Why all the questions?
The sun has set many hours ago, the temperature is cold and it has been raining for days. The day has been long and tiring for all. It is 4 in the morning and a woman brings her little dog into the emergency room. The dog has been behaving abnormally and this has worried his human mother. This dog has been her companion for years and in those moments, sitting at the ER, she is scared. As her pet is temporarily separated from her to be triaged and examined by me, the veterinarian, she wonders what may come next. None of us are our best selves when emotions are so high, and so it is no surprise that when I walk into the room, smile, and introduce myself that the response I receive is often unpredictable.
Instead of “hello” I may hear “what is wrong with him/her?”. Instead of patience in responding to my request for history, I may hear “Is it bad? Just tell me what is wrong.” I have encountered these reactions from people of all walks of life and all professions. While reaching “the point” may be what we all want, as soon as possible, a productive conversation with the pet owners will ultimately enable me to help their pet. The assumption that as soon I have laid my hands on a pet I must have all the answers to explain their clinical signs is often unrealistic.
Since animals cannot tell us how they feel or what has happened to them, the responsibility of providing us with information falls on the shoulders of the pet parents. Gathering information from the owners can be sometimes just as important, if not more important, than the examination itself. Information about what the pet has been doing at home and what symptoms have been experienced, can localize my focus to a particular body system. Information about exposure to medications/ toxins/ different foods can help me determine the correct approach to therapy. Even things such as patient’s age, sex, and reproductive status are invaluable in allowing me to be able to do my job well. So for those reasons I will ask a lot of questions and this may be uncomfortable to some who just want an immediate answer.
To many people, their pets are a part of the family. This is why, when an animal is sick, their human families will bring them in to an emergency facility for care. These owners are very worried, and at times, can be overcome with emotion. I can fully understand that in those stressful times, it can be frustrating when I spend some long minutes asking a barrage of questions and prompting people to recall various pieces of information about the pet, even ones that the client may not feel to be relevant. If you have been one of these clients in these tense situations and have felt anxious to skip through the questions and just receive answers, please understand that it is actually you who holds the key to some of the most vital pieces of information that may help me arrive at an accurate diagnosis.
Becoming a veterinarian has been my passion and calling since I was young. I have made many sacrifices and have endured many hardships in order to hold this degree and have the privilege to do what I can to help animals. Furthermore, I became a veterinarian because I enjoyed both the interactions with the animals as well as their human counterparts. So when I come in to the room to talk to you, even though you may be confused/scared/ sad or even angry, please accept that I must present you with some questions in order to come up with the best plan for your animal. Do not shut down our lines of communication and please accept that I am doing what I can to help. Be patient. As the information comes together, I will share my thoughts, I will educate you and I will support you as you need me to.
