An On-Demand Veterinary House Call Service in San Francisco
Less stress for your pet and Vets are available evenings and weekends
Vet Pronto is now in San Francisco. An exclusive “concierge” on demand style of medicine for your pets. Yet, this service is affordable and comparable to any office visit.
The Veterinarians at Vet Pronto are ready to come to your home and give your pet first class care. Their highly trained Vets will spend quality time with your pet in the relaxed atmosphere of your home.
How wonderful would it be to never again have to put your ‘nervous’ dog or cat in the car and have them sit in a crowded waiting room. That experience can result in anxiety for the animal and also expose to sick pets waiting to see the Vet. Vet Pronto currently has 9 active veterinarians ready to care for your pet.
The Founders of Vet Pronto developed this concept after speaking with many pet owners. They told them over again that they hate going to the veterinarian.
“We made the (rather obvious) observation that a house call veterinary service could address these problems,” stated Joe Waltman, Co -Founder and Vet.
We asked Vet Pronto the following questions:
Why is it important for pet owners to have the Vet come to their home instead putting pets in a Vets office waiting room?
Vet Pronto: House calls are more convenient for the pet owner and less stressful for the pet. In some cases, the stress caused by going to the clinic is more harmful than the condition that was being treated at the clinic.
What kind of Pets do your Vets care for at the homes in San Francisco?
Dogs and cats.
How many pets do your vets typically see in a day?
A vet can see 6-8 house call appointments per day.
What services can you provide with your home appointments?
Everything but surgeries and x-rays. We are able to do 90% of what is currently done in a clinic.
Why do the Vets enjoy working for Vet Pronto instead of an office based practice?
Every day is a new adventure. Our favorite stories revolve around pets that have never been properly examined by a vet (due to their fear of the clinic). We regularly hear clients tell us (in amazement) that their dog/cat didn’t even know they were going through a vet ‘visit’. Plus we offer a free house call to any dog/cat that is rescued from a shelter.
Can you share with our readers your 5 Top Tips to keep our pets healthy this summer.
1- Fleas/ Ticks Prevention- What’s Safe and Not Safe
The Vets at Vetpronto.com recommend prescription-only flea control for dogs: either Comfortis or Trifexis. There is a lot less resistance in flea populations to these products compared to other products on the market. For cats, we generally recommend Cheristin for the same reason. More natural forms of flea control such as feeding garlic, or using lavendar, are not recommended as they can be toxic to pets and have absolutely no reported efficacy.
Fleas like to build nests in dark sheltered environments, such as under furniture, floor boards, and under houses. Eggs are very resilient and can lay dormant in the environment for many months to even years. They tend to emerge in warmer weather and after receiving stimulation from vibrations, such as vacuuming. Flea control therefore involves diligent environmental control as well as just treating the pet. This includes weekly washing of bedding in HOT water (over 140F), weekly vacuuming especially under furniture, and flea bombs.
Ticks can be prevented using Advantix or Frontline every 2 weeks (not the standard 4 weeks necessary for flea control alone) or Preventic flea collars. No product is 100% effective and efficacy reduces with exposure to water. Therefore any dogs living in tick regions should receive a thorough examination DAILY – concentration on areas around the ears, lips, anal and vulaval regions, and between the toes, where they often like to hide.
2- Keeping Pets in Hot Cars
Temperature inside cars can increase rapidly within a mere 10 minutes. e.g. an 80F external environmental temperature can cause cars to heat up to 100F in 10 min. A 72F day can cause a car to hear to 110F within 60min. Rolling down the windows has been shown to have little effect on the temperature inside a car.
Dogs lose heat via panting but there’s a limit to their ability to cool down – just as in humans. Overheating (hyperthermia) is deadly, causing an overdrive of the immune response and blood clotting factors, extreme cell damage, and multiple organ failure.
3. Keeping Your Pet Hydrated
Dogs tend to drink a lot of salty sea water at the beach which can accelerate dehydration. It’s important to provide ample fresh water when at the beach.
If you’re worried your cat or dog isn’t drinking much despite the heat, you can try: flavoring the water with some of the water left in tuna cans; adding ice cubes; leaving running taps for cats or providing a water fountain (cats often like to drink from running water)
4. Time to Change Food?
Caloric requirements can decrease in warmer weather compared to cold weather, when they spend energy keeping warm (thermoregulation). If you notice your pet gaining weight, you can gradually reduce their food to 80% of their normal intake over summer. Wet food is often a good option, especially for cats, as it provides additional water especially for animals that dont like to drink much. Always consult your veterinarian before adjusting your pet’s diet to ensure their specific needs are met.
5. Increase Your Pet’s Exercise This Summer
Summer can be a great opportunity to get outside and exercise, both for pets and people. Make sure you’re never exercising them during the heat of the day in hot regions of the country, and also avoid walking them on tarmac as this heats up rapidly and can easily burn foot pads.
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Thank you to Vet Pronto for this fabulous interview. We are hoping you expand your services to the Los Angeles area then throughout the USA!
We encourage our readers to visit their site for more information.
