Maha, a cat parent in Lahore, took out the jet box from her storage room and called out her aged cat that was hiding under the bed, dreading what lay ahead. Urinating in the box was the only way the cat knew how to delay the trip to the vet.

With a timid look in his eyes the cat let Maha pick him up but before she could do so, he had done the deed.

This is a very common occurrence in houses where cats and dogs are kept as pets. Paying a visit to a veterinary clinic is a trauma for the animal, even if the doctor is really friendly with them. Every dog or cat reacts differently — some howl and bite while others hide in the farthest corner of the box. And then there are those that refuse to budge from the car seat. In such instances, vets offering house-call services are the only option left to ensure the wellbeing of the pets, as the animals can now be treated in the comfort of their familiar environments.

Today, medical doctors making house calls is a rarity rather than a norm. However, a number of vets in Lahore have started providing house-call services to check up, treat and groom pets. A relatively new concept in Pakistan, it is standard practice internationally. It makes life easier for pets and their owners, especially women for whom mobility is an issue.

Alpha Vets Mobile Services is one such facility in Lahore. They look after a diverse range of pets, from canine, feline and equestrian to exotic and large animals. Clients can schedule an appointment with them and in case of emergency the owners can call Dr Arjumand Yar Malik (at Alpha Vets) directly.

Explaining why house visits are good for the pets, Dr Malik says, “It reduces stress for the owners and their pets. However, sometimes the clinic visits cannot be avoided. It is still helpful for the owners to know what to expect.”

Currently, they are providing breed specific grooming services, vaccination, deworming, low-cost neutering and spaying. Soon ECG, ultrasound and endoscopy will be added to the list.

All illnesses or procedures cannot be taken care of at home. As Dr Taimoor Saleem of the Vets Animal Hospital, puts it, “Spaying, neutering or performing any other procedures where anesthesia is required, out of clinic, is a big no for us.”

Mrs Malik, a resident of Muslim Town, is a parent of three cats — one Persian and two strays. She says she can’t take them to the clinic every time due to various constraints, so she calls a doctor from Healthy Pets to come over and check her pets. “The doctors take their time, so I get my cats dewormed and groomed at home, and if things get serious I take them to the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS).”

House visits are an attractive facility. However, all illnesses and procedures cannot be taken care of at home, even if that means putting the animal through some trauma. The animal’s life is more important than the inconvenience. As Dr Taimoor Saleem of The Vets Animal Hospital, Lahore, puts it: “Other than checkup, grooming and deworming, I am not in favour of operative procedures at home.

“Spaying, neutering or performing any other procedures where anesthesia is required, out of clinic, is a big no for us,” he adds. “The reason we set up clinics is for our patients to be treated in a safe, sterilised and fully equipped environment. If anything goes wrong, we can immediately take the steps necessary to overcome the situation. During a house visit this can be very risky.”

Dr Saleem also talks of cases where families got their pets operated on cheaply at home, but this resulted in health issues and eventually the pet had to be rushed to emergency. “In some circumstances, it may be too late to save the animal’s life,” he warns.

While you hear positive stories, there are negative ones too. Bezuban, a cat shelter in Lahore was home to nearly 250 cats, and their experience wasn’t a very pleasant one. Talking to TNS, Fahad from Bezuban says, “For our 250-odd cats, we appointed a vet who assured us that he will visit us on alternate days and give proper checkups to the cats. Sadly, we had to let him go after only a fortnight, due to his lax attitude.”

Some people routinely use social media to rant about their issues with vets, but all their stories may be one-sided. According to an article published recently in Time magazine, pressure and cyber bullying take their toll on the vets’ own mental health. In the US, a number of vets are reported to have committed suicide. When Dr Sophia Yin, a vet, committed suicide in 2014, it triggered a campaign, aptly titled “Not One More Vet (NOMV).”

In the words of Dr Saleem, “In our profession, we are constantly on our toes, and we cannot afford to get involved in such arguments. People do not understand that such posts impact our mental health. Why would we want to kill an animal, we are trained to save their lives.”

In order to avoid any unfortunate incident, one may make a few inquiries to ensure that everything goes well when the vet is in the house. For instance, ask one’s friends and family for recommendations, go through the doctor’s profile on social media; if they have a clinic, pay it a visit; and if the doctor asks one to bring the animal to the clinic, listen to their advice.

The writer is an   independent journalist, based in Lahore. She tweets @umaimablogger