Small businesses hold a special place in our hearts, and among them are the often overlooked yet invaluable contributors to our community - Mobile Vets and Vet-Techs!
What Is A Mobile Vet?
Mobile vets are dedicated professionals who bring personalized medical care directly to pet owners' homes. These individuals or teams of veterinarians and veterinary technicians undertake the noble task of ensuring pets receive the care they need in the comfort of their own surroundings.
We spoke to Natalie (RVT), a veterinary technician and the founder of Paw Pros, a mobile veterinary-tech service that treats pets in the Vancouver/Burnaby/North Shore area. “Pet parents don’t even know that they have [mobile vet services] as an option,” Natalie said.
Check out clips of our interview with Natalie to hear fun stories about working with and studying animals.
So... How Does It Work?
"Your pet can benefit from the services of a vet tech at any age and any stage." - Natalie (RVT), founder of Paw Pros
Natalie's services encompass a range of offerings tailored to suit her clients' needs, including grooming, at-home blood sampling, and blood pressure testing. The personalized connection forged through these visits allows for a deeper understanding of pets' behaviours and immediate care provision within familiar surroundings.
Benefits of Mobile Vet Services:
- Personalized Connection: Building a rapport with your pet enables better care and understanding of their needs.
- Treatment for Pets of All Ages: From young kittens to senior dogs, mobile vet services cater to pets at every stage of life.
- Mitigation of Clinic Anxiety: By circumventing the stressors of a traditional clinic environment, mobile vet visits offer a more relaxed experience for pets, particularly for those sensitive to new surroundings. "Cats in particular [feel unease at the vet clinic] because there are barking dogs, and you have strangers with equipment making sounds and trying to touch them,” Natalie said.
- Convenience and Flexibility: "I know for me, I can usually get people in within the week." - Natalie (RVT), founder of Paw Pros
Quick and flexible appointments ensure timely care without the hassle of extended wait times.
Natalie added that, “Your pet can benefit from the services of a vet tech at any age and any stage. For instance, if your cat is used to getting its nails trimmed from a younger age, it will make any kind of handling easier as it gets older."
Why Would You Need An At-Home Vet Service?
We live in a time when there is a shortage of veterinarians, "I know sometimes getting a vet appointment can take much longer than [a week], so having a technician come and assess an issue while you are waiting can be helpful.” - Natalie (RVT), founder of Paw Pro.
Supplementing Traditional Vet Visits
A surprising, but very important service that mobile vets and vet techs can provide is to double-check the vet’s blood pressure readings, providing invaluable support to traditional veterinary care.
According to Natalie, “Sometimes the veterinarians aren’t sure, “should I put this cat on medication or is this [higher blood pressure reading] just an in-clinic experience due to stress,” so they will refer me, and I’ll go to [the pet patient’s] home and take a reading.”
Using a mobile vet or vet tech service doesn’t mean that pet parents should forego their annual vet visits, “there is nothing that is going to be better than getting a hands-on physical exam from a trained veterinarian,” said Natalie.
Support for Pets with Chronic kidney Disease (CKD)
Paw Pros sees a lot of patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) where she helps administer subcutaneous fluids at home, in some cases multiple times a week.
Natalie says having trained professionals do these treatments can help make your pet's comfortable during illness, "[the pet’s] owner can maintain their bond of trust with their pet. I can come in and do the medical treatment and they can just stay nice and cozy at their houses.”
Preventative Measures
"I would say, yeah, that would be great if we can do more preventative tests easily at home and check for common illnesses like kidney disease... that would be fantastic!" - Natalie (RVT), founder of Paw Pros
The importance of preventative measures, such as at-home tests for kidney health, cannot be overstated. Detecting conditions early can significantly impact treatment outcomes and enhance the quality of life for pets.
New Pet Care Solutions
For many pet parents, scheduling a full annual checkup can pose challenges, making it even more difficult to detect serious illnesses like kidney disease solely by observing symptoms.
Unfortunately, by the time behavioural changes or symptoms manifest, up to 75% of kidney function may already be compromised. At-home services offered by mobile vets and preventative tests like Kidney-Chek are excellent resources for pet parents to gain more happy and healthy years with their pets.
Kidney-Chek is a 2-minute saliva urea test allowing pet parents a convenient way to monitor their pet's kidney health between vet visits. These at-home tests empower pet owners to take proactive steps towards early detection and intervention, complementing the comprehensive care provided by mobile vet visits.
By embracing preventative measures and leveraging the convenience of at-home care options, pet owners can significantly enhance their furry companions' well-being, ensuring they lead healthier, happier lives for years to come.
Locating Mobile Vet Professionals
If you are located in the Vancouver area, send Natalie an email at pawprotogo@gmail.com to book an appointment or check out her website at www.pawpros.ca!
For those seeking mobile vet services, avenues such as local vet clinics, shelters, and online communities can provide valuable referrals to local mobile vets. Natalie's Paw Pros is readily accessible via email or through their website, offering convenience for pet owners in need of at-home care.
The tireless dedication of mobile vets and vet techs serves as a beacon of hope for pet owners seeking convenient, compassionate care for their beloved animals. With their expertise and commitment to excellence, these unsung heroes enrich the lives of both pets and their human companions.
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Kidney damage is not reversible, so the best thing you can do for your pet is preventative screening! Add more happy and healthy years to your pet’s life by using Kidney-Chek, a saliva urea test that pet parents can use between vet visits to screen their cat and dog’s kidney health from home in just 2 minutes! Check if your pet is at high risk for kidney disease here!
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