To reduce my pet's stress, but also my own!
For cats, it all starts with the crate or carrier bag: as soon as they see it, they bolt for the other side of the room! So first you have to manage to catch your feline, then get him inside, trying to limit the number of scratches and bites. This is sometimes mission impossible, and some people are forced to cancel their appointment at the last minute in the face of such failure.
Then there's the car journey to the veterinary clinic, during which your cat can let out eardrum-shattering meows, as well as relieve herself, to delight the rest of your five senses.
Once at their destination, some cats are in such a state of anxiety that the vet is forced to sedate or even anesthetize them, sometimes for a simple vaccination.
Dogs are no exception, as many of them stop dead in their tracks as soon as they arrive at reception. They are then gently dragged into the consultation room, and for some, muzzled, so that the vet can examine them in complete safety.
Bringing the vet to your home means your pet can stay in a familiar, safe environment. It's a win-win situation!
For comfort and convenience
If you're lucky enough to have a cat that fits easily into its carrier, you'll still have to carry it to the car, and then on to the clinic reception desk. Between the weight of your companion and that of the bag, you can easily reach 6 to 7kg (sometimes more for our chubby friends!). And that's not counting people with several pets, who may have to forego taking everyone to be vaccinated at once for logistical reasons.
As for dogs, when they exceed a certain size or age, it can become complicated to hoist them into the car if they are uncooperative, or unable to climb in on their own.
On the other hand, between your personal and professional commitments, your schedule can be overloaded. Not to mention the traffic in the Basque Country, which is extremely dense at certain times of the year. Having a vet come to your home can save you a lot of time.
Personalized care for your companion
In a conventional veterinary clinic, it's not uncommon to have to deal with different vets, depending on availability. Consultations are fairly short, traditionally between twenty and thirty minutes. For certain procedures, your pet may be taken to a preparation room, where veterinary assistants will help the vet to carry out the necessary care.
The relationship forged with a home vet is completely different from the one you might experience in a veterinary clinic: the consultation usually lasts close to an hour, and the vet's full attention is focused on your pet and your questions. There are no distractions. You work together as a team to identify and respond to your pet's needs, as well as your own.
In addition, the vet can observe your pet in its usual environment, which can help diagnose behavioral or environmental problems that would not be apparent in a clinic.
Because my pet is old, ill or convalescing
A pet that is elderly, suffering from a serious pathology or convalescing has difficulty moving around. In addition to the stress involved, the trip to the veterinary clinic can cause significant pain.
During convalescence, certain massages and physiotherapy techniques can relieve your dog (or, more rarely, your cat). There's no need to move your dog to benefit from them.
In addition, certain treatments that can extend your pet's life expectancy need to be carried out regularly (subcutaneous perfusion for chronic renal failure, for example). Your home vet can show you how to perform them, or come and administer them himself as often as necessary, without requiring your pet to make repeated journeys.
At such critical moments, quality of life is of paramount importance. By coming to your pet's bedside, you enable the vet to get an overview of his environment. Some simple arrangements can make life easier.
Because my pet is at the end of its life
If you feel that the time has come to say goodbye to your companion, allowing him to leave in a familiar, caring environment, surrounded by all the people who have counted in his life, is a beautiful farewell gift. The best thing to do first is to discuss the matter with your home vet, to make sure there are no treatments available to relieve his pain or improve his quality of life. If your dog's or cat's quality of life has deteriorated too much, and pain is present but cannot be remedied, the home vet will come to your house to accompany your dog or cat towards the end of its life.
