Why doctors and dogs should not mix on house visits to patients. This might seem a strange topic to discuss but it is important to health professionals and is something they don’t teach you about in medical school. Bottom line: always ensure the dog is in a separate room when you do a house call.
It’s very common when you arrive at a house to be do a home visit to be greeted by the sound of barking dogs. The owners will always try to reassure you that the dogs are "just being friendly" and are "harmless". Ignore them and insist the dogs are put in another room before you enter.
This sometimes causes resentment with the patient who often views the dog as a much-loved, close family member that is perfectly entitled to be present in the room while the patient has their consultation with the doctor. Do not give in to this pressure.
It is very difficult to carry out a clinical consultation while you have a dog (sometimes several dogs) jumping all over you, distracting you from your work, and getting in your way. And we are often talking here about very large dogs, not just small poodles and terriers.
I’ve been fortunate and never had a "bad dog experience" during a home visit. But many colleagues have reported they have been bitten, had their clothes or equipment chewed; and sometimes even been urinated on. Having the dog in a separate room eliminates these risks. Prevention is better than cure.
If you have reached this far in blog, you have probably realised that I am not a “dog person”. Anyone who loves dogs and knows more about them than me is welcome to offer alternative suggestions about how to minimise the risks from dogs during house calls.
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