The Vet Practice

Put simply -"Best Practice" means offering you the best treatment options available for your pet's condition.

• Sometimes it means offering you the choice of a superior surgical technique over what has been commonly addressed a different way.
• Sometimes it involves a referral to a specialist clinic.
• Sometimes it involves high tech diagnostics or a different approach to treatment.

Naturally "Best Practice" techniques are expected to produce better outcomes. Now whether this means a more accurate diagnosis, a faster recovery process or a better long term outlook for the patient, they certainly have their benefits.

But in the end it does boil down to affordability.

Now while it's our job as vets to explain these options to you - (from our experience) - it's the budget that most often dictates the choice our clients make. Sure - it's great that there's a host of superior solutions out there, but they're not so great if they're out of reach.

Unlike human doctors - we vets don't have the luxury of always applying best practice techniques. We can't always run all the tests we'd like to get to the bottom of a problem nor can we send all our patients off to a specialist if a condition is particularly challenging. Most often we have to find a workable solution within a specific budget - at the same time providing the much needed emotional support that so often accompanies situations like these.

Fortunately - many conditions do have treatment options so make sure your vet goes through them all with you. This will help you make an informed decision.

But - if compromises are made, make sure you fully undertand the implications of your decision.

• What are the disadvantages of this option?
• What are the risks involved?
• How will it affect the long term health of my pet?
• Will I be able to change my mind down the track and choose a different treatment option?
• If this option doesn't work then what needs to happen then?
• Have I limited my options in the future by going down this path?
• Has this option worked for patients in the past? How well? What's your experience?

In an ideal world - we'd all be making "Best Practice" decisions. Like having root canal treatment vs. extraction. The first is clearly the superior option (no gaps - tooth stays in place) but the other works just fine. Gets rid of the pain and is a lot cheaper.

Is it always that simple? Not always. But do get all the facts and give yourself enough "thinking" time to make sure you make the decision that best suits you, your pet and your budget.

And if your vet is uable to provide these options for you - find someone who can.