Why seek a house call veterinary exam? They can be cost prohibitive and people have been taking their pets to the vet for years so, what makes a house call special?

 

A vet visit can be a very stressful experience for pet and owner both. Especially if the pet is sick, fragile, or older, they can have a lot to gain from waiting at home where they're comfortable and having the vet come to them. Cats and some dog breeds can also be very prone to stress from the noises and smells at the clinic and are sometimes even a danger to themselves and the staff when they go. When they don't have to leave their safe space, don't encounter the triggers of the other animals, and the metal tables and aseptic smells etc, their visits can go from stress inducing nightmares that sometimes take multiple days to recover from, to far easier experiences from which they usually bounce back as soon as we walk out the door.

 

This is also great because the veterinary staff who do this because they love animals, get to interact with the animals while they're behaving more like themselves and feel they're impacting them positively instead of negatively when they see them. Studies show that stress can influence the results of many diagnostic tests, making them more accurate when done at home while the pet is much more relaxed.

 

Some pets aren't currently able to receive the care their owners wish they could have because going to the vet is such a negative experience for the pet that the costs outweigh the positives. House calls can help those animals achieve the level of preventative and annual care the owners wish they could have.

 

The return on the exam is even greater when you consider that you get to spend the entirety of the exam with the doctor instead of just a few minutes before they take your pet to the back. On that note, if you're an owner who wishes they could stay with their pet every step of the way, then house calls are a perfect solution as you now become part of the team in the appointment. If you're worried about needles and blood, we can still help you! We can work with you to make sure you don't see anything you aren't comfortable with. When traveling to the clinic is prohibitive physically for owners temporarily or long term, house calls are a vital tool for keeping up with your pet's health needs.

 

For owners that are seeking help with end of life care and plans for their senior babies, consults can happen at home with little impact on your pet. We are trained to seek and provide additional control of symptoms to improve quality of life as they age. If the time arises to say goodbye we can provide a peaceful transition at home or other peaceful places that they loved (weather permitting) and have resources available for helping to gauge when it's time to elect for euthanasia, grief counseling, options for aftercare etc.

 

House calls are our passion and this just scratches the surface of all the potential benefits it provides. If you have any questions about if/how your pet could benefit from a house call, please don't hesitate to contact us.