Establishing a Relationship with a Vet Before You Need One Susan Tarczewski Claremont, NH
O
ne of the most stressful times in the life of a pet owner is when a medical emergency happens. For those who don’t have a regular veterinarian, that stress is multiplied. They are forced to call around searching for a vet to see them, or traveling to an emergency vet at great expense. The delay can be painful and scary for the animal, distressing for the
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owner, and may even have life-threatening consequences. At Sullivan County Humane Society, we recommend establishing a relationship with a veterinarian when you get a new pet. This simple step can save so much time and difficulty in the event of a sudden illness or injury. All cats adopted out at Sullivan County Humane Society are spayed or neutered, up-to-date on shots, and have been treated for any health problems. Despite that, when I recently adopted Birdie, one of the first things I did was schedule an appointment with our vet’s office. When Birdie arrived at SCHS she had mammary cysts, a condition arising most frequently in unspayed female cats. These cysts frequently become cancerous especially in cats who are not “fixed.” After her spay surgery, Birdie’s cysts were expected to gradually disappear, but needed careful observation. I brought the medical records provided by SCHS, and she had a quick and simple examination by the vet, who carefully recorded her observations so that we’ll be able to monitor the cysts Fall 2021
