Mobile veterinarians provide care at home
Posted August 11, 2017
Whether you are taking
your animal in for their regular check-up or making an emergency
visit, being evaluated by a veterinarian is a critical part in your
pet’s health. But what if an animal is too sick or injured to be
transported to the clinic? Some animals, such as livestock, may
even require a trailer for transport. Luckily for pet and livestock
owners, mobile veterinarians are there to help.
Leslie Easterwood, clinical assistant professor at the Texas
A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences,
explained the important role mobile veterinarians play in animal
health.
“The most common reason for an owner to use a mobile
veterinarian is so that they do not have to transport their animal
to a hospital,” Easterwood said. “There could be a variety of
reasons why having the veterinarian come to the farm or home is
better, such as situations where there are several animals to be
treated or the owner does not have access to a livestock
trailer.”
Though mobile veterinarians are available for home-visits, they
may also see patients in a clinic. With each day being different
than the last, mobile veterinarians are kept on their feet.
“A typical day for a mobile veterinarian may include
appointments in the office with a few farm calls and even
surgeries,” Easterwood said. “Some days a mobile veterinarian may
not leave the office, and other days they may leave early in the
morning and not return until after dark.”
Despite mobile veterinarians’ busy schedules, they are prepared
to perform an array of procedures and surgeries for different
species. Though some procedures and surgeries are best performed in
the hospital setting, most routine work can be performed on the
farm as well as in the hospital.
Mobile veterinarians care mostly for large animals, but there
are still small animal veterinarians who will make house
calls. Easterwood added that there are also an increasing
number of small animal veterinarians who are willing to make house
calls for physical therapy and perform an at-home euthanasia.
But before you call a mobile veterinarian, ask about any
additional charges, such as travel fees. Otherwise, Easterwood said
the costs are generally the same.
No matter the species or condition of health, a mobile
veterinarian can provide excellent care in the comfort of your
animal’s home.
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine
& Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be
viewed on the Web at vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk. Suggestions for
future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu
.
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