(Newswire.net — January 20, 2014) Meridian, Idaho —
There is no doubt about it, people love their pets. The beloved four-legged friends have long since transcended the role of a mouser or a working dog. Today, pets are considered family members, albeit family members with more hair than their human counterparts. As science has uncovered some more truths about animal consciousness and emotions, the bond between human and animal has grown considerably. While there are certainly still some animals with jobs (catching mice and herding cattle, just to name a few), people share relationships with their furry companions much like they share relationships with other human beings.
The shift in attitude that people have been displaying toward their pets has resulted in a greater demand for more highly specialized care for their animal companions. As a result, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) now recognizes 40 different types of veterinary care specialties. The AVMA also serves as an umbrella organization for the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (AVBS) which contains approximately 11 thousand veterinarians certified in different areas of expertise.
According to Dr. Robert Ormond, DVM, of the Linder Pet Medical Care clinic (http://www.meridianveterinarian.com) located in Meridian, ID, traditional veterinarians are recognizing this push to meet the specific needs of each pet as well as to meet the needs of certain medical conditions. Dr. Ormond states, “The push to specialization is rapidly becoming a reality, and many general practitioners limit their work to routine cases and refer others to specialists.”
The emergence of different veterinary specialties not only allows veterinarians to focus their areas of expertise, but it also allows pet owners to enjoy more time with their beloved four-legged family members. As veterinarians continue to focus their attention to a specific area of pet health and wellness
In the past, bringing a pet to a veterinary specialist often meant an extreme financial burden and lengthy distances to travel. It meant that people were often unable to get the care necessary to treat certain pet health problems. However, with more and more veterinarians opting to focus on an area of expertise, most pet owners can find a qualified specialist closer to home. And because more veterinarians are choosing to specialize, it also makes treatment for pets with specific needs much more affordable for the average pet owner. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org), “Board-certified specialists are ready to serve the public, its animals, and the veterinary profession by providing high quality service in disciplines as varied as internal medicine, surgery, preventive medicine, toxicology, dentistry, behavior, and pathology.”
For many pet owners, the broad areas of expertise allow them to obtain specialized care for a very special family member, and it makes a lot of sense. A parent wouldn’t take their child to a doctor for a toothache in most cases, instead they would visit somebody who specializes in caring for their teeth. So why bring a horse to a veterinarian who routinely deals with dogs and cats? While most veterinarians will have the skills and the knowledge to handle any routine and general health care issues with a pet, a specialist is apt to be well-versed in the species of animal or the specific condition and may be better able to treat a beloved family pet.
Dr. Ormond (http://meridianveterinarian.com/) suggests “As veterinary specialties continue to grow, we can expect our pets’ life spans to also grow.” As veterinarians narrow their focus to specific specialties and needs, understanding of what keeps a pet with their human companions longer also emerges. The combination of more responsible pet ownership, better nutrition and understanding of pets’ needs, as well as more emerging veterinary specialties has the potential to keep pets healthier for much longer.
http://meridianveterinarian.com/