Updated: 21/08/2024
What seems to be the problem? Has your pet had this issue before? Have you noticed any other changes?
Along with a full health check, questions like this can help your vet work out what the problem is, and hopefully get your pet feeling better.
You know your pet better than anyone, so giving your vet the right information and the inside track on your pet’s situation will help them when examining your pet and forming a treatment plan.
If you’re worried about your pet’s health or have any questions, please get in touch with your vet.
What to ask at your vet appointment
Taking a poorly pet to see the vet? To help you prepare, we have put together a list of common questions vets ask.
This information, along with your vet carrying out a full health check, will help them to work out what the problem is and hopefully get your pet feeling better in no time!
Examples of common questions that vets ask:
- What seems to be the problem?
- When did the problem start?
- Has your pet had this issue before?
- Is the problem getting better/worse, or has it stayed the same?
- Have you noticed any other changes?
- How’s your pet’s appetite?
- Is it normal, increased or decreased?
- What do you normally feed your pet?
- Has your pet’s diet changed?
- Have they had different treats to normal?
- Could your pet have eaten anything they shouldn’t have?
- How’s your pet’s thirst?
- Is it normal, increased or decreased?
- How are your pet’s toileting habits?
- Are they weeing and pooing normally?
- Has there been any change in the amount or colour?
- Can they do their business easily or are they straining?
- Are they asking to be let out or are they using the litter tray more often?
- How are your pet’s energy levels?
- Are they bright and bouncy or quiet and sleepy?
- What’s normal for them?
- How are they on walks?
- Can they still jump onto furniture/into the car etc.?
- Does your pet have any other health issues your vet doesn’t know about?
- Is your pet on any medications or supplements that your vet doesn’t know about?
- Is your pet up to date with their flea and worm treatments?
- Is your pet up to date with their vaccinations?
- Is your pet neutered?
- If not, is there any chance they could be pregnant?
- If you have a female unneutered dog, when was her last season?
- Do you have any other pets at home?
- Have any of your other pets shown similar signs?
- Has your pet travelled recently?
- Has your pet always lived in the UK?
Don’t forget that you can use your phone to help you record concerns about your pet’s health.
Taking videos and photos to show your vet can really help them to piece the puzzle together.
Don’t be afraid of taking photos of less pleasant things, like vomit and diarrhoea, which are sometimes hard to describe – your veterinary team will have seen it all before and having a strong stomach is part of our job!
It’s important to remember that no one knows your pet like you. Providing the correct information about your pet’s health is very important, and will help your vet when examining your pet and making a treatment plan.
Every pet’s health situation is unique, and depending on the problem, your vet may need to ask fewer or even additional questions to those listed here. We hope these questions prove useful for your upcoming appointment and we hope your pet feels better soon!