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How to Choose A Vet

10/6/2012

8 Comments

 
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Hobo ( My Little Man)
How to choose a vet

Your vet is a pretty significant figure in your dog’s life – and thus, in yours. Hopefully, you’ll only ever need him or her for routine checkups and preventative procedures, but just in case, it’s worth taking the time to develop a good relationship with a suitable vet, before you need their services.


WHERE TO  LOOK

Sure, you could just pick a vet at random from the Yellow Pages or from an Internet search; but having the right vet is crucial to your dog’s health and
happiness (and, presumably, this plays at least some part in your own happiness and peace of mind as an owner, right?) Think about it this way: if you were trying to choose a doctor for yourself, would you be happy to just select one at random from an impersonal list? Probably not. You’d want somebody who comes highly recommended – somebody you feel like you can trust. Your vet isn’t just your dog’s doctor; he or she is also the dentist manicurist, psychologist, and – hopefully! – a friend. When you roll all these things up into one, you can see why it’s necessary to spend some time confirming that you’ve made the right choice. The best place to start  looking for a vet is by word of mouth. If you have any friends or relatives who take good care of their dogs, then that’s a great place to start: ask them who they’d recommend, and why. This last one is particularly important, because
everyone has different priorities: for example, perhaps they like their own vet because he/she is a specialist in their own particular breed; or they don’t  charge very much; or the clinic is only five minutes’ drive … their priorities are not necessarily yours, so it’s a good idea to make sure that your values coincide with the person giving the recommendations. Another great place to find a vet is through local training clubs (Schutzhund, agility, herding classes, police K-9 academies, etc.) These organizations are almost guaranteed to place a great deal of importance on high-quality veterinary care, because the health and well-being of their dogs is such a priority.

Once you’ve got a list of vets that you’re interested in pursuing further, all you have to do is call up the clinic and explain that you’re looking to find a regular vet for your dog(s): can you come in for a quick chat, introduce your dog, and have a look at  the premises?


HAVE A LOOK  BEFORE YOU NEED TO

Before you decide to align yourself and your dog with a particular clinic, test the waters first. Ideally, you want a chance to talk to the vet, and discuss his or her philosophies and approach to pet care.This is really important. If your dog ever really needs vet-care (if there’s an emergency, or  if she needs an urgent short-term appointment), you want to be sure that you’ve
made the best possible choice as far as her health and comfort levels are concerned. Neither of you should be subjected to any unnecessary extra stress at a time like that – and you can avoid a lot of grief by spending a bit of time in preparation.


THINGS TO ASK  THE VET

While you’re at the clinic, you’ll want to be assessing your potential vet’s overall attitude and approach to health care and animals; and you’ll also probably want answers to some specific questions. Here’s a list of useful questions to help you on your way:
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How many vets are there on staff?
If you need to make an urgent  appointment, you don’t want to be waiting around while precious minutes tick past. Ideally, there’ll be at least two qualified veterinarians on hand (not just technicians or assistants.)

What kind of testing and analysis capabilities does the clinic have. If they have to send away to a lab for this kind of stuff, it means that the results are going to be delayed. If your dog is very sick, time is an important factor: It’s best if the clinic has at least blood-analysis testing on hand.
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What after-hours services are available?
A lot of clinics close the doors in the evenings and on weekends, which means that if there’s an emergency, you’ll have to go somewhere else – and subject your dog (and yourself) to an unfamiliar vet. (If you don’t mind this, then that’s fine; but be aware that in a high-stress situation when emotions are running high, it’s reassuring for your  dog and yourself to deal with someone familiar.)

What’s their price range? How are payments made? Is there a facility for payment plans in case of unexpected vet bills? The payment-plan option is particularly important. Even with pet insurance, vet bills can sometimes be astronomical – and not everyone has the resources to deal with large vet bills straight away. Ask the clinic how they cater for situations like  that.
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How up-to-date is the staff with advances in the industry? 
Do the vet, the technicians, and the assistants attend seminars and workshops regularly? The field of medical care is always moving forward – responsible vets make the  effort to keep up with the times, and see that their staff do, too.


MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE

When you choose a vet, you’re balancing convenience and quality. There’s no right or wrong vet for you and your dog – which is partly why making the choice can be so confusing. There are lots of vets to choose from, and they’re all different! Even though it’s tempting to go for the one right around the corner with the rock-bottom prices, it really is worthwhile taking the time to shop around. Your dog is utterly dependent on you for her healthcare – and if you take her seriously as a companion and member of the family, you’ll want to do the best thing by her.

 A good vet knows how to take care of you as well as your dog. The relationship that you have with your  vet will hopefully be one that’s based around a healthy mutual respect and positive synergy – there should be very little scope for misunderstanding. When the two of you see eye to eye, it makes caring for your dog that much easier.


 

  


8 Comments
Simon Brooks link
7/7/2016 22:10:55

I really like a lot of the questions you encourage readers to ask their vet once they've chosen them, particularly the one about how many vets they have on staff. I had never thought about it before, but it makes a lot of sense that, if you're pet is having an emergency, you wouldn't want to wait for the vet to have time to see you. If a vet clinic is popular around town then it's most likely that they have multiple vets on staff so that they can tend to the number of incoming pets.

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Max Jones link
6/22/2017 15:21:28

My wife just came home with a puppy for us, and I think that being able to find a veterinary clinic would be helpful. I like that you talked about looking at the price range for a veterinary clinic, and seeing how they accept payments. I'm going to have to see what our options are for veterinary clinics here locally, and try to use your questions to help us choose the best one!

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Derek Dewitt link
9/14/2017 10:44:33

My wife and I just moved to a new town and are looking for a vet to start taking our pets in but we aren't sure where to start. I like that you suggest visiting the clinic before you need it to make sure you are comfortable with it. Getting set up before there is a possible emergency would help put my mind at ease. Thanks for sharing.

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Finley Moreira link
9/15/2017 13:54:33

I think your suggestion to visit the clinic in person to ask the vet questions is a great idea. I know I'd certainly feel a lot more comfortable having my dog seen by someone who I've been able to get to know for myself a little bit in advance. I'll definitely be sure to do this when I get a dog in the future.

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Mark Murphy link
1/7/2019 11:00:15

I really appreciate your tip to see if you can take a tour of any potential veterinarian offices to make sure that they are good for your pet. My wife and I have been thinking of getting a new house, and that means that we will have to get a new vet for our dog since our current vet will be so far away. I will be sure to ask for tours so we are getting the best possible care for our dog!

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rachel frampton link
10/16/2019 18:58:32

I wanted to look for a vet for my dog Chino. Thank you for sharing that during the visitation, I should ask the number of staff in the clinic and if they have a blood analysis testing on hand. I hope I'll be able to find the perfect vet around Lincoln.

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Eli Richardson link
11/4/2019 09:19:13

My sister just got her kids a dog, and she needs help finding a pet clinic. We thank you for the information about visiting the clinic to ensure they the right people for her pet. I will help her schedule appointments to find the right veterinary.

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Brad Erwin link
11/20/2019 13:22:07

I liked what you said about the importance of word of mouth when looking for a vet in the area. My brother was told last month that his dog would be needing surgery soon, but he has since moved to a new area a few hours away. I will be sure to recommend he talk with his new neighbors and friends to see if they have a vet that they recommend so that his dog can receive the best treatment in their area.

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