House Calls for Pets Gaining Popularity

More and more businesses are catering to customers these days and coming up with ways to survive in a cash-strapped society.  And for some doctors and veterinarians, that includes a return to house calls. 

These days, Dr. Jennifer Kolb just stops by Riverview Animal Hospital to pick up her supplies.  Her stay is barely long enough to grab the toolbox she uses for a medical bag.  "We keep kind of the basics in here, alcohol, catheters, catheter caps," she says. 

Then it's out the door and on the road.  And Kolb wouldn't have it any other way.  "I love animals and I love people," she says.  "And I particularly like to watch people with their animals."  Kolb is not the only veterinarian in town to make house calls, but believes she's the first that performs them full-time.  Her days are spent going door to door for dogs and cats.  Today's appointment is in Brainerd for 14-week-old kittens Sugar and Spice.  Their mom Sharon Hale couldn't be happier that she didn't have to corral her cats in the car.  "Because it's a lot easier than trying to load them all up and transport them in the car and get them there," Hale says. 

Kolb says there are advantages to visiting an animal in it's home environment.  Not only does it seem to calm nerves of both the animals and the owners, she can also diagnose diseases and other problems more accurately.  "Do they have enough scratching posts? Or the toys? What particularly are they scratching on? Are they just scratching on everything?"  Kolb likes to look at the entire picture. 

Of course it isn't always pain-free for the animals or the owners.  That's because Kolb can also perform euthanasia in homes.  But what better place to say goodbye than in a familiar spot?  "I remember thinking what I wouldn't give to have him in his dog bed and me holding him," she recalls of putting her own jack russell terrier to sleep.  "And for him to be totally comfortable and I'm the last face he sees."

Today's visit with Sugar and Spice is much happier.  Before too long, the two have forgotten about the shots they just received and chasing around a laser pen.  "We did a rabies shot and we did a vaccination and we did their first leukemia vaccination," says Kolb.

And within a few minutes, Kolb's job is done and she's walking back down the front steps.  Back to the office.  Or in her case, jumping into a red jeep.

For home appointments, Kolb and Riverview charge the same as a hospital visit, with an additional fee depending on how far she has to travel.  Typically that starts out around $50.  But she can also see multiple animals on one visit, for just one charge.  If you have questions about house calls, contact Riverview by clicking here.