During these worrying economic times, people are finding it more and more difficult to budget for everything. As we all know, having a pet is a luxury and it’s easy to forget how expensive they can be. Pet insurance allows people to have peace of mind when their beloved furry friend needs veterinary care.
Not all animals are insurable though, for example hamsters and other small furries. As they are small, the consultation is reduced compared to that for a dog or a cat, but the charges can still build up if long term treatment is required.
What we have started noticing recently is that people are failing to return for follow up examinations or people are in fact taking it upon themselves to treat their own pets. This is hugely dangerous and can have disastrous consequences for the animal, which in turn may end up costing the owner more in the long run.
What people do not realise is that by treating their pets themselves, they may in fact be breaking the law. Treating animals is classed as an act of veterinary surgery and conditions must be diagnosed and treated by a Vet only. Nurses can offer advice and give basic treatment but this has to be under guidance from a Vet.
Please pick up the phone
Always call for advice as it’s the cost of a phone call and it could save you a lot of money. Nurses are available to speak to every day and can answer questions and recommend the best course of treatment by either seeing a Vet or monitoring at home for a period time. We would much prefer a pet owner calls for advice rather than leaving something or treating their pet using the internet.
Our clinic nurse spoke to an owner who had done exactly that. They had looked up how to cut their hamster’s teeth on the internet as they were long. They had done this a number of times and the last time the owner had damaged the hamster’s teeth. The hamster now has to be seen by a Vet and may need her teeth out as they may have been fractured and are unstable which is making it difficult for her to eat.
Some people also check the internet about their pet’s medication. It’s is extremely dangerous to an animal’s health to change their medication without advice from a Veterinary surgeon. The follow up medication checks the Vets recommend are really important as they can assess any changes to the animal and whether medication doses need to be adjusted. It is difficult for pet owners to see slight differences in their pets physique as they see them everyday.
Always call for advice and any of our nurses will be happy to talk through any concerns with you. Prevention is easier than cure and also early treatment can prevent a condition worsening if left.
This will save pet owners money in the long run, so make the call for advice rather than doing an internet search. People often worry about wasting nurses’ time but that is never the case. We are available to help, whenever we can.