The Top Questions to Ask Your Veterinarian
Whether you’re at a routine checkup or addressing specific concerns, asking the right questions can help ensure your pet receives the best possible care. Here are the top 10 questions every pet owner should ask their veterinarian, and how we would answer them here at Tri-County Animal Hospital.
1. Are you a full-service animal hospital?
Yes, Tri-County Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinary hospital serving Wayne, NJ and surrounding communities for over 14 years. We specialize in comprehensive care for dogs and cats of all ages and sizes. Our mission: “Your Vet For Life” means our mission is to provide consistent, high-quality veterinary care in a welcoming, family-friendly environment.
2. What services do you offer:
At Tri-County Animal Hospital, we offer all of the services your pet needs to be healthy, including:
- Wellness and general veterinary medicine
- Comprehensive exams
- Vaccinations
- Spays/neuters
- Digital X-Ray/ultrasound
- Full-Service surgical suite allowing us to perform soft tissue surgeries, spay/neuter surgery and orthopedic surgery
- In-House laboratory
- Dentistry
- In hospital pharmacy
For a full list of the services we offer at Tri-County Animal Hospital, please visit our veterinary services page.
3. How long have you been a veterinarian?
The veterinarians at Tri-County Animal Hospital, Dr. Howard Silberman and Dr. Christina Torres, have 35 years of combined veterinary care experience. We also partner with Board-Certified veterinarians to make sure all pets get the best care possible.
4. If my pet is having an emergency, what’s your emergency protocol?
Knowing whether your veterinarian can handle an emergency during normal business hours and where to take your pet after practice hours is critical to a pet owner’s piece of mind. At Tri-County Animal Hospital, if you have an Emergency during normal business hours, contact us immediately at (973) 831-2426 so that we can assist you and prepare for your arrival. On our website, we have recommended after-hours emergency hospitals for you to consider. We recommend you select the closest recommended hospital near you.
5. What preventive care does my pet need?
At Tri-County Animal Hospital, we believe that pro-active wellness care keeps dogs and cats healthier for a longer life with you. Wellness care includes regular exams, routine bloodwork (for baseline values) vaccines, parasite prevention (fleas, ticks, heartworm), and dental care appropriate for your pet’s age and lifestyle. Learn more about the canine wellness care and feline wellness care offered at Tri-County Animal Hospital in Wayne, NJ.
6. How often should my pet have checkups?
The frequency of exams for each pet depends on their age and health status. Puppies and kittens need more frequent visits than healthy adults. We recommend that healthy adult dogs and cats should have an annual exam, and senior pets should have a bi-annual exam.
7. Is my pet at a healthy weight?
Many pets are overweight without owners realizing it. We are happy to evaluate your pet’s weight and overall body condition score at your pet’s wellness visit and provide guidance on proper diet and portion sizes to keep your pet healthy.
8. What should I be feeding my pet?
Any veterinarian should, and especially the veterinarians at Tri-County Animal Hospital are, very happy to discuss your pet’s nutrition and nutritional needs during your wellness exam. Ask them about food quality, quantity, frequency that would be best for your dog or cat, and whether your pet would benefit from any special diets based on their age, breed, or health conditions.
9. Do I need to worry about my pet’s teeth? How can I keep my pet’s teeth healthy?
Dental disease is extremely common and can affect overall health. Pet dental care involves everything from at-home teeth brushing and dental chews to professional cleanings by our veterinarians, helping your dog or cat maintain healthy teeth and gums for life. For more information about the pet dental provided at Tri-County Animal Hospital, please visit our pet dental care page.
10. Why Does Pet Dental Care Matter?
1. Prevents Dental Disease
Regular dental care can stop common conditions like periodontal disease, gingivitis, and tooth decay before they start. Left untreated, these problems can cause pain, difficulty eating, and tooth loss.
2. Protects Overall Health
Oral health is directly connected to your pet’s heart, liver, and kidneys. Bacteria from untreated dental issues can travel through the bloodstream, leading to serious health concerns.
3. Improves Quality of Life
Healthy teeth mean your pet can chew, play, and enjoy their food without discomfort—keeping tails wagging and purrs coming.
4. Allows Early Detection of Disease
Routine dental exams give our veterinary team a chance to spot early signs of oral disease, infections, or even growths that could signal more serious conditions.
11. What symptoms or behaviors should prompt an emergency visit?
Knowing what’s urgent versus what can wait helps you respond appropriately when something seems wrong. Urgent care and emergency care differ mainly in the severity of the conditions they treat.
Urgent care is for non-life-threatening issues that still require prompt attention, such as:
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
- Loss of appetite for more than 24 hours
- Bleeding
- Sprains, limping, lameness, or difficulty walking
- Minor cuts, wounds or abrasions
- Ear infections (redness, discharge, odor, scratching)
- Eye discharge, redness, or squinting
- Skin infections, hot spots, or rashes
- Coughing, sneezing, or mild breathing changes
- Minor wounds, cuts, or abrasions
- Increased thirst or urination
- Sudden change in behavior or energy level
Emergency care, on the other hand, is for serious or life-threatening situations like
- Chest pain, difficulty breathing or choking or
- Difficulty breathing or choking
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Major injuries.
- Seizures
- Collapse, fainting, or inability to stand
- Suspected poisoning or ingestion of toxins
- Severe trauma (hit by car, fall, large wound)
- Bloating or distended abdomen (especially in dogs)
- Inability to urinate or straining with no result
- Pale, blue, or gray gums
- Sudden extreme pain, distress, or unresponsiveness
In short, urgent care handles immediate but less critical medical needs, while emergency care is designed for true medical emergencies that could be life- or limb-threatening.
12. I’m thinking about getting a puppy, are there any breed-specific issues I should watch for?
Different breeds and life stages have different risks. Early awareness helps with prevention and early detection. Please see our article titled: The 10 Dog Breeds Most Prone to Health Problems (and How to Help Them Thrive) for the list of breeds.
13. I’m thinking about getting a kitten, are there any breed-specific issues I should watch for?
Different breeds and life stages have different risks. Early awareness helps with prevention and early detection. Please see our article titled: The 10 Cat Breeds Most Prone to Health Problems (and How to Protect Them) for the list of breeds.
14. Is my pet’s behavior normal?
Whether it’s excessive scratching, changes in appetite, lethargy, or anything unusual, behavioral changes can signal health problems. We urge our clients to call us if they notice anything unusual about their pet’s behavior, especially change in appetite.
We hope we have helped pet owners make the best decisions when choosing a veterinarian and at each veterinary visit. By having a list of top questions to ask your veterinarian, it will improve communication, promote better pet health, and prevent costly mistakes. It ensures important topics like diet, behavior, and preventive care aren’t overlooked, and builds owners’ confidence and knowledge to strengthen the relationship between vet and client—leading to more personalized, proactive care for their pets.
