Читать книгу Pet-Specific Care for the Veterinary Team - Группа авторов - Страница 256

Collecting relevant information from pet owners is critical to being able to provide truly personalized care for pets. Since pets spend much more time with their owners than with veterinary staff, pet owners must be engaged in the process and aware that such information sharing will ultimately benefit their pets.

Every hospital visit provides an opportunity to learn more about the pet, the pet owner, and how they interact with one another. In many cases, it is most efficient to use questionnaires to standardize the collection process (see 1.2 Providing a Lifetime of Care).

Important topics include understanding what other pets may co‐exist in the house, activities, and exposure, diets being fed, prescription and nonprescription medications being administered, etc.

It is also important to realize that preexisting conditions may be associated with increased risk for other disorders. For example, a pet diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome likely has an increased risk for diabetes mellitus. A pet with excessive skinfolds is likely predisposed to skinfold dermatitis. A pet with early radiographic evidence of hip dysplasia is more likely to develop osteoarthritis.