Ever wonder why we can’t give advice over the phone for medications or give you a diagnosis for your pet from their symptoms? This is legally due to the requirement of having a valid Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR) but it is more than just a legal requirement. In this post we will be covering what makes a valid VCPR and why this is necessary for the health and safety of your pet.
What does having a VCPR mean?
This is an unspoken agreement that you are allowing the veterinarian you are visiting to make assess your pet’s needs based on their health and the veterinarian is agreeing to take on the responsibility of making those judgments and providing protocols for care.
The VCPR is initially established after the first exam the veterinarian does on your pet, but it must also be maintained by regular veterinary visits. The interval for these continued visits is based off of the veterinarian’s assessment of your pet’s health. Some pets may only need to be seen annually, but if your pet is experiencing a disease that needs treatment they may need to be seen more frequently to monitor their health during or before starting treatment.
Why is the VCPR about more than just being legal?
These visits are about preventative care to give your pet the greatest quantity of years and quality of life. Annual exams go over nutrition, dental health, physical health, and mental health. This cannot be evaluated over the phone, especially if something is wrong with the pet.
Issues that may come up could be either chronic or acute. These acute issues often present as general symptoms that need more than just a quick conversation on the phone. The veterinarian will use the history, physical exam, and possibly diagnostics to come up with a plan. From there you will both decide what treatment or protocol works for best for you and your pet.
What else is important to maintaining a healthy VCPR?
As pets age they will be experiencing changes just as we do, both physically and mentally. These exams serve to prevent disease or at least slow disease progression and make your pet more comfortable. The earlier your veterinarian detects these changes, the better for your pet.
The continued visits to your veterinarian are not only important because of physically being able to see the pet and catching diseases early, it is also important after starting on a protocol to discuss the need for monitoring both outward physical effects and how the treatment is affecting them internally.
This is why these exams to maintain a VCPR are not just about the physical exam, it is also about sitting down to talk with you on how you feel the pet is doing, discussing continued care, how the medications are going, if you are having difficulty following the protocol or treatment, or if you are looking for alternative protocols.
The VCPR is vital to your maintain pet’s health and well-being.