I was recently performing therapeutic laser on a very spirited Labrador, and her owner made the comment that I was the happiest veterinarian she had ever met. Others have made this observation, and as I drove home, I thought about why this was the case. What decisions had I made in life to get me to the point where I actually love my job and can actually go on vacation and look forward to getting back to work rather than dreading it?
What I realized is that making the change to performing house calls allowed me to combine all of the things I love about veterinary medicine with all of the things I love about the rest of my life. So here I would like to share the benefits of becoming a house call vet with my fellow veterinarians:
- Home visits give you the time to form more extensive, truly collaborative partnerships with your pet parents in the care of their pets.
- You get more time during appointments to observe, examine and create a thorough and comprehensive treatment plan for your patients.
- Your schedule is flexible and conducive to maintaining a good balance between personal and work life.
- You form strong, mutually beneficial relationships with the hospitals in your area to allow valuable treatment and referral options for your patients.
- House calls provide an option for clients (and sometimes patients) who would otherwise be limited in their ability to get to a brick-and-mortar hospital for veterinary care.
Cheers to all vets out there who provide excellent care for their patients both in home and in clinics.
Here is a related article from 2012.