How to Find the Best Veterinarian for Your Dog

Just as humans need medical checkups and urgent care when sick, your dog also needs qualified veterinary care if anything ever goes wrong. But how exactly do you find the right veterinarian for your pooch?

Veterinary Examination

Seek a Trusted Opinion

First of all, ask your friends which vet they use. Also, talk to your groomer and doggy daycare workers. They should have the inside scoop on the area’s best medical providers. And lastly, check various online sites like Yelp, Pets911, and Kudzu. You can often learn a lot from other people’s experiences.

Oh, and If you do rely heavily on your Web-based research, be sure to actually call the vet before you bring your dog into the office. Observe the professionalism, tone, and body language of the staff when you visit/speak with them. Oftentimes, the intangible qualities will best inform your decision:

• Is their telephone etiquette professional and genuinely pleasant?
• Are the waiting rooms clean?
• Do you find the staff knowledgeable and friendly?
• Do they have on-site parking?
• How comfortable do you feel at the facility?
• How much do services cost ( i.e. vaccinations, treatment, etc.)?
• Do they have an emergency telephone number; are they on call and what are their hours?
• Have they answered all of your immediate questions?

Look for Any Attached Strings

Vets often advise you to buy specific dog food, which they have in stock at their offices. Typically, this is due to a specific condition your pup is experiencing. However, it’s no surprise that this specially formulated food is very expensive. So, if your vet does instruct you to feed a specific formula to your sick dog, don’t buy it from the vet. Instead, visit local pet store or (better yet) a discount warehouse club where you can purchase the food in bulk.  As you know, dog food can cost as much as you’re willing to pay, and vets will often prescribe certain premium foods because they collect a percentage of each sale.

The Follow Up

After the visit, take note of any additional communications from the vet’s office. Did they call or email you to check in on the progress of your dog’s sickness? Did they schedule you for another appointment next week to gauge the progress? The vet’s office shouldn’t be viewed as a once-per-year professional who checks out your dog’s health, but rather a key relationship between two parties who share a common interest—the ongoing health and well-being of your beloved pooch.