If you work in a veterinary practice or in the pet industry or in a business that supplies goods or services to the industry and you have something to say - why not become a 'Guest Blogger'?
For more information click here to read our: Guidelines for Guest Bloggers
Gone are the days of the paternalistic relationship between vet and client where the client will simply go along with whatever the vet deems is necessary for the pet. Clients are becoming more knowledgeable and as vets, we are often faced with a situation where a client comes in armed with a ‘Dr Google’ diagnosis.
As practitioners, this can be challenging and confronting, maybe because our egos tell us that this is an insult to our hard-earned years of training and experience. I think the perspective needs to change regarding this and we need to check our egos. As an emergency clinic, we talk to clients all the time that have questions regarding something that they have read on the internet. I confess that I used to feel threatened by this. I was not comfortable feeling this way so I decided to change my perspective on the matter.
Here are some ways to turn the old nemesis, Dr Google, into a friend, or, at the very least, call a truce with him:
Due to the ubiquity of information (and misinformation!) about veterinary medicine available on the Internet, there is an even stronger reason for us as veterinarians to keep up with the latest advancements in veterinary medicine. Always try to remember that ultimately, the reason why your client has come in to see you have already done some research on the Internet, is because they are genuinely concerned about their pet – so try to see this as something that is positive rather than negative.
Dr Gerardo Poli is an emergency and critical care veterinarian and Company Director at Animal Emergency Services. He has a strong focus on the triage, stabilisation and management of critically ill patients, small animal ultrasound and radiology and emergency surgery. He is the author of The Mini Vet Guide To Companion Animal Medicine; a pocket-sized, quick-reference guide designed to help veterinary students through their final years of vet school and also for recently graduated veterinarians making the transition into vet clinical practice. Find out more about The MiniVet Guide to Companion Animal Medicine by visiting the website: www.minivetguide.com
Connect with Dr Gerardo:
Why do cats get so excited about Christmas trees and why are they so determined to destroy them? Christmas is everyone’s favourite time of the year especially curious, confident and outgoing cats who love the festivities and Christmas presents as much as we do. Yet...
