Benefits of Veterinary House Calls in Joplin, Missouri

The idea of a home visit from a veterinarian may seem old-fashioned, but more and more modern vets, like Cornerstone Animal Hospital, are making veterinary house calls. There are many benefits to have a vet come to your home the next time your pet is sick. Explore all the positive and negative aspects of home vet care to make the right decision for your pet and yourself.

The Advantages of Home Vet Care

• Veterinary house calls fit into your busy schedule. When your vet is willing to visit your home, it makes everything much more convenient. Without the need to spend time traveling and safely transporting your pet to the vet’s office, it is much less of a hassle to keep up-to-date on your pet’s health maintenance. This means healthier pets and happier owners.
• Pets are more comfortable. Many pets are skittish when it comes to travel or being in an unfamiliar space. But by keeping pets at home, in an environment where they feel comfortable, the pet, the owner, and the vet will all feel more relaxed which will lead to fewer behavior issues, faster and more accurate treatment. The ability to limit the travel of older, younger, injured or sick pets through a home visit is especially beneficial.
• Allows vets to view the home. Although many pet owners overlook their home as being the cause for a pet’s sickness, it is more common than most people believe. Toxins in your home can cause your pet to suffer from allergies or even more serious ailments. An in-home vet visit may help identify any root causes for your pet’s symptoms. Seeing a pet at home can also help a vet to identify any other potential problems in the home, such as unsafe fencing or any other pet hazards.
• Ability to treat multiple pets in one visit. Owners of multiple pets can request the vet treat all the pets at the same time. Due to travel logistics and time restraints, this is often not possible at the vet’s office.
• Veterinary house calls offer humane end-of-life care. Treating older pets or pets with life-threatening diseases at home is much easier than bringing the pet to the vet’s office. If the time comes to euthanize a pet, doing it at home surrounded by the people he/she loves, is often better for both the pet and the family members.

The Disadvantages of Home Vet Care

• Emergency care and difficult diagnosis. A veterinarian does not have access to all the equipment necessary to treat an emergency or to diagnosis a complex disease at home. When surgery or large machinery, like x-rays are necessary, home visits won’t work. In this situation, it is much better for your pet to receive treatment at an animal hospital.