Choosing a Veterinarian

Who's Right for You and Your Pet?

There are plenty of factors to take into careful consideration when it comes to researching the right veterinarian for you and your pet companion. These variables can range from the species of pet you have to veterinary accreditation, emergency care, to location, location, location.

Tips for Success

Perhaps you moved or just brought home a new addition to the family. Either way, it’s time to find a veterinarian who can provide your pet with the long-term care he needs to lead a happy, healthy life.

Here are some tips:

• Word of mouth: Ask neighbors, co-workers and even people you run into at the pet store or dog park which veterinary clinic they visit and how happy they are with the service.
• Shelter referral: If you adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue organization, they might be able to refer you to a veterinarian who specializes in the type of care your species requires.
• AAHA: Veterinarians can get accreditation through The American Animal Hospital Association. This typically guarantees these practitioners adhere to standards established by the organization. 
• AVMA: American Veterinary Medical Association also provides accreditation to veterinarians.
• Be specific: Look for organizations that support the type of species you have. For example, if you have a reptile try the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians; if you own a cat try the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Off to a Good Start 

Getting referrals is a great start but there still might be a lot of foot work ahead. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a few times to find a clinic with whose staff, standards or patient care philosophy you feel comfortable.

“Normally, it’s hard to find the right fit,” says Dr. Cori Gross, a field veterinarian for VPI Pet Insurance who specializes in cat care. “You might go somewhere and find that it’s not the right place for you.”  

Gross says to pay attention to the details. You can tell a lot by a general practice, for instance, by how friendly and helpful the staff is when you call or come in for an appointment.

Owners might also want to consider requesting a tour of the facility. “If the clinic refuses to take you on a tour, or if they don’t do tours and that’s their policy, that could indicate a problem,” says Gross.

Planning for anticipated and unforeseen expenses is also an important part of caring for pets. Your veterinarian’s office should also be willing to supply you with a menu of prices, or at least estimates, of everything from shots to teeth cleanings and medications.

Getting Long-Term Care Right

A general practitioner should provide high-quality care. So owners need to take it upon themselves to learn about the capabilities of a hospital. This includes learning their ability to do radiographs, ultrasounds, various surgeries (orthopedic especially), endoscopies, dentistry and hospitalization as needed, says Dr. Tina Swan, a claims medical advisor for VPI and a specialist in animal emergency care.

“It can be important for the owner to become familiar with their vet’s diagnostic and treatment capabilities,” says Swan.  “If a pet needs a procedure done and the owner would prefer the regular vet do it, it is important to know what their regular vet’s capabilities are so as not to delay treatment unnecessarily.

“Many general veterinary practices are capable of doing many specialty tests and advanced diagnostics, and have particular veterinarians within their practice who concentrate in particular disciplines,” she says. “If an owner wants cutting edge care for their pet, they should seek out a hospital with extensive diagnostic and treatment capabilities, or a practice that is willing and able to refer them to somewhere for more advanced care as needed,” says Swan.

Referrals as Needed

For cases that are difficult to diagnose, involve complicated diseases or require specialty care, veterinarians will often refer pets to a specialist who has access to the right equipment and is trained in the newest technology.

There are board certified specialists in all sorts of disciplines from internal medicine to surgery, ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology, critical care, cardiology and neurology.

Emergency Pet Care

Inquiring ahead of time about what to do in the event of an after-hours emergency is a great question to ask any veterinarian. Ask these questions and keep phone numbers and addresses handy:

• If there is someone on-call, how fast can I expect my pet to be seen? Does it differ in a life-threatening emergency?
• Is there an emergency clinic nearby I can go to if my primary vet can’t be reached?
• Where is the back-up clinic?

Overnight Stays for Pets

You might be surprised to learn that although your pet is staying overnight at a clinic, there may be no one staying with him. In the case that a pet needs constant monitoring, the clinic may refer you to an emergency or specialty 24-hour hospital.

These spots typically have vets and technicians on staff around the clock, says Swan. Your pet might be referred to one of Intensive Care Unit hospitals if your pet needs to be on IV fluids to flush out their system or to rehydrate them.

Read more about finding the right people to care for your pet. Learn valuable tips on how to choose a pet sitter and pet boarding safety.

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