General Care and Nursing

Phoning the veterinarian

Phoning the veterinarian

Many illness do not require daily visits to the veterinarian, yet he may ask to be kept informed of his patient’s progress by phone. This means he will want facts about the animal’s day-to-day condition. It is not enough to say that he dog “ is about the same” or that “ he seems better than he was yesterday.” Give facts. In other words, keep a record. 

Take the temperature twice daily, at ten in the morning and four in the afternoon. Watch the breathing - is it quick, strained, shallow, with pinched, nostrils, or as it deep, relaxed, easy? Are there muscular spasms or jerky movements, coughing, strangling, clouded eyes, unusual bowel movements, and so on? These things can be reported accurately only when written down as you see them. So have the record at hand when you phone the doctor. You will save him a lot of time, and you will stand a better chance of saving your dog. 

When the veterinarian tells you what to do, do it to the letter ! when medicine is to be given every two hours, that means every two hours, and in the exact amount, no more, no less. If it is a case for twenty-four-hour medication, that is, night as well as day, see that it is done. Faithful nursing has pulled many a dog through.