I've had pets before and obviously when a serious case appears, it should be taken to the vet right away. But like humans, they may need a medical check up to see if they are suffering from something that can't be seen to the naked eye. Does anyone have their own guidelines on when their pets should be taken to the vet?
So far it never happened that one of my pets need to see a vet for a serious condition. I only bring my dogs to the vet for immunizations and routine check up. I guess if you notice something unusual with your pet, you need to bring it to the vet right away. The problem is that they can't tell you what they feel, so you need to be sensitive with that.
Once a pet has lost their appetite and won't eat at all, then it's already a sign of something serious. I have always noticed that after we take them to the vet. If they all of a sudden don't eat, then something is wrong with their bodies and they're quite ill.
Your animals need a yearly check up. They need vaccinations and rabies shot. If they show signs of illness, take them in! They are family too. If their behavior changes, they don't eat, aren't using the bathroom or having diarrhea, take them to the vet. Good pet owners know their pet's behaviors. Just keep an eye on them. If you aren't sure, call your vet and explain the symptoms. They will tell you what you should do.
If I see a clear sign that something is very wrong, they are taken in. Unfortunately, the last animal that died on me had no warning signs, it just happened. I don't trust vets very much. They do make an awful lot of money on scaring pet owners unnecessarily. I will only take my pets in when I'm sure there is something very off AND it's not something I can deal with myself.. I have brought animals back from near death on my own before. I've had many many animals in my life time and all have had extremely long lives without the help of a vet. My oldest cat being 26 years old before she finally died; the rest all average age or older. Now I have three cats and I expect the same long and healthy lives without a vet interfering.
Thank you for sharing your story Josie. Some vets are really bad like that which is why I brought up the question. I don't want to get scammed by vets and money isn't something I like throwing away when it's not needed. Wow 26 years is a long time, assuming we're talking in human years. Never really understood those animal years lol. I love how cats can really take care of themselves. I do think dogs and other animals (not cats) probably need more care and attention. That being said, cats are probably the bunch that don't go to the vet as much as other animals.
We always took our family pets to the vet once a year for what could be considered their "physical" check up, just like a person. Any other time we went to the vet, it was because our pets were showing anomalies in their everyday behavior. Things like eating less or more, not eating at the right times, abnormalities in "sandbox activities," attitude or behavioral differences. Sometimes the vet would find nothing, but 99% of the time, there was actually something wrong (virus, infection, etc.), and it had been the right decision to go. The best thing to do is find a vet that you like and trust, and from there on out, anytime you feel like you might need to take your pet to the vet, you don't dread the experience.
