The Doctor is In

No matter when you got your pet, how long you have had it, or how old or young your pet is, your pet is going to need veterinary care.  Veterinary care is not limited to just when your pet is ill.  In fact, the best veterinary care should include at least annual visits as part of a wellness program; prevention is always best and usually less expensive.

What can a veterinarian do for you and your pets?  This list is long.  Besides providing emergency care and illness care, they can provide preventative medical care throughout your pet's life, nutritional guidance, answers to basic care the training questions, access to information on groundbreaking medical care, lost and found resources, bathing/grooming, boarding services, emotional support in time of pet crisis, long-term care of ongoing medical conditions for your pet, etc.  In this office, we provide pick up and drop off services for the elderly and handicapped, along with a great many other personal services to help make caring for your pet less stressful.

If you don't already have a veterinarian you are happy with, how do you go about locating and establishing a relationship with a veterinarian?  When selecting a veterinarian, you are doing more than just looking for a doctor for your pet, you want a doctor that has good people skills in addition to good animal experience.  The worst time to look for a vet is when you really need one, so plan ahead so that you can shop wisely.

Take some time to think about what qualities you are looking for in a vet and what services matter to you most.  Are they cat people?  dog people?  horse people? etc.  Do they provide after hours care? Are they and their staff friendly?  Are they up to date on the newest medical information?  Younger? Older? Just out of school or been in practice a long time? Are their facilities close, convenient, ample parking, convenient office hours?  There are all questions you may ask yourself.

As friends and neighbors who they use and if they are happy with their vet and why?  As them what specifically they like or don't like about their vet.  If you are new to the area, check the Yellow Pages, the internet or you can also check with check with the American Veterinary Medical Association's site http://www.myveterinarian.com/avma/vclPublic/# to find a veterinarian in your area.  Check out the veterinarian/clinic website to get an idea about what appears to be important to them.

Once you have a name(s), visit their clinic to view the facilities and meet the vet.  I suggest you call ahead, let them know you are shopping for a vet and would like to tour their hospital.  I also suggest asking them if you can bring your pet with you.  It will give you an opportunity to see how the staff interact with your pet.  Do they ask you questions about your pet, are they interested about what makes your pet unique? When you get there, begin your assessment from the moment you walk in the door.  How does the clinic smell?  Does it look clean? Was the receptionist friendly and greeted you with a smile?  As you take your tour, pay attention to how the staff interact with one another.  If they respect each other, they will likely respect you and your pets.  Keep your eyes and ears open.

When you meet the vet, keep in mind they may be busy with patients and won't have time for a long chat. However, even with a few minutes you should get an idea of how well they communicate and if you feel comfortable.

Your relationship with your veterinarian is very important; together,  you and they will need to work together as a team in keeping your pet healthy.  If after the first few times you visit the vet with your pet you don't feel comfortable, change vets.  Don't stick with a vet you are not happy with.  However, in defense of the veterinarian, before you switch, take careful thought about whether or not your expectations  have been too unrealistic.  For example, some clients call several times a day and expect to be put through immediately, not willing to talk to the receptionist or technician when the doctor has been in surgery or with other patients.  Sometimes simple misunderstandings cause conflicts, which you and your vet can resolve by talking things out and looking for solutions.  I have told several clients over the years that if there is something wrong and you don't tell me, then I cannot fix it.  Communication is the key to any good relationship (even with your spouse!).  If you feel you have been reasonable about your expectations and you have either talked with the vet or given the staff an opportunity to correct things, then just move on.

My pets are part of my family, and although they are not my children, I feel they deserve the best care that I can provide them, just like I have done for my children.  I extend that courtesy to my clients and patients.  You and yours not only deserve it, you should expect it.