Registering and the first visit
A first visit involves registration: your details, the animal's details, and its history. Having the vaccination record with you saves a great deal of guessing, and if you have brought the animal from abroad the import paperwork matters.
Clinics vary in whether they take appointments or work on a walk-in basis, so it is worth asking when you call.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 初めてなんですが、診てもらえますか。 | Hajimete nan desu ga, mite moraemasu ka. | It is our first visit; can you see us? |
| 予約は必要ですか。 | Yoyaku wa hitsuyō desu ka. | Is an appointment necessary? |
| 三歳のオスの猫です。 | San-sai no osu no neko desu. | A three-year-old male cat. |
| ワクチンの記録があります。 | Wakuchin no kiroku ga arimasu. | I have the vaccination record. |
| 海外から連れてきました。 | Kaigai kara tsurete kimashita. | I brought them from abroad. |
| 避妊手術は済んでいます。 | Hinin shujutsu wa sunde imasu. | They have been spayed. |
Describing symptoms
Since the patient cannot describe anything, the useful information is behavioural: changes in eating, drinking, energy, movement and toilet habits. Those are describable with ordinary vocabulary.
Timing matters as much as the symptom. When it started and whether it is worsening are the two questions that will certainly be asked.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 昨日から元気がありません。 | Kinō kara genki ga arimasen. | They have had no energy since yesterday. |
| ご飯を食べません。 | Gohan o tabemasen. | They are not eating. |
| 水をたくさん飲みます。 | Mizu o takusan nomimasu. | They are drinking a lot of water. |
| 何度も吐いています。 | Nando mo haite imasu. | They have vomited several times. |
| 歩き方がおかしいです。 | Arukikata ga okashii desu. | They are walking strangely. |
| ここを触ると嫌がります。 | Koko o sawaru to iyagarimasu. | They dislike being touched here. |
Pointing at where the animal reacts is worth more than any sentence. Show the vet the spot rather than describing its location.
The questions you will be asked
Vets work through a standard set of questions, and preparing the answers means you are choosing from what you know rather than composing under stress.
Have the answers ready before you go, including approximate quantities where you can.
| Question | What they want | Prepare |
|---|---|---|
| When did it start | A date or a day | The exact day if possible |
| Eating and drinking | How much, compared to normal | A rough amount |
| Toilet | Any change | Frequency and appearance |
| Energy level | Compared to normal | A description |
| Vaccinations | What and when | The record |
| Food | What you feed | The brand or a photo |
A photo of the food packet answers the last question instantly and is easier than reading out a brand name in Japanese.
Understanding the diagnosis and the cost
Veterinary care in Japan is paid in full at the time unless you have taken out pet insurance, and tests add up quickly. Asking about cost before agreeing is normal and is not read as reluctance to treat.
It is also worth asking what happens next and what to watch for at home, because that is the part most easily missed under stress.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 検査は必要ですか。 | Kensa wa hitsuyō desu ka. | Are tests necessary? |
| 費用はどのくらいになりますか。 | Hiyō wa dono kurai ni narimasu ka. | Roughly how much will it cost? |
| 今日はいくらぐらいですか。 | Kyō wa ikura gurai desu ka. | About how much for today? |
| 家で気をつけることはありますか。 | Ie de ki o tsukeru koto wa arimasu ka. | Is there anything to watch for at home? |
| また来たほうがいいですか。 | Mata kita hō ga ii desu ka. | Should we come back? |
| 薬はどうやってあげますか。 | Kusuri wa dō yatte agemasu ka. | How do I give the medicine? |
Routine care
Most visits are routine: vaccinations, parasite prevention, a check-up, or the annual heartworm test for dogs. These are predictable conversations and the vocabulary is small.
Dogs in Japan also require registration with the local authority and an annual rabies vaccination, which the clinic will usually handle or advise on.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ワクチンをお願いします。 | Wakuchin o onegai shimasu. | A vaccination, please. |
| ノミとダニの薬をください。 | Nomi to dani no kusuri o kudasai. | Flea and tick medicine, please. |
| フィラリアの検査もお願いします。 | Firaria no kensa mo onegai shimasu. | The heartworm test as well, please. |
| 爪を切ってもらえますか。 | Tsume o kitte moraemasu ka. | Could you trim their claws? |
| 次はいつ来ればいいですか。 | Tsugi wa itsu kureba ii desu ka. | When should we come next? |
| 証明書をいただけますか。 | Shōmeisho o itadakemasu ka. | Could I have a certificate? |
Preparing before you need it
The emergency version of this conversation is the one worth preparing, because it happens at short notice and while you are worried, which is the worst combination for producing a second language.
Two things help. Find out from your regular clinic, in advance, where the nearest night and holiday emergency service is, and save the number. And rehearse the four core sentences: what is wrong, since when, eating and drinking, and what changed.
Practising those with an AI Sensei in Unihongo's immersive 3D classroom takes ten minutes on a calm day and means they are available on a bad one, which is the whole argument for rehearsing anything you hope not to need.
Keep the vaccination record, the clinic number and the emergency number in one place on your phone. Looking for them is the last thing you want to be doing.