Your pet’s vet is second only to you in terms of importance in its life. You not only want to find one who is a skilled animal medical expert, but is also good with people and will work as a team with you in order to devise the best possible health solutions for your beloved furry friend.
Your vet doesn’t work alone – there are veterinary technicians, office staff, and other important members of your veterinarian’s team involved in your pet’s care so you want to be sure that all of these people are a good fit for you, your family, and your dog, cat or other animal companion. Don’t wait until that emergency moment when you need the help of a professional – search and pick a vet ahead of time so that you have an established relationship with your pet’s doctor for when that time comes that you do need him or her.
Where to Start
Referrals from friends and family are a great way to begin your search for a vet. People are always happy to talk about a care provider with whom they’re thrilled, so pick the brains of anyone you know who has a pet or even works with them, like your groomer or boarding facility staff. Animal shelters also often have good recommendations.
You also want to check whether your potential candidates are accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. This seal of approval indicates that your animal hospital has sought out and met the AAHA’s standards for care, equipment, and facility quality. In addition, specialists will possess board certification, which may be important if your pet has specific care needs such as dental or cancer treatment, and even alternative medicine.
What to Consider in a Veterinary Practice
- Number of doctors
- Appointment protocol
- Cleanliness and organization of the facility
- Separation of dog and cat cages
- Courteous, caring, competent staff
- In-house lab work and other procedures like X-rays
- Location
- Rates that fit your budget
Your Role on the Team
It’s not just the vet who needs to be conscientious. Being a good client is also a vital factor in the success of your dog or cat’s health care. Here are some good tips for being a well-mannered partner in your pet’s care:
- Schedule regular preventative visits rather than just showing up when your pet gets sick.
- Make it to your appointments on time. Being late affects everyone’s schedule, including the vet’s.
- Always use an appropriate carrier to transport your animal to and from the office.
- Call your vet at the first sign of a problem – you know your pet and if they’re acting “off”, the chances of the doctor successfully treating them are much better if you don’t wait too long.
- If you do have an emergency, call anyway rather than just showing up unannounced. It may be that your veterinarian is booked up and will need to refer you to an emergency clinic, so you don’t want to waste valuable time.
These steps will help ensure the best, most efficient care for your precious pet. By working together as a team you and your veterinarian can keep your pet safe and healthy.
If you do have a serious problem with care administered by a vet, you can contact the ethics committee of your state’s veterinary association, or the American Veterinary Medical Association. But if you follow these common sense guidelines you are much more likely to end up very happy and comfortable with the partnership you’ve created with your pet’s caregiver.
These are some great tips, and I appreciate your advice to start your search for a vet by asking family and friends. My husband and I just got a dog, so we need to find a good vet to help us take care of him. My sister has two cats and a dog, so I’ll definitely ask her what veterinarian she goes to, and I’ll see if they would be a good option for us as well. Thanks for the great post!
Thanks for the post. These are some great tips to consider. I think it is super important that you take notice of the cleanliness and organization of the facility. I think that can speak volumes about how they may treat your pet. I think asking friend and family is a great way to find a vet, and once you have a few in mind I would definitely go check them out.
My husband and I just got a new puppy, and we want to make sure that we are providing him with the best care. I like the tip you give of considering the appointment protocol of the potential clinic. I imagine that it could also be beneficial for us if we could find a smaller business. Thanks for sharing this information!
I thought it was interesting that you suggested to consider how many doctors are on staff at the veterinary practice. This makes sense, though, because if the practice has a lot of doctors on hand, then you will be ensured help more quickly. Plus, there would be a lot of experts that you can go to to get advice and insight about your pet’s condition. Thank you for the great advice!
I think it’s very important to have a vet that is experienced and has a clean office. I just got a puppy and want her to be well taken care of. Hopefully, I can get a vet that is also up to date on the current medical techniques.
Thank you for the help. I just bought my first dog and need to take him to a veterinarian soon. I had not realized that some vets do in-house lab work. Would that just speed up the process for some tests?
I just got my first dog and so I really like your tips about considering rates and the number of doctors available when looking for a veterinary practice. I’m fresh out of college and so keeping to a budget is very important to me, but I have no idea what I should be expecting financially. What rates would you say are typical for a good vet?
I think another good thing to do when looking for a vet is to take a tour of the hospital. That way you can get an idea of what they staff and doctor are like. I would hate to have to deal with rude people or people who just don’t care. I have to do that plenty during my life and I want to make sure my pet is getting the best care he can get!
I appreciate that you pointed out how the client has responsibility in this situation as well. It is pretty easy to forget appointments, so I will have to develop some reminder system. I’ll be taking your advice and asking my friends about their vets, thank you for a helpful article and for your applicable pet healthcare tips!
I recently acquired a baby bunny, and I want to make sure I take good care of it. I appreciate the advice about how you should get a vet that has rates that fit your budget. Furthermore, it would be smart to get a vet that has experience in treating rabbits.
I really like your tip about scheduling a few visits beforehand when it comes to going to the vet. We just moved to a new town so we are in need of a new vet to take our pets to. We will be sure to keep these tips in mind while we start our search. Thank you for sharing!