Distemper virus, Parvovirus, Adenovirus, and Parinfluenza virus. This vaccine is given every 3-4 weeks, beginning at 6-8 weeks of age and continuing until at least 16 weeks of age. The Non Core Vaccines are those that battle diseases from exposure to other infected animals and environments. Their administration depends upon the evaluation of the pet. Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine is recommended for pets that have exposure to others dogs in their living premises or play areas. This is an annual vaccine depending on the product used and the dog’s degree of risk.
The debate raging these days is whether to administer annual vaccinations to dogs at all. Vaccinations are now being suspected of creating vulnerability to diseases and chronic illnesses like, arthritis, seizures, allergies, gastrointestinal disorders, thyroid disorders, and even cancer. Veterinary experts recommend administering fewer vaccines to dogs now than the earlier norm of yearly vaccinations. How does a vet determine whether or not a dog really needs further vaccination? The answer at hand is called the ‘Titre Test'. The term “titter” refers to the concentration of a substance in a solution. When testing vaccine titres in dogs, a veterinarian takes a blood sample from a dog and has the blood tested for the presence and strength of the dog’s immunological response to a viral disease. If the dog demonstrates satisfactory levels of vaccine titres, the dog is considered sufficiently immune to the disease and not in need of further vaccination against the disease.
Apart from providing the basics of animal healthcare, vets also need to have an ‘emergency care’ unit prepared at all times. Animal emergencies can be more severe and have fewer diagnostics as compared to human emergencies. Vets provide this service by being available 24x7 and/or having the medical equipment and facilities to treat an animal in urgent need of medical care. Specialized emergency Veterinary care includes emergency surgical equipment, diagnostic equipment like x-ray, ultrasound, pathological testing laboratory and recuperation rooms. Enterprising vets have combined this setup with a boarding facility for not just sick pets but also for pets that need a home for a specific amount of time that their owners are away. Though people would love to take their pets everywhere with them it is not a realistically possible. The most basic function of a boarding kennel is to provide a happy and healthy environment for a pet to live in. The staff needs to be loving and patient to help the pet get acquainted to a new living arrangement. The living area should be clean and well ventilated. There should be plenty of open spaces for the animals to play, rest and interact. The feeding area should be hygienic and provide enough space for all the animals to eat peacefully. A vet owned boarding kennel has the obvious advantage of a professional at hand, but a kennel providing the above will surely suffice.
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