When looking for a pet veterinarian, you need to do the same research you would when looking for a paediatrician for your children or a doctor for yourself. Making the right choice can save you a ton of money or even save your pet’s life, and taking your pet to the vet will be more pleasant.
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Gain recommendations
The first step in finding a good veterinarian is to get recommendations from people you know and trust. Make sure that you ask a variety of people, such as friends, relatives, neighbours, breeders, and groomers, who their veterinarian is. If you don’t know anyone with a trusted veterinarian, open the phone book and find one near your home. In either instance, you must research the veterinarian to see if your pet and you will like them.
Ask for a tour of the facility
Once you find a veterinarian, ask for a tour of the facility. Check to see if it’s as clean in the back as it is in the front. There should be no hair or slobber on the examining tables or equipment, and there should be no strong animal odours.
Check to see if the equipment is up to date. Make sure the facility is equipped with the essentials, such as an anaesthesia machine, teeth cleaning machine, and sterilisers.
Get to know the vet
Make sure that both you and your dog like the vet. Have a consultation with the vet; ask questions and get to know the Doctor without your pet there as a distraction. Make a list of questions to ask to make sure you feel comfortable before putting your animal in his or her care. Does the Vet speak to you in terms that are easy to understand? Does he act like he has plenty of time to spend answering your questions?
When you feel comfortable about the vet bring your pet in for a check up. Does he spend sufficient time with you and your pet? How does he treat the animal? Is he gentle and loving? Does he remember your pet’s name? Is the exam thorough?
Are the staff friendly?
Another thing to look for in a veterinarian’s office, is a friendly staff. If there is more than one doctor at the facility make sure that all of the doctors meet at least your minimum requirements as they may be the one to treat your pet in an emergency. Other staff, such as assistants, will be handling your pet, so make sure they are caring and good with handling animals as well. Another important factor in determining if this is a good office is being able to call with questions. The staff should be knowledgeable and able to help over the phone.
Availability and opening hours
Hours of operation are also important. What hours does the vet keep? Ensure the vet’s hours of operation are compatible with your work schedule; otherwise, you may have to take days off to take your pet to the vet. Other questions to ask are: Does the vet do house calls? How far in advance can you book appointments with the Vet, and how soon can you book them?
Does the veterinarian’s office have 24 hour emergency care? If you have an emergency at 3:00am, will the Vet be there to take care of your pet? During a serious illness, or after a serious injury, you want to know that your vet is there and available for care. Do they offer an emergency phone number in case you need to contact the doctor during non-office hours? Do they send out appointment reminders by mail or e-mail? Do they call you to remind you of appointments?
Prices and bill breakdowns
You should always research the prices of veterinarians before you take your pet in. Are the fees comparable to other vet offices? Ask for a list of prices for different procedures. Often customers are shocked when they see the breakdown of their bill. It’s good to have the costs up front. It’s amazing how fast the shots and little extras add up. If your pet should need surgery, it could end up being quite a large bill. Does the vet allow you to make payments or do you have to pay it all at the time of the visit?
What services are available?
What types of services does the vet offer? The most common include immunisations, spaying, neutering, teeth cleaning, and euthanasia. Are they able to take X-rays or do lab work or surgery in the office? Another nice service that some veterinarians offer is kennelling; if it is important to you that your pet be taken care of in a familiar situation where there is medical care, then make sure the vet has this service.
Location
Keep location in mind. Having the veterinarian close to your house is one of the best conveniences you can have. If you are far away, this could interfere with critical or emergency care. Not only that, but most pets do not like long car rides or any car rides for that matter; having the vet near home can make the trip much more pleasant for them. A long car ride can make an already agitated pet more upset.
Meeting AAHA Standards
One of the most important things to discover is if the veterinarian has any complaints on file with the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). This organisation regulates standards in 2800 veterinarian hospitals in North America. Veterinarians can apply to be members of this voluntary accreditation and agree to abide by its 300 evaluation standards, including emergency service, surgery and anaesthesia, radiology, nursing care, dentistry and medical records.
