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5 Tips For Choosing the Best Vet For Your Dog
If you haven’t already found one, or worked with one in the
past, you need to find a vet. Pick one you feel comfortable with,
and who answers your questions in full, completely and gives you
answers you can understand. You don’t need a vet who talks
down to you, or acts like you’re too dumb to understand what
they’re saying!
Find a vet, if possible, who specializes in small animals (as
opposed to one who treats large and small – like horses, cows,
cats and dogs.) Your community may only have vets that do a little
bit of everything – and there’s nothing wrong with that,
if that’s all that’s available, but I’ll remind you
– you usually go to a specialist for your health issues,
don’t you?
If you’re new in the community, or haven’t needed a vet
before – word of mouth is a great way to start looking for a
new vet. Ask everybody you can get your hands on – co-workers,
friends with pets, local humane societies or shelters. Ask
questions: are they happy with their vet? Do they like the way
they’re treated when they take their dogs in?
If your dog is a particular breed, check with the local or state
breed associations to find out who they use, or local breeders.
This can be especially useful if you buy a puppy from a local
breeder, because the vet will have seen your puppy and know at
least some of his history.
You may want a holistic vet. Go to their website at www.ahvma.org
and check out their referral directory. Or contact them via phone
at (410) 569-0795
You may also be interested in a veterinarian who has been trained
in acupuncture through the International Veterinary Acupuncture XE
"Acupuncture" Society. Log onto their website XE "International
Veterinary Acupuncture Society" at http://www.ivas.org or call
970-266-0666. Once you have a referral from someone you trust, here
are some questions to ask:
1. What services does the vet offer?
Is it a one-doctor office, or a multi-doctor practice? As vets try
to streamline services many are consolidating practices and forming
partnerships and group practices. There’s nothing wrong with
this – just be aware that you may not always see the same vet.
And find out if they offer 24 hour emergency services, or if he or
she is affiliated with someone in the area who does. Like
everything else in life, illness or accidents don’t always
happen between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
2. Does the vet offer a full surgery suite with on-site lab work?
X-rays? Ultrasound?
If the vet has to send all lab tests to an outside agency to be
processed, you may be getting popped with additional charges
because those tests aren’t being performed or processed
in-house.
3. Get a fee schedule.
Cost is usually one of the biggest considerations for dog owners,
and it should be lowest on the list of importance, at least in my
mind. Not because cost isn’t important – of course it is,
but - if you have a vet that you’re happy with – who
gives your dog the best care you can possibly find in your area
– does paying a little extra for that care really matter in
the long run?
4. Check out the physical characteristics of the facility.
Is it clean, or does it smell? Are the ads or magazines in the
waiting room current? (That may not sound important, but if the
staff and doctors aren’t keeping up-to-date on the latest and
greatest information, this may not be the place you want to bring
your dog.)
5. Communication – by that I mean how well does your vet
communicate with you?
Will he or she explain the condition or illness in terms that you
can easily understand, or do they try to confuse you with high-tech
or medical jargon? A good vet will go over treatment options with
you, explain necessary tests, review x-rays or test results, give
complete and clear instructions for home care or further testing
requirements, etc.
Take your time to do a complete and thorough evaluation before
choosing a new vet. Your dog’s life literally depends on what
choice you make. Make it a careful one.
About the Author: Author, "Dog Training Secrets!"
To transform your stubborn, misbehaving dog into a loyal, well-behaving "best friend" who obeys your every command and is the envy of the neighborhood, visit: http://tinyurl.com/6u2cj
