Choosing a Veterinarian
Choosing a good veterinarian is important to the health of your pet. A veterinarian is your pet’s primary care physician and the relationship between you and the veterinarian should be built on trust and mutual responsibility for the well being of your pet. To choose a good veterinarian, there are several sources you can turn to for recommendations and information.
Friends and family should be your first reference because they have first hand experience with a particular veterinarian and can guide you to who they trust.
Most veterinarians can take care of a large variety of pets, but some veterinarians specialize in certain animals or breeds. Your veterinarian should specialize is small animals if you have a dog or cat. If you have land and you raise farm animals, you will need a veterinarian that specializes in large animals.
When you visit your veterinarian’s office for the first time, you should see degrees and other credentials on the wall just like you would in your doctor's office. If they aren’t’ present, ask questions about the veterinarian’s education and other affiliations.
You can also contact animal shelters that can recommend a veterinarian. Veterinary schools can refer you to their successful alumni. You can also visit veterinarians.com. The website has user reviews of veterinarians around the country. If you are moving to a new location, you can search for veterinarians under your new state and zip code.
Veterinarians who are members of the American Veterinary Medical Association have access to additional education and up-to-date industry information and publications. Membership is voluntary so being a member says a great deal about a veterinarian’s commitment to pet care and the veterinary profession.
If you have a pure bred dog, you can contact your local breeding society. They may have a local connection to a vet that they trust and work with. Other important factors to consider are the overall impression you get of a veterinarian’s office the first time you visit. Is it clean and organized? What are the services they offer? What is their emergency policy or procedure?
Follow your instincts. If you had a bad feeling about a dentist who was scheduled to drill your teeth, would you let them do it? Probably not. Take the same care when you choose a veterinarian. The veterinary staff consists of more than just the veterinarian. Usually there are veterinarian technicians and assistants, and volunteers. How they treat you, your pet and the other patients in the office are important factors to consider.