Choose The Best Vet

Edited by Debbie, Charmed, Eng, Adrian Penaflor and 5 others

7 Parts: Instructions Reasons to choose a specific vet Do your research Tips and Tricks to perform Tips Tricks & Warnings Questions and Answers Comments
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You are so happy because you just brought your new pet home! Not only do you need to feed your pet and interact with it, but now you'll need to find a good vet for your pet's health. We all want to make sure our pets have the proper vaccinations that are needed, have their ears checked for the possibility of mites, and wormed. These are all very important things and cannot be ignored. Just as we need doctors for various ailments or check ups, so do our pets!

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How can we choose a good vet that will give our pets the best care? Here are a few suggestions:

Instructions

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  1. 1
    Ask Friends
    .
    Friends and neighbors have pets, and can often direct you to the best vet facility to take your pet to.
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  2. 2
    Visit a Vet Clinic
    .
    Take a tour around the facility, and become familiar with the vet and his staff. Are they friendly? Do they work in a professional and efficient manner? How do they interact with the pets there? Are they kind and courteous?
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  3. 3
    Check for Pet Fees
    .
    It is always a good thing to compare prices to make sure it is something that fits into your budget, although, of course, your pet's needs are very important.
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Reasons to choose a specific vet

When choosing a vet, recommendations from friends or family will be a factor, but in the end you are, in fact, your dog's owner and if you do not feel comfortable with a specific vet then it is solely up to you to accept or deny a vet's services. Here are a few things to consider when choosing the vet for your pet.

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  1. 1
    Meet with the vet and look for things that you will feel comfortable about as opposed to the negative feelings, vibes or things you see about the vet
    .
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  2. 2
    Check and see how the vet handles your pet
    .
    If you notice that the vet is not being gentle or understanding to your pet when you are present, chances are when you leave your pet alone with the vet the handling will not be any better "behind closed doors".
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  3. 3
    Understand that if you are uncomfortable, that your pet will also be uncomfortable since the pet is yours and will more than likely reflect the same feelings that you have about the person who will be caring for your pet
    .
    Think of your pet as your child. If you do not like someone, your child may not like that person either. Your goal is to help your pet feel comfortable and safe.
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  4. 4
    When preparing to relocate your living arrangement it is important that you find a vet in your new area who shares the same qualities of the vet you are currently with
    .
    If you are comfortable with, and respect your current vet you should be able to get solid advice and recommendations from him or her to direct you to a good vet in the area you are moving to.
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  5. 5
    Choose a vet that is close to your home
    .
    The ride to the vet can be stressful. The shorter the ride the less the stress. The closer you are to your vet, the sooner you will be able to get the care for your pet's injuries or sickness that he needs. And it will lessen the time he may be suffering during the car ride.
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Do your research

Another factor in choosing the best vet is to know how good they are with pets. It's up to you to research the possible vets in your area. By checking the internet resources, you can find out what you need to know about a vet by simply looking into their practice online, and by reading reviews and success rates. Just like a hospital, veterinarian hospitals have success rates and reviews that are left from other pet owners about their visit to the vet. Success rates are important since this reflects the vets successful ability to heal pets injuries and sicknesses. If a vet has a low success rate then it would not be a good place to take your pet by any means. Pet owner reviews are also important but not as important as the success rate since the reviews might just be left by an individual who is typically negative, and may be inaccurate. The success rate is accurate information and not just based on opinions. Don't completely ignore the reviews that are left but sift through them to get a collective analysis. Below are some other factors that you need to look for when choosing a vet.

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  1. 1
    Check the office hours of the vets so that you will be able to get your pet help at hours that are available in your schedule
    .
    It is important that the hours are compatible with your life style so that you will have the option to get your pet care with no delays.
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  • 2
    Check the pricing of care so that you will know if you are able to pay for the care based on your current living situation
    .
    If the vet is too expensive opt for a different vet because you will likely go into debt or not be able to get the full care that your pet may need when a problem arises.
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  • 3
    Visit the vet hospital so that you can see before hand if the institution is a place that is safe and acceptable to your standards rather than trying, in an emergency situation, to determine whether your pet is in a safe environment.
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  • 4
    Meet all the potential vets that are at the facility because chances are your pet will not be cared for by just one vet
    .
    If it's possible, see a different vet upon each visit. In this way you will be able to meet them all and become comfortable with their demeanor, knowing that your pet is safe with anyone of them. If it turns out that you only like one out of two vets and you feel you will not always receive consistent care from that facility it may be decision time for you. Will you stay at that facility or find a new one?
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  • 5
    Check and see if the facility offers 24/7 emergency calls so that you will know ahead of time that the vet will be on call for you and your pet whenever it is needed
    .
    This is only important if you are looking for this kind of care. If you do not need a 24/7 vet then you will not need to look into this service.
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  • 6
    Research the vet facility and see what injuries the vet heals at their facility
    .
    It is possible that your pet may experience an illness or injury that the vet is not specialized in. It would be ideal if you could find a vet that specializes in every care and service possible.
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  • 7
    Check the vet's hospital staff's turnover
    .
    The term Hospital turnover refers to when the staff changes shifts. If the facility changes shifts often it creates an environment that is chaotic and inconsistent. There are a greater amount of vets working with different vets that could mean a breakdown in communication that could lead to an environment that is not perfectly stable. This is not the best place for your pet in an emergency. If you find a place that has a low turn over this means the vets have a more solid structure between each other in the work place giving your pet a better experience in the vet facility.
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  • 8
    Research to see if the vet facility has more than one building that they work out of
    .
    This could prove to either be a good thing or a bad thing when it comes to your pet. The good thing that can come out of this situation is that shows the facility to be more successful, having more than one practice bringing you comfort when dealing with this facility specifically. The bad that can come out of this situation will be that this facility might trade off patients or procedures meaning that your pet may not receive care from the vet that you have met at the facility and instead, receive care from a vet that you have not previously met.
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  • 9
    Familiarize yourself with the entire staff at the facility
    .
    There are more than just vets that work there. It is likely that the other staff will be in care of your pet until the vet is ready to examine him.
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  • 10
    Check the holding space in the facility to view if it is safe and sanitary
    .
    Your pet will more than likely spend time in this space before and after being taken care of by the vet. If the space looks unsanitary or seems like it will do more harm to your his health than good, you will not want to associate yourself with this facility anymore in the future.
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    • Finding a qualified vet and the best facility is very important to your pet's well being. Knowing that your pet will have the proper treatment and care when the time comes, will bring you peace of mind and strengthen the bond you already have with your pet.

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    Tips and Tricks to perform

    The tips below are designed to test if the place is the best place to send your dog for care. Try out these tips to test the performance of your vet.

    1. 1
      Set up a morning appointment when there is a greater possibility for individuals to be grumpy or a bit lazy
      .
      This is a good way to test the patience and performance of the vet and the other staff. If the vet seems to be angry, grumpy or just not in the mood then chances are this vet will treat your animal poorly when performing any type of procedure or care for your pet in the morning.
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    2. 2
      Take your pet to the vet when you know for sure that nothing is wrong with your pet just to get the opinion from your vet on your pet's condition to see if they are honest or try to hassle you for money
      .
      Also set this appointment just to see how your vet reacts to you bringing your pet in for a simple check up to make note his actions and patience.
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    Tips Tricks & Warnings

    • See your vet on a regular basis, not just when your pet is sick.
    • Schedule appointments and be on time.
    • Don't forget to bring your cat in a carrier.

    Questions and Answers

    How to select the best vet if you are on a budget?

    If you are low on budget but you want to choose the best vet, you will need to do the following:

    • have a savings fund for pet emergencies
    • Take care of your pet's needs.It is needed so that you don't need to go to the vet often
    • Before going to a vet, Google it first to see if it needs to be checked by one
    • Inquire around your neighborhood which vets are good and budget friendly.
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    If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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    Article Info

    Categories : Dogs

    Recent edits by: Laurel Waddell, Monika, Maria Quinney

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