by Robin Webster, DVM

As much as we enjoy the challenge of trying to diagnose based on our client’s imitations of the noises their pet was making or the way they were walking, we’d like to suggest a more reliable way! We all use the video feature of our smart phones to record the cute/funny antics that our pets perform, right?

However our smart phones aren’t just for fun—they can provide pertinent medical information to our veterinary staff. If the pet is “making a strange noise”, breathing funny, walking funny, twitching or spasming, etc., owners need to take a quick video before coming to the vet. Sometimes the event has ended by the time the pet reaches the hospital and having the event recorded may help the veterinarian determine what has happened or what diagnostics need to be performed.

So record those symptoms with your smart phone (or whatever recording device you have) and show us what you’ve captured. It may even help save your pet’s life.