By Anne Chauvet, DVM, DAVCIM, Neurology
Questions and answers without an exam, is that legal?
The greatest challenge we face in medicine is giving unsolicited advice. We always want to help. After all we picked our careers to help and work ungodly hours unselfishly to be there for the four legged companions our clients cherish. Often that advice is not welcome or we tread on thin ice, perhaps contradicting previously received advice. It is hard for us to drive by a lame dog on its morning walk and not stop, roll down the window, and ask about the lameness. Who knows, we might have a solution. But really we need to stay clear of that and mind out business. Perhaps the best way to go about it is wear a T-shirt or put a magnet on our cars “I am a veterinarian, so ask me a question about your pet….yes you need to ask me a question about your pet….yes, something is wrong with you pet….I CAN SEE IT! ASK!”
Well, no! We cannot do this either and it is best for us to wait for the questions. The best questions are the ones we get during our examination of the pet and after we deliver a diagnosis or a plan for diagnostics. We get a chance to help and guide in the decision process for the health of the pet. Those questions can be and should be answered fully, with diagrams if possible, hand-outs if you have, internet links may be.
The questions that we need to answer with great care are the ones that do not accompany a pet physical exam and come from your well-meaning neighbor or from a caller that just wants help without having to come in for an exam. Here are some points to consider whether you are the veterinarian or the caller:
• It is illegal to give medical advice without a patient-client-doctor relationship.
• The veterinarian is liable if the advice is given, the client follows it and the outcome is poor. Note that if the outcome is great, you still do not get a reward nor a paycheck
• Veterinarians go to school for 8-13 years to get their degree and specialty diploma. This is not without large bills and school loans. Their greatest asset is their knowledge and it is simply bad business to give it away and then be held accountable for it.
• As the owner of the pet, you may think the veterinarian helping you on the phone knows what you are seeing or experiencing but he/she is not. Your questions and perception may not be accurate and thus the response may not be fitting.
• You would not call your doctor and ask for advice on the phone without making an appointment. Chances are you will not even be able to speak to the doctor at all either before or after the appointment. Yet, as clients we expect to speak to the veterinarian directly and expect free advice at all times.
• If the advice you get on the phone is wrong, you may run into complication with your pet’s health and that would be the worst thing. So it is better to meet with your vet, pay a consultation fee and get the accurate evaluation.
• If we feel, as veterinarians, that we have to help you and answer your question, it is best for us to stay neutral. For example, if discussing an allergic reaction after vaccination elsewhere, you may get something along the line of “I am not able to examine your pet and thus cannot, legally, give you any advice on what to do. However, in general, dogs that get vaccines can have reactions and it is not uncommon that they can be treated with Benadryl and steroids. Sometimes they need to have these medications intravenously and go to the ER for such treatments.”
We as veterinarians took an oath “above all, do no harm!” and we take it very seriously. We are here for you and your loved ones and all our education and investment is there to keep your family together.
Dr. Anne Chauvet is a diplomate in the ACVIM – specialty of Neurology and has been practicing Neurology and neurosurgery for the past twenty-six years. Dr. Chauvet graduated from veterinary School in 1990 at 22 years of age and completed her residency by 25 years of age. She is an accomplished speaker that has worked in private practice and been on staff at the University of Wisconsin. For more information about this article or its author, please contact us at [email protected]