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Choosing a Veterinarian
by Laura Barmore
Recently I received a phone call from a breeder friend of mine,
looking for referrals on veterinarians. After many years at a certain veterinary
practice, she had decided to find a new vet because her senior Lab was going to
need surgery and she had become dissatisfied with her current veterinarian’s
practice. The two of us went down the list of probably a dozen veterinary
practices, as far as one hour from her home. We also solicited the assistance of
our All Labs Vet to give us her insight on the various clinics. Even with our
combined experience in breeding Labs, this was a daunting task. Choosing a veterinarian for your
Lab is an important personal choice, much like choosing a pediatrician
or dentist for your family. Veterinary practices are businesses and
come in many shapes and sizes, offering varying ranges of services and
facilities depending on their location, practice size, facilities and
staff. Next to you and your family, a veterinarian is the most
important person involved in your Lab’s well-being.
The definition of a good vet
varies from person to person, just like with doctors. Some people like
a straight forward, down to earth, no fuss doctor while others like a
doctor who shows a lot of compassion and has good “bedside manners.”
In selecting a veterinary practice, your aim should be to find the
veterinarian who best meets your needs and to establish a long-term
relationship.
Understandably you want someone
with good credentials, (a degree of Veterinary Medicine and a state
license), but you also want someone you and your Lab can feel
comfortable with, someone who will answer all your questions no matter
how insignificant. Nobody wants to feel belittled by a vet over the
use of medical jargon, nor do they want to leave the vet’s office
without the faintest idea of what the vet just told them. A vet that
understands an owner’s fears and apprehensions is one that can be
trusted to deal with your concerns during more harrowing situations
such as a severe illness or surgery.
When choosing a vet, be sure to
explore all the possible avenues and do not take for granted that your
local vet offers the best service. It is a good idea to investigate
as many vets in your proximity as possible in order to gauge the
general standard of practitioners in the area. This should afford you
the opportunity to make a more informed decision about who gets to
take care of your beloved Lab.
When to Begin the Process
It is important to start looking
for your veterinarian before you bring home your new family member.
Many breeders require that you have an initial vet check-up with the
new puppy within the first week to ten days. Having a veterinarian
chosen before you actually need him or her in an emergency situation
is critical. If you’ve moved to a new location, start looking for a
new vet as soon as the boxes are unpacked.
Where to Start-Ask for
Recommendations
The hardest part of finding a new
vet seems to be-just getting started. Sure, you can go through the
yellow pages and look at the fancy phone book ads, search the web or
drive around your area looking for vet clinics, but that does not
insure a positive working relationship. The best place to begin your
search for the right vet is by “word of mouth”.
Ask people that you trust to
recommend a good vet and to tell you why they chose him or her. Some
sources for recommendations might include dog breeders, friends,
neighbors, coworkers who own pets, breed clubs or local training clubs
(obedience, agility, herding, etc.). If the same veterinarian’s name
comes up repeatedly, that’s a good sign. Remember though, that their
choice might not be yours. Some vets are better with one type of pet
over another or some breeds over others. Another option is to contact
your state’s veterinary association.
Many of them have a “Find a Vet” or “Locate a Doctor” option on their
website.
Make Some Calls
Once you have compiled a list of
possible candidates, call their offices to ask for basic information
regarding:
On site lab testing?
X-ray facilities?
Do they have specialties?
Do they provide other services such as boarding or grooming?
If these are services that you require, they may be important
factors in your decision.
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Office Hours
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Emergency Procedures
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Fees: There are usually set
fees for
routine services like check-ups or vaccinations and higher
fees for special exams. Note that prices are set by each individual
veterinary practice and each one has different expenses that are
covered by fees charged (i.e., state and local taxes, salaries,
rent, utilities, equipment overhead, continuing education, etc.)
Often, the different prices do not reflect the same set of services,
even though there may be certain basic procedures in common. The
choice of potentially better but more costly drugs, the availability
and use of newer surgical and medical products, and the choice of an
individualized, safer anesthetic protocol for your pet represent
some of the many reasons for "cost for service" variations.
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Payment: Do they accept major
credit cards? Will they allow you to make payments if your dog
requires an expensive surgery or treatmen.
While
you investigated the points above, how were you treated on the phone?
Was the receptionist helpful and patient with you? Was the office
attentive to your questions and concerns? Were you comfortable with
the answers given? How you were treated on the phone might be a good
indication of how you and your Lab will be treated in person.
Narrowing Down the List
Narrowing down the choice to one
or two can be more difficult. One must weigh many factors when
choosing the right vet. Some obvious aspects to consider are location
and office hours. Finding a vet close to you can be critical in case
of an emergency and if you have to take time out of work to get to an
appointment. However, if you have specific needs such as reproduction,
alternative or holistic therapies, or a veterinary clinic experienced
with epileptic seizures which might require 24 hour on-staff
observation, you may be forced to use a clinic further down the road.
Pay a Visit without Your Lab
Once you have narrowed your
choice to one or two, schedule an appointment with your top picks.
This visit is essential as it will probably be the deciding factor.
You can tell a lot about a veterinarian by visiting the clinic. When
you arrive, take note of the condition of the office. It should look
tidy and smell reasonably clean. Do not even consider a poorly
maintained or dirty clinic as it could be a great way of spreading
disease. The size of the waiting room might be a consideration as
well. Are you and your Lab comfortable waiting in a tight spot? Look
at the notice boards-are there any “Thank you” letters displayed or
any pictures of client’s pets? How does the staff interact with the
other owners and their pets? See if there are any brochures or
leaflets about the practice available.
Look
for an AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) affiliation-it’s
always a good sign, but it is not essential. The AAHA guidelines
ensure good veterinary practice but many times hospitals will follow
the guidelines without going through the added expense of getting
certified.
Ask
for a tour of the facilities. This will help you to better examine the
area where your Lab will be treated. The staff’s willingness to
accommodate your request says a lot about the clinic. It is
understandable if they cannot immediately grant you a tour if they are
very busy or perhaps have an emergency patient, but they should be
willing to give you a tour at another time. Ask to see where
overnight patients are housed and how they are supervised “after
hours.” The examination rooms should be clean and orderly. Has the
table been wiped after the last patient left? Does the staff seem
knowledgeable and helpful? Does talking with them produce a level of
comfort that insures the opportunity to work with them for the
lifetime of your companion?
Schedule a Routine Visit for
Your Lab
The vet’s first exam of your Lab
should include taking the dog’s temperature and weight, feeling the
dog over for suspicious lumps or bumps, looking in the eyes and ears,
listening to the heart, and checking the teeth. The vet should ask you
questions and make notes about the dog’s general health and medical
history. Does the vet rush the general check up or not do it at all?
Does he or she seem to have a good rapport with your dog? Does your
dog seem to like the vet or at least seem comfortable? Of course some
dogs are difficult at every vet visit and if your dog is one of these,
is the vet able to handle him? An experienced vet can handle the most
difficult dog with a minimum of stress for the dog. It’s a good
opportunity to trade views and see if their philosophies regarding
pets and pet care mirror your own.
If you are addressing specific
symptoms of concern, the vet should present his diagnosis and any
necessary treatment options in a clear and open way that is easy to
understand. If they bombard you with technical language, you won't
have a clue what they’re talking about or what you should do next. And
don’t be reluctant to take notes-in fact it’s very useful to have a
notebook just for vet visits. While a vet will keep detailed records
themselves, he or she should be willing to assist you in recording the
name of a condition or disease, the medication required and any new
symptoms to look for. It’s easy to forget these things when you’re
stressed about your Lab’s medical condition and a vet shouldn’t
discourage you from keeping your own records.
Does the veterinarian seem open
and interested in you and your pet’s needs? This will come from the
vet’s genuine love of animals, not just the love of the job. It is
fairly obvious to see whether or not a vet is devoted to his or her
cause through the love of animals, in the same way you can tell if a
dog breeder loves dogs. Your vet should not only be sensitive to the
feelings and fears of your pet, but also to those of you, the owner.
You may even prefer a vet who has dogs of their own and this is the
time to ask about their pets. Remember, if you don’t feel comfortable
with the vet, you should find someone else!
What to Ask
One of the first questions you
should ask is whether this vet is available in emergencies, and if so,
how can you contact them. If they are not available, what 24-hour
emergency care plan are they associated with? It is important to have
this information on hand in an emergency when minutes count. Is there
more than one vet working in the office and do they make house calls?
Can you request a specific veterinarian?
What kind of blood work/testing
are they able to do on-site? One of the main complaints pet owners
have is delayed test results. Nobody wants to be left waiting on
important results for any length of time. Obviously there is no way
for you to tell beforehand whether your vet is dedicated to informing
customers quickly of test results as they are received, but you should
try to find out their procedures when you are making your general
inquiries about the clinic.
Ask
the vet how he or she would treat a specific condition that may affect
Labradors (i.e. hip dysplasia, PRA or epilepsy, for examples.) It is
important to find a vet who keeps current with the latest advances in
veterinary medicine and who can communicate with you in a helpful,
clear manner. Do they offer OFA, PennHip, CERF and other genetic
testing? For Labs that you intend to breed, the screening of their
eyes, hips, elbows and heart for genetic defects is critical. While
many genetic tests have to be sent off for final evaluation and
determination, you want a vet who understands the importance of such
testing.
Do the
veterinarian and staff attend seminars, workshops and other
professional functions? The world of
veterinary medicine is ever changing and you want a vet who is
proactive professionally and open-minded enough to update their
education and abilities. The last thing you want is a vet with an "I
know it all, seen it all and done it all" attitude. You want a vet
that is open and comfortable requesting second opinions when
necessary.
Today, there are specialties in
orthopedics, anesthesia, behavior, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology,
emergency and critical care, internal medicine, neurology, oncology,
ophthalmology, radiology and surgery. These, as in human medicine,
require additional training above and beyond the regular DVM.
Do
they offer special testing for geriatric diseases? What are their
policies and procedures for euthanasia? It’s certainly not pleasant to
think of your Lab’s final years, but when the time comes, you’ll want
a vet who will work with you to provide the optimum care and
treatments to help your dog live a long, healthy life. And when the
time comes to make a decision on putting your dog to sleep, you’ll
want a vet that is willing to discuss all the options with you and
make the process as comforting as possible for both you and your
family as well for your loved companion.
In Conclusion
At
this stage, you should have enough information about the practice to
make a decision as to whether it will be right for you and your pet.
Once you’ve selected a vet, you’ll want to stick with them. Keep your
vet informed of any changes in your dog that concern you. Your vet
will maintain a history of your Lab, including health records that
detail immunizations, reactions to medications, growth or weight loss,
and a history of any surgeries or complications. It is now up to you
and your vet to work as a team to provide the best possible care for
your Lab.
There are many criteria for
choosing a vet and the criteria often vary depending on the needs of
the dog and owner. But one thing that always seems to make a vet
stand out from the rest is the vet that is prepared to “go the extra
mile”. This is when a vet goes above and beyond the call of duty to
ensure the health and safety of his patients and their owners. Pet
owners often say that this makes all the difference between a good vet
and an exceptional one.
VETERINARIAN’S OATH
(Adopted
by the AVMA 1999)
Being admitted to the
profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my
scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the
protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the
conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and
the advancement of medical knowledge. I will practice my profession
conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of
veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the
continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.
For help in
finding a vet in your area, we invite you to visit these links:
Fetch A
Vet.com
Vet Place-Vet
Locator
Healthy Pwt.com - AAHA
Alternative Veterinary Medicine |
