LIFE-SKILLS ENGLISH FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS: SEEING THE VETERINARIAN

VOCABULARY BUILDER:

Prescription = A piece of paper on which a doctor writes which medication he/she recommends

Spaying/neutering = Making an animal unable to reproduce (have children); Spaying and neutering is an important step in controlling the number of unwanted pets.

Vet = Short for "veterinarian"

To put to sleep = To end a life; a veterinarian can put a terminally ill and suffering animal to sleep

THINGS TO LISTEN FOR:

All his shots are up to date. = The animal has been vaccinated regularly.

You can give her a mild sedative. = You can give her something to calm her down a little.

Your dog is overweight. = Your dog weighs more than he should; he's a little fat.

You don't feed him enough. = You don't give him enough food.

Book a follow-up visit for next week. = Arrange for another visit to the vet to check how the animal is doing.