Just the Shot, Doc!
Our clinic requires a comprehensive physical examination before administering vaccines to our patients. But oftentimes we get requests for 'just the shot, Doc!'
In my opinion, the examination is far more important than the vaccine. Why?
First off, we need to make sure that your pet is healthy. Many diseases can leave subtle clues that even the most observant pet owners can miss, but our trained eye can detect. So even if you think your pet is healthy, there may be some underlying disease present. We want to know this before injecting your pet with a vaccine. Many times we also uncover minor issues, such as fleas, ear infections, dental disease, a heart murmur, an enlarged thyroid gland, etc. Things we want to know about so we can treat them before they become a bigger issue.
Second, if your pet is not healthy, the immune system may not be able to mount a proper immune response to the vaccine. We don't vaccinate unhealthy pets for this reason.
Third, we want to take a history on your pet to determine which vaccines are needed for your pet's particular lifestyle. Not every pet needs every vaccine. Our knowledge allows us to determine this.
Is there ever a time where we don't require a full exam? Yes. If the pet was just in for a full physical exam within the last 6 weeks and a vaccine was overlooked (usually the kennel cough vaccine) because the owner forgot they needed to board the dog. Or, if the pet was in within the last 6 months, we require a brief exam rather than a comprehensive exam.
Remember, a year to us is like 7-10 years for your pet. Things can change quite quickly. Early detection of disease is important. In short, you're paying for our knowledge and expertise in your pet's health.
Anyone can administer 'just the shot.' But why would you want them to?
In my opinion, the examination is far more important than the vaccine. Why?
First off, we need to make sure that your pet is healthy. Many diseases can leave subtle clues that even the most observant pet owners can miss, but our trained eye can detect. So even if you think your pet is healthy, there may be some underlying disease present. We want to know this before injecting your pet with a vaccine. Many times we also uncover minor issues, such as fleas, ear infections, dental disease, a heart murmur, an enlarged thyroid gland, etc. Things we want to know about so we can treat them before they become a bigger issue.
Second, if your pet is not healthy, the immune system may not be able to mount a proper immune response to the vaccine. We don't vaccinate unhealthy pets for this reason.
Third, we want to take a history on your pet to determine which vaccines are needed for your pet's particular lifestyle. Not every pet needs every vaccine. Our knowledge allows us to determine this.
Is there ever a time where we don't require a full exam? Yes. If the pet was just in for a full physical exam within the last 6 weeks and a vaccine was overlooked (usually the kennel cough vaccine) because the owner forgot they needed to board the dog. Or, if the pet was in within the last 6 months, we require a brief exam rather than a comprehensive exam.
Remember, a year to us is like 7-10 years for your pet. Things can change quite quickly. Early detection of disease is important. In short, you're paying for our knowledge and expertise in your pet's health.
Anyone can administer 'just the shot.' But why would you want them to?
posted by Dr. Snark @ 7:39 AM
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