What to Tell Your Vet When You Call

When you call your vet, being prepared with key information helps them assess the situation quickly and give you the best advice. Before you call, gather the following:

Your Pet’s Details

• Species, breed, age, and weight
• Whether they are desexed
• Any existing health conditions or current medications

The Current Problem

• What symptoms you are seeing — be specific
• When the symptoms started — the exact time if possible
• Whether the symptoms are getting better, worse, or staying the same
• How many times the symptom has occurred (e.g. vomited three times since 2pm)

Relevant History

• Any recent changes to diet, environment, or routine
• Possible exposure to toxins, medications, or foreign objects
• When they last ate, drank, urinated, and defecated
• Whether other pets in the household are affected

Take a photo or video of the symptom if you can — especially for things like seizures, limping, skin lesions, or unusual stool. These can be extremely helpful for your vet.

When you are on the phone with your vet clinic:

• Stay calm — the clearer you are, the faster they can help
• Lead with the most concerning symptom (e.g. “My dog is having a seizure” rather than starting with background history)
• Be honest about what happened — if your dog ate something it should not have, or was unsupervised, the vet needs to know. There is no judgment
• Follow their instructions — they may tell you to come in immediately, monitor at home with specific watch points, or take specific first aid steps
• Ask questions if you do not understand — “What should I watch for?” and “When should I call back?” are both perfectly reasonable questions
• Write down their advice so you do not forget it in the stress of the moment