Fur Kids Foundation Pack News Blog

Selecting the right vet for you

1/23/2016

I'm the proud owner of two rescued beagles. Cooper, my male is roughly 6 years old, and Beatrix my female is moving into her senior years, 11 years old is our best guess. I love them dearly; in fact, I often refer to them as my kids. And, just like any loving parent, finding the right doctor for them was very important to me. I’ve moved cross country a few times and across the way, I’ve met and done business with quite a few different types of veterinarians. Some I’ve loved, and was sad to leave behind; others, I spent one visit with and promptly found a new veterinarian to bring my fur kid to for health checks or emergency visits.

We are very fortunate to have four veterinary offices in Gillette with a host of great vets and clinic staff in them. Some of you may be new to Gillette, or maybe you’re just looking for a second opinion; or maybe even thinking it may be time to change your vet. Here are some helpful tips when it comes time to finding the right vet for you.

Ask friends and family for recommendations. Find out who they use and why. And, if you don’t have any friends in Gillette, feel free to ask colleagues who own pets who they use and why.
Scope out the clinic ahead of time. Don’t hesitate to go to the clinic before you schedule an appointment to ask clinic staff questions, or even see if you can get a tour of the facility. When you’re there, see if the clinic is clean, in a good location for you, and is able to treat all of your pets’ needs.
When you do make an appointment, do you feel you have a good rapport with the vet and support staff? Also, does the vet have the same philosophy on pet care that you do? If you are comfortable with your vet you’re more likely to ask questions when you don’t understand something important to your pet’s care. Communication is key for a healthy and happy pet.

Here are a few other questions to ask about the vet and the clinic:

Is the support staff caring, calm, courteous and do they communicate with you effectively?
How many veterinarians are there on staff, and do they have an emergency veterinarian to help you and/or monitor your pet during unexpected times?
If the practice does have multiple vets, are you able to schedule appointments with the same veterinarian every time you need one? I often find that having my pets see the same vet helps them receive the best care possible.
Does the veterinarian continue to get education on current veterinary practices?
Are the staff and veterinarian(s) up to speed on the usual medical issues that are specific to your pet? For example, our president has three mastiffs, and a great medical concern for this breed of dog is bloat. When she selected her vet, she made sure to go with one who knew about this issue.
Are there licensed veterinary technicians or other professionals on staff? Often, a client will speak with a vet tech before an appointment with the vet. Licensed techs are trained to recognize health concerns, and are a beneficial line of defense for your pet.
Are X-rays, blood work, ultrasounds or other diagnostic tests done in house, or are you going to have to go to another location to get them done?
How are patients evaluated for anesthesia or surgery?
What is the clinic’s protocol for pain management?
During your appointment with the vet, does he/she examine your pet in front of you, and explain what they are looking for doing during the exam?
If you need more information regarding a diagnosis, are you able to speak with the vet or a technician for guidance, or do you need to schedule another appointment?
Does the clinic allow you to bring multiple pets in for one appointment (if you prefer this) or can you bring a pet who may be a bit fearful in for happy visits (where they simply go to the clinic and get treats just for being there)?
What’s the average cost of routine procedures like wellness exams, titers and teeth cleaning? And, do those costs fit your budget?

That may seem like a lot of information, but when it comes to your pet’s health, you are the first line of defense. Remember, they cannot tell you what’s going on with them when they don’t feel well, so you really want to be comfortable with your vet and the clinic’s staff.

Below are some more articles to consider reading on getting comfortable with your vet, as well as helping your pet get comfortable with the vet and their office/clinic. Do you have some tips? Put them in the comments below.

AVMA: Finding a veterinarian
The Bark: Ten commandments of veterinary office visits
Humane Society: Choosing a veterinarian
Mercola: Tips for choosing the best vet for your pet
Petfinder: Choosing a vet

29 Comments

Simon Brooks link

2/2/2016 06:34:21 pm

I've always felt that it is very important for the pet owner to be involved in the examination, even if they are only there to keep the pet calm. I think that is why I agree very strongly with your tenth question to ask any vet you're looking at for your pet. Having the vet explain what they're doing and what they're looking for really helps the owner feel involved in caring for their pet; it might even give them a better idea of what they can do to help with their pet's health on their own.

5/18/2016 08:44:40 pm

I like that you encourage people to think about whether or not the vet they're looking for has the right philosophy about pet care as you do. In my house, our dogs are practically a part of the family and we'd want to find a vet that treats them like that and not like some kind of animal. The article makes a great point in reminding its readers that they need to feel comfortable when talking with the vet and that they need to feel like they can trust their pet in that doctor's hands.

Felicia Messimer link

5/19/2016 10:42:51 am

Thank you for the feedback and we're glad that you liked the article. It's so important to find a good vet, and we hope this article helps with that process.

olivia nelson link

10/3/2016 04:11:30 pm

I like your tip on finding a vet that continues to keep up on their education. I would imagine that finding someone who is willing to learn new things would be important for the overall health of your pet. My husband and I are looking for a vet to take our dog to in case of an emergency so we'll have to find someone who will keep up on their education.

Luke Smith link

11/15/2016 07:24:04 pm

I really like how you ask about whether a vet has the capacity to do X-rays, blood work, and ultrasounds in-house. I imagine that it would be much cheaper and more convenient than having to outsource for those sorts of diagnostic tests. I'm sure any veterinary clinic would be able to apprise you of their capabilities as far as these tests are concerned.

Shad Morris link

12/13/2016 08:00:04 am

We just adopted our dog, and weren't sure where to take him to get him up to date on everything. It's interesting that you say to check their staff and see how they are all trained. It would be nice to see that they are all professionals, and able to help us out.

BurtSilver link

4/18/2017 11:29:13 am

I like that you mentioned to take note of how attentive and friendly the staff is at a vet's office. You will be interacting with them regularly, so it makes sense that you would want them to be nice. We have been trying to find a vet for my new dog since we got her, but we haven't decided yet. Thanks for the tips, I'll keep them in mind!

Dylan link

6/18/2017 09:53:14 pm

Thank you for sharing the tips with choosing the right vet for our pets. As for my preference, I am considering the distance and I choose the nearest one for my own convenience. This is to consider the emergency that might occur.

Jane Ambrose link

7/17/2017 06:09:41 am

My family recently adopted two puppies, so we are on the hunt for a trustworthy and experienced vet. I hadn't thought about examining the clinic ahead of time, but I can definitely see how this would help me see if a vet is the right fit or not. It seems to me like the health of a pet can depend greatly on the care it receives. This is why choosing the right vet is so important to me! Thank you for the information!

Finley Moreira link

7/20/2017 08:10:12 am

My wife really wants to get a dog, and I think it would be important for us to have a good veterinarian lined up first. I like how you pointed out that asking people you know with similar pets for recommendations could be really helpful. It would definitely be really easy too since social media would allow getting recommendations with very little effort.

Derek Dewitt link

8/31/2017 10:02:48 am

My wife and I just got a new dog and have been looking for a vet to start visiting. I like that you suggest asking friends and family if they use a specific vet. I know a few friends who just got dogs as well so I'll try talking to them. Thanks for sharing!

FKF

8/31/2017 11:00:34 am

Glad it helped! Thanks for letting us know. Enjoy your new pup!

Roger Middleton link

9/26/2017 08:19:55 pm

My wife and I love our dog very much and we've had her for almost a year now and we're starting to figure out what we're going to do for a vet in our new area. I liked that you had mentioned that it can be important to look for somewhere that does ultrasounds and other diagnostic tests in the facility. Since we're wanting to have at least one litter with our dog, we'll be looking for somewhere that offers pet ultrasounds for sure.

10/24/2017 09:30:00 am

It's good to know that I can actually visit a vet clinic prior to entrusting my own pet their. I'm going to be getting a dog soon, and I can see how visiting a vet's clinic to evaluate their staff and qualifications in advance would be helpful. How many different clinics do you suggest I visit before making a decision?

Fur Kids Foundation

10/24/2017 09:32:26 am

That’s really up to you! There are only four clinics in our town, but there are multiple vets in each clinic. Some clinics have websites and publish information about their doctors on them. Some also have social media profiles as well. Sometimes doing a quick Google search will also help you find out more about each clinic and their vets, too. Best of luck!

James Anderson link

5/18/2018 07:19:33 pm

It's great that you've mentioned how one should choose a pet health clinic that has licensed veterinary technicians or other professionals on staff, as these people are trained to recognize health concerns and are a beneficial line of defense for one's pet. I just got a new pet and I want to visit the vet to have him checked. I'll certainly keep this in mind when choosing which pet health clinic should I go to.

Gary Puntman link

6/25/2018 08:54:38 am

I agree that you should consider if the staff is caring and calm. This will make your pet feel much more comfortable too. This is a big priority to me when finding a vet.

Kourtney Jensen link

7/31/2018 03:40:54 pm

I just bought a new dog, so I want to make sure I find a reputable vet so that my pooch is always taken care of. I like how you point out that we should look for a clinic that has all of their services in house so that we don't have to travel extra. This will help ensure we get the puppy the help he might need in a timely manner.

Ridley link

7/31/2018 05:38:00 pm

Thanks for the great tips for choosing a vet. I like how you said that we should start asking friends and family for recommendations. We are hoping to get a dog soon, so I'll start asking around.

Joy Butler link

7/31/2018 07:20:18 pm

It really helped when you said that checking on the clinic is necessary for finding a good vet. Our pets are members of the family that we should be taking care of. Knowing that it can treat our pets well leaves a peaceful mind!

Mark Murphy link

8/24/2018 07:15:39 am

I really appreciate your tip to try and stick to the same vet for each visit. My wife and I have been thinking of getting our daughter a dog for her birthday. I will be sure to tell my wife that we should try and take our dog to the same vet for every visit!

Rosie Beckett link

10/17/2018 10:07:09 am

Thank you for sharing the advice that when looking for a veterinarian you should make sure that they are courteous and easy to communicate with. It is very important for me to find a veterinarian who is easy to talk to about my questions and concerns because I recently got my first puppy and don't know much about pets. I will make sure to visit potential clinics because this way I can find out if the clinic is clean and organized and if the staff will be easy to work with.

2/13/2019 07:53:04 am

I agree that you should ask friends and family for recommendations for a vet. You can find someone trustworthy that way. It's important to do research to find a clinic ahead of time. You can even visit before your appointment to get an idea of the staff and facility, like you said.

Skylar Williams link

8/16/2019 12:10:32 pm

Thank you for your tip to scope out the clinic ahead of time. I have two dogs and a cat. My cat has heart problems, so we are frequent visitors to the vet, however, we just moved across states. I will make sure to take a visit to the vet before taking my pets.

Eli Richardson link

11/1/2019 06:41:40 am

It would be a good thunk to consider a vet clinic that has a well-trained staff. My cousin adopted a dog, and he is looking for a vet. I'll advise him looking for a clinic that has a caring staff.

Taylor Hicken link

1/31/2021 09:41:22 pm

You made a good point when you shared that it is great to ask for recommendations from your friends and family when it comes to choosing a veterinarian. My sister just called me last night to tell me about her dog who has been acting weird lately and it got her worried if there is something wrong with him. I will suggest to her looking for a reliable veterinarian by asking for recommendations from her friends in the area.

Beverly Minyard link

7/30/2021 07:16:11 am

Thank you for leaving a list of questions to ask a potential vet. I am getting a puppy and need to find a vet. Thank you for the article it will help me find a good vet!

Charlotte Fleet link

8/10/2021 12:46:19 pm

Since my younger sister adopted a puppy two weeks ago, she needs to find the right vet to take it to and make sure it's healthy. I appreciate how you suggest asking friends or family for recommendations of the vets they go to. I will have her talk to any fellow pet owners she knows so that she can find a vet for her dog that is trustworthy.

Mia Evans link

8/25/2021 08:05:36 pm

Thanks for pointing out that licensed vet technicians would be able to recognize health concerns that would be beneficial for your pet. I hope I can find one that I can trust in our area to get my pet an ultrasound. It's for his stomach since he hasn't been eating properly for two days now.

Selecting the right vet for you

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