Hi, everyone!

I'm Georgiana, founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help YOU to speak English fluently and confidently.

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In today's lesson, you'll learn how to talk about pets. And you're a dog or a cat owner, you'll find out what to do before bringing them to the vet.

And right after that, you'll practice your English speaking with a funny mini-story.

Do you have a pet? I'm proud to own a beautiful white female dog. When she was younger, she used to be incredibly active and playful, but now, sadly, she's getting older, so she needs to see a vet more often than before.

Whenever we wanna know more about pets, we usually ask about their breed. The word "breed" has several meanings. For example, if I say that my dog is a White Swiss Shepherd, then I'm talking about her breed, which reveals the type of dog she is and her origins. The breed of an animal indicates its average height, its type of coat and can even give us a little insight into its personality. We also use the word "breed" differently. For instance, people who raise animals are called breeders.

Since we're talking about pets, I wanna point something out. Many students have asked me if they had to use the pronoun "it" when talking about animals. I just wanted to say that it's not always a rule you have to follow; if you already know the gender of the animal, you can use "she" or "he" just like when you're talking about people.

The connection between you and your pet is usually a special one, and the more time you spend with them, the stronger the bond between the two becomes. You rejoice when you see them playing and running, but you also suffer when their health is at risk.

Taking our pets to the vet for a routine check-up or a health problem can be a very hard time because of how much we love them.

To make it easier every time I take my dog to the vet, I usually prepare things in advance. In these stressful circumstances, it's really vital that your animal remains as relaxed and stress-free as possible.

Every time I take my dog to the vet, I try to stay relaxed; otherwise, she'll feel like she's in trouble. Most pets, and especially dogs and cats, have all the time in the world to observe us. They establish certain routines. Therefore, it's easy for them to sense when something different is going on.

And since my dog can anticipate my actions, I had to learn to trick her over the years. Therefore, before going to the vet, I take her for a long walk, and after that, I give her some treats. I've noticed that she can cope much better with stressful situations after getting some exercise.

I also learned that it's essential to schedule an appointment with the vet as soon as possible and, above all, to get there on time. Whenever I arrive at the clinic, I take my dog directly to the examination room. If she has to spend too much time in the waiting room, she can get nervous or anxious.

When you go to the vet, remember to bring a copy of your pet's medical records, especially if it's your first visit. The veterinarian will need to learn a little more about your pet, and like that, you won't have to remember every detail of your pet's medical history and vaccines.

I know it's easier said than done, especially if your pet is sick, and you're worried about it, but as I said before, your pet may sense your fear or anxiety, so unless you want him or her to get agitated, try to stay calm during your visit and act as natural as possible.

On the other hand, sometimes, you may feel completely overwhelmed with the visit and may not be able to pay attention to all the details or remember everything the vet told you. My advice is to call the vet right after you get home to make sure you haven't missed any critical piece of information. I assure you that you'll feel much better after making that call.

At times going to the vet can be traumatic, and unfortunately, I'm speaking from experience. I've had another dog not too long ago, and on one occasion, he's had an infection near his brain. In those critical circumstances, it was impossible for me to stay calm. I remember calling the vet in the middle of the night and not being able to say anything for more than 2 minutes. I panicked because in only a few hours, his head became swollen, and he was lying on the floor with a high fever. That night I took him to the animal hospital where he was immediately hospitalized. He stayed in the hospital for several days. The first day he was prepared for surgery, and after the procedure, he needed intensive care.

When he was finally discharged, I took him home and gave him the necessary medicines to help him get well. The good news is that he became healthy again, but I'll never forget this horrible moment that seemed to last for all eternity.

It goes without saying that owning a pet makes us vulnerable. They are just like children, but sometimes even more fragile. Going to the vet with our pets isn't always easy, but fortunately, most of the time, it's just for a routine check-up.

I truly hope that you're enjoying yourself. Let's move on to the next section.

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Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.

Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.

See the Courses →One payment · Downloadable lessons