It happens to the very best of us: missed appointments. Whether you’ve blown dentist appointments, real estate showings or job interviews, don’t feel too bad. Don’t beat yourself up too much because everybody misses appointments. Life, after all, is what happens when you have other plans.
Unfortunately, if you miss an appointment, it’s very easy to keep rescheduling it. This happens to too many people because they realize that they have so many other things that they have to take care of. We all have duties and responsibilities and it’s very easy for these to just throw our priorities and schedules off track.
Unfortunately, you can only put off dog vaccinations for so long until you put your pet’s health at risk. If you love your pet, you need to be proactive in ensuring that you show up with your pet for scheduled dog vaccinations.
This is easier said than done. We’ve all been there. We’ve put up post-it notes on the refrigerator door. We’ve even filled in our daily planners several times, but we end up blowing these appointments.
Here are six tips that can help you get your pet’s regularly scheduled dog vaccinations done on time. Make no mistake about it blown vaccination appointments at the vet can have serious consequences for your pet.
Tip #1: Schedule Way in Advance
Schedule other stuff around your pet’s preset appointment instead of the other way around. Too many pet owners would schedule dog vaccinations on days filled with preexisting appointments. Since these other appointments tend to have higher priority or are less negotiable and flexible than vet appointments, don’t be surprised if you keep kicking the can down the road as far as dog vaccinations go.
Do yourself and your pet a big favor and schedule way in advance. Preset the dog vaccinations and set up other appointments around that main event. This way, when you look at your planner, you would know that your pet’s vet visit is a top priority.
Tip #2: Schedule Your Dog Vaccination on a Day You’ll Easily Remember
When you have so many things in your brain, it’s very easy to overlook errands. It’s not unusual for pet owners to view vet visits as yet another errand. This is a serious problem because your dog needs regular vaccinations to stay in tiptop shape. Unfortunately, when your mind is so focused on other errands or appointments, your pet’s appointment can easily fall between the cracks.
To avoid this problem, schedule your dog’s vaccination on somebody’s birthday, a working holiday or some sort of special event which reduces your workload or appointment load. Usually, when people are celebrating their birthdays or the birthday of somebody near to them, they tend to clear a lot of stuff off their plate. These types of occasions might be ideal for dog vaccination appointments.
Of course, this depends on the allowable vaccination period. Talk to your vet to make sure that the special day you have in mind for your pet’s vaccination is within the allowable vaccination time window.
Tip #3: Pick a Holiday
The great thing about scheduling pet trips to the vet on holidays is the fact that you’re guaranteed an off day. Unless you work from home or you’re a freelancer, your 9-to-5 job is probably not very forgiving as far as your appointments are concerned. If you schedule your pet’s next trip to the vet during a regular workday, don’t be surprised if something pops up and you have to be somewhere else very quickly. Avoid last-minute or unscheduled interruptions to your present plans by picking a holiday for your pet’s next visit to the vet.
Tip #4: Mark Your Dog’s Birthday with Grooming Treats and Shots
If you’re serious about never blowing appointments for dog vaccinations ever again, schedule it on your pet’s birthday. Usually, pet owners would treat their four-legged furry companions to a nice mix of grooming and treats during their special day. Why not go all the way and take your pet first to a doggie park, get your pet groomed and let your pet enjoy some treats and end the day with a trip to the vet.
Make sure you get clearance from your vet ahead of time so the shots can be scheduled properly. Depending of the time of grooming you have in mind for your pet, it might be a good idea to schedule the shots last during your dog’s birthday.
Tip #5: Schedule Ahead of a Vacation
Most people have a tough time keeping appointments when other scheduled appointments crowd out that specific date. It’s too easy to forget, but most people remember when they will take a vacation. Since you know the start date of your vacation, schedule your dog vaccinations slightly ahead of the start of your vacation trip. This gives you a “mental map” of your four-legged companion’s trip to the vet. It’s hard to blow that appointment because it’s so close to your vacation. You know when your vacation starts so it’s highly likely that you would also remember appointments you have set before that date.
Tip #6: Set Several Alarms with Your Mobile Devices
You probably have a calendar app on your mobile phone or tablet. Use that app to set up several alarms. If you are reading this blog post, you have probably blown through a few calendar app alarms. This happened because you probably set up the alarm once. Do yourself a big favor and stagger your alarms based on how close you get to your scheduled dog vaccinations. This way you get several reminders instead of just a one shot at getting your pet to the vet.
Keep the six tips above in mind if you’re struggling with showing up at the vet as scheduled. It can get quite stressful but if you follow the six tips above, you can go a long way in ensuring your pet’s optimal health by making sure your furry friend gets his or her regularly scheduled shots.
