Finding a Vet

A few years ago I had a friend who adopted a golden retriever they named Ricki. She is a great dog and the family fell in love very fast. The dog got sick and had to go through many procedures, some of which were uncomfortable for the dog, and expensive for them. What really makes this a sad story is that when they went to get a second opinion they discovered that their original vet had been a very poor choice. The new vet questioned the diagnosis and began to treat the dog after they transferred her care to the new vets office. This was after they had spent several thousands of dollars before they made the switch. All of the dogs’ symptoms soon cleared up and except for the occasional doggie accident Ricki’s only office visits now are for routine checkups.

What I hope this story brings to the forefront of your thoughts is that you should make an informed choice regarding a veterinarian for your pet. Just because someone went to a veterinarian college does not mean they are an ethical person if they weren’t one before. After a couple of years it was discovered that the original veterinarian was an alcoholic with a gambling habit that cost him his family and finally his business. I hate to think about how many other people paid too much money for poor advice, unneeded tests and procedures.

Of course this story is an exception but it is a good example to us that we need to be as careful choosing a veterinarian for our pets as we would be in choosing a doctor for our family. We should also educate ourselves about the health of our pet so that we have a basis of knowledge when we talk to the veterinarian. There are many sources of information available to us through books and the Internet.

When you get a feeling in your gut about the veterinarian follow it. More often than not your instincts are right. Once you find a vet you are comfortable with they should always be willing to discuss what is going on with your pet. If they don’t the run as fast as you can out of the door and never come back!

Some basic things you should look for in choosing a vet are:

Patience – Your vet should take time to discuss what is going on with your pet, especially if the pet is new to you or you have never owned a pet before.
Concern for you and your pet – Does your vet give you advice regarding the well being of your pet? They should. Does the vet take time to ask questions of you regarding your pets’ health?
Does the vet listen to you – You should feel that you could ask the veterinarian anything regarding the health of your pet.
Concern – Do you feel like the vet is genuinely concerned about your pet and also your relationship with it?
Are you an ATM for your vet – Your vet needs to make a living, and they should, but they should take into account if you bring in a lot of animals because it can be very expensive. If you are doing rescue work ask if a discount is available.
Does the vet hide behind closed doors – Do you get to go into the examination room with your pet or visit while your pet is in a medical clinic?
Does the vet love animals - You might be surprised to find out that some people who practice veterinary medicine don’t have a deep affection for animals. They are just good at science and became a vet in order to make a good living. Try to find out if your vet has pets or animals at home. Does your vet display comfort and concern when around your pets?
A Referral – A referral from a friend, or someone else you trust, can be a great way to find a vet but remember that the person making the referral has to know something about animals and ask if they use the vet. Sometimes people just want to be helpful and don’t really know what they are talking about. When you meet the new vet, or after a few visits, if something does not feel right look for another veterinarian. You should feel happy, no you have to feel happy, with the choice you make.

Find a pet first aid class held in your area. This will give you a good foundation of knowledge you can use to draw from in your search for a vet and you will also have some idea of what you need to tell the vet when you and your pet make a visit to the clinic.
Your pet will give you many great moments in your life. The least you can do is find the best veterinarian you can for them.