Selecting The Right Vet for Your Pet

Dr. Louise Murray, ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital

Taking care of your pet’s health is an important — but often nerve-racking — task. How do you choose a veterinarian? What do you look for in your pet’s health exam? What’s the deal with vaccinations?

On the scent: Tracking down the best veterinary practice for your pet

You’ve decided to become an informed veterinary consumer, and this decision is going to greatly benefit your pet’s well being. The first step toward your goal of ensuring that your pet receives the very best health care available is to carefully select a veterinarian. Just as in every profession, there can be real differences among veterinary practices. By learning what to look for (and what to avoid), you will be able to make educated decisions with your pet’s particular needs in mind. There are many excellent practices providing up-to-date, high-quality medicine, and others that are unable to offer the same level of care or have fallen behind. The key for pet owners is to possess the tools to make an accurate assessment and choose wisely.

How do I choose the right veterinarian for my pet?
There are various times when you need to select a veterinarian. Maybe you’ve just brought home a new pet (or two). Or perhaps you’ve recently moved and are searching for a good practice nearby. If your pet has developed health problems, you may suddenly find it more important than ever that she has the best care available. You may even have concerns about your current veterinary practice and be considering a change.

When you find yourself looking for a veterinarian — for whatever reason — what’s the best way to go about choosing the right one for your pet?

If you’re like most people, you have some personal preferences that may influence your choice. Maybe there’s a practice that’s in a particularly convenient location or has hours best suited to your schedule. Perhaps you feel your dog is more comfortable with a female doctor, or your cat is happier in practices that handle only felines. There may be a local veterinary hospital that your family has trusted for years, or that a friend recommends.

These considerations are indeed important, but you should also weigh some objective criteria when deciding which doctor to entrust with your pet’s well being. If you have a choice of practices in your area, you want to use the one that offers your pet the highest standard of care and avoid those that aren’t achieving the quality of medicine you’re seeking. To help you in your search, I’ve compiled a list of questions that will enable you to evaluate various aspects of each veterinary practice you consider. The areas covered include patient care, equipment, staffing, philosophy, and how up-to-date the facility is. Using this checklist, you will gain the ability to more knowledgeably oversee your pet’s health care.

The checklist
The checklist is divided into two sections. The first contains questions about the veterinary practice you’re considering that can be answered over the phone by a staff member. The second section contains topics that are best evaluated during an appointment. There are two worksheets at the end of the chapter where you can record the information you gather.

One option when you’re evaluating a new practice is to schedule an appointment to take place without your pet. This will allow you and the veterinarian to focus on your concerns and have enough time for an informative discussion. Also, since your pet won’t have been seen at the practice, you may feel less awkward if you decide not to return. Be prepared to pay the normal fee for the appointment, even though your pet is not present. Don’t feel hesitant about letting the veterinarian know that you are trying to pick the right practice for your pet; many parents interview several pediatricians before selecting a doctor for their children, and you, too, have every right to do some investigating.

If this suggestion is not convenient or affordable for you, you can evaluate the practice during your pet’s first visit. You probably shouldn’t expect to be able to stop by a practice your pet has never been to and speak to the veterinarian without an appointment.

How can I narrow down the practices in my area?
You can start by finding out which practices are accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Participation is voluntary, and whether or not a practice has chosen to be evaluated by the AAHA can be an indication of its commitment to providing a high level of care. AAHA accreditation involves an on-site evaluation to determine if the practice meets all the standards established by the association, and then periodic reviews to ensure that it continues to meet those standards. The practice is graded in many areas, including the facility, staff, equipment, and patient care. Only veterinary hospitals that meet the rigorous AAHA standards receive accreditation.

You can look for accredited practices on the AAHA’s website (www.healthypet.com) or in the phone book, or by calling local practices to inquire about their status. You can also find AAHA vets on Pets911.com.

Tip: Another good way to find a practice in your area is to get a recommendation from an equally concerned pet owner. Ask your friends, neighbors, and colleagues for the name of their veterinarian and how they feel about the practice. But be sure to ask specific questions, such as the ones that follow. It’s wonderful that your neighbor loves her dog’s doctor, but you need to make sure the practice provides the level of care you are looking for.

Excerpted from “Vet Confidential: An Insider’s Guide to Protecting Your Pet’s Health” by Dr. Louise Murray.
http://www.drlouise.com