The public has high expectations of their veterinary teams. These professionals are the experts pet parents turn to during those frightening moments when their pet is sick or injured. They are relied upon to provide answers, comfort, and solutions. But it’s important to ask: where does the responsibility of the veterinary team end, and where does the responsibility of the pet owner begin?
Healthcare for our furry family members doesn’t start or stop at the veterinary hospital—it begins the moment you bring them home. It involves training, proper hygiene, nutrition, exercise, and financial preparedness. A significant part of your pet’s care must happen at home, which can sometimes be surprising and even overwhelming. The truth is, once your pet leaves the hospital, you become an active participant in their care, and the success of that care largely depends on your involvement.
We understand that this can be daunting. Administering medications, following post-operative care, and managing a pet’s recovery are significant responsibilities. It’s natural to feel frustrated or overwhelmed, especially when things don’t go as planned. Unfortunately, this frustration is sometimes directed at the very people who are trying to help—your veterinary team. It’s not uncommon for clinics to receive frantic calls from pet parents struggling with giving medications, handling the costs involved, or processing the reality of their pet’s treatment plan.
So, what are the responsibilities of the veterinary team? Veterinarians, technicians, assistants, and customer service representatives all play a crucial role in your pet’s care. Their primary responsibility is to assess your pet’s condition and make recommendations for the prevention and treatment of disease. Once a plan is established, they must safely, effectively, and professionally carry out in-house services, such as diagnostics, treatments, and procedures. Additionally, the team will provide further recommendations for ongoing care, including at-home management, follow-up visits, and any necessary adjustments to ensure your pet’s well-being.
This final aspect is what we call compliance. This is where you, as the pet owner, play a crucial role in the success of the treatments provided by the medical team. Compliance can include administering oral medications at home, keeping your pet quiet to prevent reinjury, and following through with post-operative care. Imagine how stressful it is for veterinarians to have spent hours on an emergency surgery, only to receive a call from a client saying their dog was running around in the backyard and is now unwell. It wouldn’t be fair to blame the veterinary team for what happened at home. While the team should provide thorough discharge instructions, ultimately, you are responsible for what happens with your pet’s care once it leaves the hospital.
Another aspect of compliance is giving medications as instructed. Consider a common situation, like an ear infection diagnosis. The team sends the client home with ear medications and recommends a follow-up consultation (“recheck”) in two weeks. There’s a reason for the recheck: conditions can change, and ear infections can be stubborn as yeast and bacteria adapt. However, when clients skip the recheck, intentionally or not, it’s not uncommon for them to blame the veterinary team for “not fixing” the problem in the first place.
There are countless examples of what compliance looks like at home and how it affects your pet’s recovery and healing. But another aspect of care involves the owner and family as a whole. Every family has different time, emotional, and financial resources. Veterinary teams interact with many families each day, all unique in their needs. They provide the facts and make recommendations based on your pet’s best interest. This is where the spectrum of care (see our article on this topic here) comes in. However, it’s up to you to communicate your feelings and limitations.
Especially in times of high stress, it can be difficult to isolate and identify the root of your emotions. It can be easier to direct frustration toward the veterinary team, blaming them for a situation they cannot control. For instance, a shocking diagnosis like diabetes may leave you feeling overwhelmed because you don’t have the time for twice-daily injections. Or, more commonly, you might not be able to afford the life-saving surgery your puppy needs to remove a blockage. In these moments, it’s crucial to communicate your limitations. The veterinary team is there to listen empathetically and offer possible solutions, such as recommending financing options, but they cannot fix the problem for you. That responsibility lies with you.
“…it’s easy to get a pet, but it’s not easy to have one.”
The root of this issue is that it’s easy to get a pet, but it’s not easy to have one. Anyone can go online and find a dog or a cat, often for free, but that’s about the only thing that’s easy about pet ownership. Every owner and every family has different time, financial, and emotional budgets for their pet. Navigating these, especially in times of crisis, is a lot of work. The veterinary team is there to provide you with the information you need to make the decisions that are best for you—but they cannot, and should not, make those decisions for you. You are ultimately in the driver’s seat of your pet’s care, and it is your responsibility to be an active participant in that care by communicating your limitations, checking in with your emotions, and putting in the necessary work.
The next question is: what happens when pet owners or the veterinarian don’t fulfill their responsibilities for a patient’s care? Next, we will explore the provisions in place to help pet’s ensure they receive appropriate and timely care. Stay tuned!