Choosing A Veterinarian

Choosing a Veterinarian for your dog or cat will be the most important decision you will ever make.

Are you curious as to the best way to pick your Veterinarian? Do you wonder if you have made an error in judgment? Are there signs as to what to look for in choosing your pets' Veterinarian? Confusion need no longer exist!

After The New Cat Or Dog Arrives

You have just brought home your new fuzzy face and in all the excitement, you may have forgotten the most important thing on your "to-do" list, choosing the Vet for your pets' lifelong care. Preferably you want to take on this task before the new bundle of joy enters his or her new domain. But if you have overlooked this important component of pet care, you can certainly correct it quickly. This can be a daunting task, especially if you are brand new to pet ownership. We will make it simple for you. After all, with the purchase of your pet's new dog or cat bed and pet training equipment, you can get a bit overwhelmed trying to make the homecoming perfect for your new best friend.

First thing to get you started:

1. Check with the breeder you purchased your pet from, they typically may have an excellent referral for you. However, this is only going to be convenient if the Vet is located in your living area.


2. Sometimes it can be better to search for your own Vet independently if you are concerned of possible bias on the part of the person where you pet came from.


3. Local shelters you may have adopted your cat or dog from can also have a good referral for you, since they want the very best for the pet you are adopting for life. This may include their personal on site Vet. They can be used in a temporary situation until you find one that will suit your convenience better.


4. A referral from a friend or neighbor who owns a dog or cat can also provide you with some good information. Just make sure it appears theirs' is well cared for. Chances are the dog or cat exiled to a cage or outdoors doesn't typically make too many trips to the Veterinarian and in such cases when they do, the owner's are not particularly picky about who is best, but who is cheapest.


5. Last but not least, are breed clubs. Since these people deal with pure breed animals, the care these special pets receive is paramount, so they will scrutinize a Vet to the smallest detail.

These are the fist steps to finding somebody reputable. After all, your new pet will need a health check for all intense purposes to check for genetic problems or an underlying illness still waiting to rear it's ugly head. This will also be the best time to confirm any other vaccinations they will need in order to keep them protected from the many insidious diseases exposed to them today. And the best part is, during this introductory visit to your Vet's clinic, you can use this time to ask questions, observe treatment of animals and behavior of staff personnel toward you and your pet and other clients in the waiting room. So take advantage of this first visit to query and inform yourself of their policies and care of animals before you have more invested in this Veterinarian other than the initial visit.

Signs Of An Excellent Versus Marginal Veterinarian

Signs of excellent and poor medical care for your pet are numerous, but we will narrow them down for you to the most important. When you enter the clinic what are your first impressions? Heed your feelings and never ignore a gut instinct, or your pets' reaction may also be an excellent indicator. Ignore these two key components and you may experience the nightmare of when things go wrong making you realize you just made an error in judgment.

1. Is the clinic atmosphere formal or informal?


2. Does the clinic's staff dress in street clothes or wear uniforms?


3. Does the clinic smell of animals, or of disinfectant, or just plain old clean and fresh smelling?


4. Do the staff members acknowledge you and your dog, or just you, or just your dog?


5. Does the clinic overbook or run their appointments on time?


6. Are other animals caged or leashed while in the waiting room or allowed to roam freely within the confines of the office?

Now you are probably wondering why these factors should be so important, and has more than likely only created more confusion as to the best choice. Some of these are self explanatory and for the sake of argument the differences will become apparent. However, some may also surprise you in regards to what you may think is the right answer as to a good versus a marginally acceptable Vet. Remember now, this is just the initial entry into the office. This doesn't even touch on the actual care of your pet just yet!

• Formal or Informal doesn't necessarily dictate the type of care your pet will receive. This is strictly a personal choice of staff members and their Vet as to what is more comfortable in the handling of animals. Uniforms or scrubs provide a sanitary element in keeping the animals from soiling the staffs' clothes, and possibly conveying something contagious in either; staff to pet or pet to staff. Do not make an assessment on this basis alone.

Informal can sometimes be your best friend in feeling comfortable with this Vet and their staff. Perhaps smock tops with street clothes underneath. This can be more about the animals care and making you feel comfortable, versus the formal element which conveys professionalism at the very least, yet can also make for businesslike practices in dealing with you and your dog. Some may find this type of care too sterile, cold and intimidating. However, with the casual dress, scrub tops can also be tossed aside when the caregivers have full knowledge they just handled and extremely contagiously sick animal. Hence, soiled scrubs are replaced with fresh scrubs.

• If all you can smell are animals when you enter a clinic, this can be a cause for concern. This typically means proper hygiene is not observed, including disinfecting of kennels and outer office areas where a sick dog or cat may have just been prior. If the outer office is not tended to in the same way the entire boarding facility is, then disease can spread simply by an animal with Parvo virus, Kennel Cough or Distemper spending even a brief time in the office while waiting to get seen. Enter you and your dog, and if still not completely vaccinated, can catch these diseases.

Feline Leukemia is a deadly illness and highly contagious to cats, so you should always bring your cat into the clinic in a crate or soft-sided carrier. This will keep nosy dogs from your kitty and keep you from leaving in numerous band-aids. This isn't a bad idea for puppies either. Carry them or bring them in their puppy crate and keep them off the floor. After all, even in an immaculate clinic, the sick pet who proceeded you may not have been diagnosed yet, so the staff may not have had a chance to go behind the sick animal and sanitize. A well organized clinic will do this immediately to prevent spread of disease. "Caution" is the word of the day when you have a new cat, kitten, dog or puppy.

Now on the other hand if you smell disinfectant, this is a good sign of proper maintenance of the outer office, but can be a bit overwhelming to the senses. Which now brings us to the fresh smelling or odor free clinic. Many may feel the clinic smells good, or there is no odor at all, but is it disinfected? In most cases, "Yes", you can be relatively sure it has been well disinfected if your choice of veterinarian has a reputation which proceeds them. There are excellent sanitizers available that will kill all the nasty diseases just as well as Clorox, but without the offensive odor. And some Vets may choose this to provide a more harmonious atmosphere instead of a harsh and sterile smelling environment. It is more about the odors rather than the lack of.

• When the staff members and your Vet show you and your pet friendly and courteous attention, this an excellent sign of caring not only for your beloved friend, but you as well, are important in the decision making of your pets care. Odds are with this type of display of care, you will always be in the loop when dealing with smart and sometimes life-saving decisions. After all, it should be your Vets' priority to take your feelings and suggestions into account and this is a strong indication of just that.

Now if all the staff and Vet see is just you and not your pet, then be careful of the money machine. They see your pet as an income even though they may provide excellent care. Although Veterinarians must run an office in a professional manner, which includes negotiating payment and how you will pay, it should never be the forethought in an emergency situation. They will not be in tune with your pets' needs and can create problems where there may be none, forcing you to render an uneducated decision in perhaps going too far with the medical care, forcing you into unnecessary costly procedures. Being bossy and blatant about anything, along with being impatient with you or your pet may also be called into question. Rudeness or omnipotence from a staff member or Vet upon the initial meeting will usually reinforce this theory and should not be tolerated for even a split second. Take the opportune moment to excuse yourself and exit the building quickly. Make any excuse you need to, but leave as soon as is feasible without commitment. Your pet will be much safer and better off and you'll have peace of mind. Take the time to allow the dust to settle and your mind to clear and if suspicious of their intentions, by all means get a second opinion and know you did the right thing for that moment. You don't even want to think about what goes on behind closed doors.

On the other hand if all they see is your pet, then these are usually the well intended healthcare professionals who truly have an adoring love for animals and these folks will usually fall into the informal category of office attire. Your dog or cat can be in no better hands as a rule. However, though these are wonderful people to leave the care of your pet to, they also at the same time can tend to cut you out of the picture, feeling they only can know what is best for your pet and trying to convey your desires will sometimes fall on deaf ears. This will be frustrating to say the least. Catch-22..... great care for your pet, but at the expense of your input. These Vets can also sometimes be overbearing and intimidating in their zealousness of wanting only the best healthcare they can provide. Though admirable, you as the pet owner are entitled to respect and must be heard on your pets' behalf. Remember its your pet and your money, take care of both wisely.

• Overbooking of clients is also a sign of the money machine. This is when you should take heed of what type of care will you really receive and will they take the time to hear you out on any questions you might have. Or will it be strictly a processing plant for bodies as fast as they can be seen.

Seeing your pet on time is a good sign and should be a factor in your decision of choosing the right Veterinarian. However, do not allow a delayed appointment to mean they overbook. At certain times, they may be faced with an unforeseen emergency and that animals' needs must come first. However, the clinic should surely contact you in this event or at the very least explain the delay once you have arrived so you can decide to reschedule or wait. Clinics with more than one on staff can usually handle the overflow unless you prefer to see your favorite Veterinarian. Then by all means decide then what you need to do.

Dogs or cats allowed to live in the office; depends on whose they are. In many clinics across America you might find the lounging feline on the counter or the Veterinarians personal companion dog laying at the staffs feet or following his owner, (the Vet) around the office. These are usually no need for concern. First because they are owned by the Vet, and who better to make sure they are well behaved and carry no diseases. Plus they create a care-free, relaxed atmosphere. Many pet owners can be secure in the knowledge that if you see the constant companion at the clinic, you can be sure you are dealing with a true animal lover and typically they are aware of their animals' behavior. The staff will not allow the office pet to encroach on your space. This is not to say they may not have a preference to their type of pet, such as cat lover or dog lover, but they will be sure to treat your dog or cat very well.

Clients' animals allowed to be loose in the clinic engaged in sniffing and smelling the other animals is not highly recommended. Scenarios of cat fights, dog fights, cat and dog fights are among just a small percentage of mishaps which can occur during your visit. Along with what we mentioned earlier, spread of disease should be where you are most concerned. Again, if this is allowed this means the clinic is unorganized, too involved with semantics of money to care, and seem to convey a chaotic atmosphere. Either way, this clinic is not for you. Move on!

The only other thing in regards to clinics is whether you want to deal with an individual or a larger Veterinarian group. Reminder: Both types of clinics today can provide you with health care that participates in the new Pet Health Insurance plans. Also, neither one is mutually exclusive to being a money machine or the best in health care. All you can do is make a decision based on the information suggested here for initial first impressions and go from there. The first impression will save you a ton of heartache and money if you take notice of some of things mentioned.

The only advantage to the larger clinics is there operating hours might be more conducive to your needs, including emergency after hours Veterinary care being applied at the same location. Otherwise during after hours your smaller clinics, when not available will send you to the Emergency Vet Hospital for this type of care. After all, your Vet is just one man or woman and can only be available at certain times, however they too may do their utmost best to provide the 24/7 care for their clients. Just ask what their After Hours Emergency Care Policies are.

TIP: Don't ever choose a Vet based strictly on proximity to your home. Better to drive the distance to receive the high level of quality care your pet requires.

Now if you find the Vet who eats, breathes and sleeps Veterinary medicine, and serves you 24/7, then you have hit the jackpot. This indeed is a rare find in today's world and one worth hanging onto provided he or she falls into the comfort level for you with the initial meeting. If so, you and your Vet will indeed have an excellent rapport and an ongoing relationship that includes the best for you and your pets care and possibly one that is gold when it comes to a breeding program you may become involved in. Nothing more comforting than being able to access your personal pet physician in the event of a complicated delivery.

When Things Go Wrong

There is nothing worse than that "sick in the pit of your stomach feeling" when you think you may have made a serious error in judgment when making your final choice. You begin to feel things aren't appearing to be as well managed as your first impression and your Vet seems to be more stand-offish, indifferent, or short tempered than initially as well. This can happen to the best of us. Don't fret and be glad you are relying on your gut instinct now.

You can take steps to correct it immediately by gathering up your fuzzy face buddy and exiting the building. This may seem hard since many people place their medical provider, and yes this includes Vets, in a higher esteem than themselves. They are just people like the rest of us with a higher level of education. They make mistakes and can exercise poor judgment, however when it involves your pet, there can be no compromise as you become their voice of reason. Save yourself further grief and find another Veterinarian.

Raising The Red Flag

When it comes to your pets care it is important to note that there are no good reasons why you should not be able to be with them at all times, unless you are uncomfortable with it, or they are going into surgery.

An example to touch on: getting an X-ray does not need to mean you cannot be present. Of course certain standards and policies may prohibit this and will be explained to you, and in some cases there isn't much you can do about it. But when working with an exceptional Veterinarian, they will do their best to allow you to be present to keep the animal calm so as to avoid sedation as long as you can show a knowledge in handling your pet. They will provide you with a lead apron if need be. Always ask, never assume. Exceptions are made regularly for knowledgeable breeders to assist with their cat or dog's handling.

Reassurance is the key to making you comfortable with this Vet and if done, it is clear this one is listening to you. And in some instances, if not allowed in the X-ray room, they may allow you to escort your pet to the X-ray table, be there to place them on the table, then have you leave during the actual X-ray, while still observing outside the door.

Vets who insist on anesthetizing your pet for X-rays without seeing if the animal can remain calm with your presence is not necessarily the practical choice. Putting an animal under always comes with some risk, and doing it for X-rays unless the animal is in pain or headed for surgery is taking that risk. This can be red flag. Try to negotiate and share your concerns.

Many breeders of pure breed dogs who need to check for Subluxation of hips and elbows for the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is an instance when many savvy Vets will work with them to allow them to place their dog in position without anesthesia, as long as the dog is cooperative and you are knowledgeable as to the procedure. This Vet is Gold.

A Vet who argues or absolutely insists anesthesia is necessary to get full rotation of hips for proper X-ray is not correct. This can be a red flag. Unless a dog has pain in the hips avoid anesthesia if you can. A dog with good hips, in most cases, can easily withstand this procedure without sedation, unless you have one of those dogs who just won't allow you to manipulate his body parts. Educate yourself about Hip X-ray.

In the event you must anesthetize, then by all means do it. The point to be made here, is did your Vet at the very least hear you out and give you the option? Without compromise or compassion this can be a red flag.

There should always be some level of compromise when it comes to your pets' health and all options should be made available to you before rendering any decision. Flexibility is key with a Vet, for instance; A Veterinarian who will perform an exam on the floor if a dog is either too large or absolutely petrified of the stainless steel table, is a person to consider in tune with the dogs needs. Dogs absolutely hate slick services especially those that are up off the ground. Dogs have been known to slip and fall off of these tables when not being carefully supervised. It should always be about removing stress from the visit for your pet, not adding to it. Relaxed Vet and owner equals happy pet!

Bright Red Flags to watch for:

• A Vet who seems indifferent to your concerns about certain care


• A Vet who places more concern on the ability to pay


• A Vet who doesn't place much credence in proper nutrition


• A Vet who seems to want to push pills without concern of side effects; Holistic remedies should always be an option
  


• A Vet who will not allow you to hold your animal during the exam

• A Vet who's staff members also attempt to place you aside during the exam

• A Vet or staff member who handles animals with strong-arming tactics


• A Vet or staff member who doesn't wash their hands between handling of animals


• A Vet who will not allow you in recovery after surgery to be with your pet


• A Vet who will not allow you to escort your dog or cat to its' kennel for their stay


• A Vet who will not work on large breeds on the floor but only on the table

• A Vet who does not trust your dog based on breed type and wants to muzzle it

• A Vet who becomes ill-tempered when your dog or cat gets hard to handle


• A Vet who argues every point you try to make in your pets care


• A Vet who speaks in medical jargon instead of lay-man terms


• A Vet or staff member who uses harsh corrections or abuses your pet


• A Vet who shows little or no compassion, especially in an emergency


• A Vet who will not allow visitation during an extended stay in the pet hospital


• A Vet who will not return your phone call during inquiry of ongoing care

• A Vet who will not allow you to be with your pet when placed under sedation


• A Vet who ignores your wishes for terminating life-saving care to end suffering


• A Vet who encourages euthanasia instead with no regard to your feelings about it

• A Vet who will not allow you to be present for Euthanasia of your beloved pet

Again, these are strong indicators of whether or not this is the clinic for you and your pet. However only you can decide, because as you can see, some of these warning signs can become a balancing act. What is the proper balance of something and how much will you tolerate or handle.

Needless to say if you are elderly, a child, or just someone uncomfortable with handling your pet during exams, then by all means insist on the staffs' help. But they should be asked to assist, not thrust on your animal who has come to know you as their pack member. Your Vet should also be willing to place some trust in you that their safety is key for you as well. So be sure to let him or her know if your pet has tendencies that may be considered dangerous to your Vet or their staff members. It is ultimately up to you to look out for everyone's safety in the treatment room. At the very least assist with the exam by placing yourself at their head while petting and talking to them. Do not become a passive by-stander. Your pet trusts you..... period.

A sudden intrusive change to strange people, especially in unfamiliar territory can be extremely stressful causing your pet to lash out and possibly bite. This is by no means the animals' fault, but the fault of the veterinarian or staff person. This is why rapport with your Veterinarian is so valuable. When there is mutual agreement on treatment and care of your dog or cat, your wonderful fuzzy faced friend can sense the harmony and hence their stress will reduce ten-fold. Anxiety, tension, and apprehension on anyone's part in the room will be strongly sensed by them, and what was once a laid back family member may become the scourge of the clinic.

Muzzling certain breed types is also unnecessary since this is a form of stereotyping and shows the Vets inability to adapt to the situation. A bad past experience may have tainted their ability to assess things accurately, causing undue paranoia on their part. Naturally they are not wanting to get hurt during the exam, but this should not preclude them from giving every breed that comes through the door the benefit of the doubt.

However, if you know your dog to be skittish or possesses aggressive tendencies, then agreeing to muzzling will take tensions out of the visit for everyone and can relieve the stress on your Vet until they learn how your dog will react in certain situations. Muzzling can be a good thing for everyone involved and it is not abuse or painful to the animal. What would be painful would be a serious dog bite. Same can go for cats, but they can be more difficult to handle under extreme frenzied behavior and can be quite serious if someone should be bitten. Many pet owners have been bitten by their own furry family friend during a panicked situation. This is indeed an accident and nothing more, and can certainly be prevented. Better to play it safe than take a trip to the emergency room yourself.

Cats can also froth and salivate heavily when extremely stressed and scared of all the smells of other animals permeating their noses. They can lash out, scratch, hiss, and bite quite admirably, leaving you with some serious damage which will need immediate medical attention due to toxins in your cats' saliva. Feline behavior can be quite unpredictable in these kinds of situations.

• Tip for cat handling at the Vets office: For best results for the timid cat, bring him or her in a crate and include a medium sized heavy terry cloth towel just in case. When removing an extremely scared or aggressive cat from the carrier it is best if the staff or Vet not be in the room at the time. This will force him or her to burrow into his carrier further and perhaps cause injury to you. Once you are alone in the room coax your pal out of the crate and place them on top of the laid out towel, then bring up the sides over their back and roll or fold the ends together tightly, encasing the entire cat with only their head and tail sticking out like a little kitty sausage. This will literally cause your cat to chill. You will be able to see them relax, feeling snug as a bug in a rug. They will behave as though you shot them up with a paralyzing drug. Now when the Vet enters the room, they may return to cognitive behavior and struggle and fight, but will be unable to move a muscle and cause anyone unintentional harm. The Vet and you are free to do their exam initially, taking temperature, checking eyes and ears, inside of the mouth, all being done while the cat gets used to the idea of being touched by this strange human. Eventually they may accept this human and the towel can be loosened across the back to continue further examination. Unfortunately, if he or she is extremely aggressive or scared outside their home, or you have brought in a feral cat, then sedation may be the only way to examine this poor animal. And fortunately for you, with cat wrapped in a bundle the Vet is free to insert the sedation via sub-q in the neck or intramuscular through the rear door in the leg thigh without much fuss to anyone.

Veterinarians who are less than thrilled to allow many of the other things mentioned, for example staying with your pet for many procedures or escorting your furry companion to their kennel, are an area for you to exercise caution. You must ask yourself, "what are they trying to hide?" The answer should be obvious in your mind. Even if you have to imagine, go with it and move on to the next one. Only you should have the choice whether to relinquish your pet in the outer office, or say your goodbye's at their kennel destination. You should be able to inspect their boarding facilities at a moment's notice.

Believe it or not, all staff members hired may not necessarily be a cat or dog person, and depending on their preference, you may witness some abusive behavior toward the disliked species. And any mishandling of an animal through strong-arm tactics or abuse should be a reason for an immediate exit on your part with dog or cat in tow. Make haste!

Training and handling your pets' and exposing them to as many everyday occurrences will make going to the Vet a piece of cake. When animals are exposed to many different things, they find little reason to become afraid of it. Bad experiences will require some corrective work, and using your Vet's office for some practice at visiting is practical. You will then leave again without much adieu, repeat, and practice during an actual office visit as well. This can go a long way to helping them overcome whatever bad things happened in the past. The clinic staff are usually quite accommodating when it comes to practice runs and the visit will become something different for your pet..... a positive experience! A Scooby snack is a great bribe.

The Bottom Line

Everyone wants to avoid a bad experience at the Vet hospital, so this is why it takes vigilance and due diligence on your part to choose the best one for your pet. And if you seem to be constantly gnawing on the bone of contention with him or her, do both of you a favor and try someone new. This will relieve stress also on your pet.

And remember, most of your Veterinarians are excellent, loving, animal care givers. The majority have gone into this type of medicine because they truly love animals. It is only a minute few who will fall into the warning signs list and it will be your task to weed them out. Just be warned, they are out there, and you and your pet are the ones' who will have to live with your decision.

You might even try several Vets before settling on one. Also remember an excellent one can fall victim to a misjudged hiring of staff. If you feel the staff makes you uncomfortable, but you love your animal's caregiver, just express your concerns to him or her and see if they aren't quick in resolving the problem. They realize the staff in the front office are the representatives of their clinic and they want that good first impression very much. If there doesn't seem to be an adjustment afterwards, then perhaps sadly, you may choose to go to another Vet. It will have to be what is most comfortable for you and your pet.

These are also flawed human beings and they too can have a bad day sometimes, as long as it is the exception and not the rule. That is why in many instances compromise and understanding are the keys to a achieving a mutual care for your pet. You will also be responsible in how you in return treat your Veterinarian. They also deserve the same respect you expect from them, so mutuality will do wonders for growing a trust you will need for the care of your pet to be successful.

Despite discovering some of the red flags, the key component is if you can safely discuss your concerns with them. If he or she responds in kind then you have struck gold, if they debate or become obtuse, then your warning signs will ring true and you will know that it is time to search elsewhere. Be cognitive in your search of an excellent Vet. You should hit it right the first time if you are.

The Veterinarians joke: Why do Medical Students end up becoming Medical Doctors? Because they flunked out of Veterinary school.

Imagine the work it took for your Vet to become the person who stands before you wanting to help your pet. They have to learn to diagnose without even being able to ask the animal a question, unlike human doctors. It is a process of elimination and the knowledge to execute it, along with the excellent training and many years of practice they have learned to determine what ails them. All the different species and sub-species they have had to learn. People are people, animals are infinite in anatomical differences. We should be in awe of their profession and their ability to make our best friends well. No conscientious Vet wants to sabotage that work deliberately by running off prospective patients with bad behavior on his or her part, let alone incur staff problems to the detriment of their practice.

Pay attention to the things suggested and your intuition, your pets reaction to their caregiver, and all should go smoothly before you realize you have made a serious mistake. Arm yourself with knowledge and then you will realize avoidance is the key to having a happy kitty or pooch and to preserve your peace of mind.