Finding a new vet is always a challenge. We've moved a lot over the years and have always taken our pets with us. And since we're both animal lovers and with a background in shelter and rescue work, we tend to adopt the pets that no one else wants; most of our animals have major health problems running from FIV, to acute renal failure, to a spinal cord injury that doesn't allow our Himalayan to express his own bladder. It gets a little crazy, but we love them all and would never think of leaving them behind.
Because of the high-needs of our animals, I've learned how to do a lot of my own procedures such as injections, drawing blood, and giving sub-Q fluids. Each time we move to a new city, our search for a good vet who will work with me is always a challenge. In doing so, I've come up with a list of questions and things I look for when trying to find a new vet.
The Phone Call
Assessing a clinic over the phone will provide you with some practical information to determine if you want to take the next step. Some questions may not seem important, such as the number of vet techs on staff; however, I've found that a good clinic retains staff and usually has a very low turnover rate.
- What types of animals do you treat? Ask specifically about your own pets and if they have someone qualified to treat them.
- How long have you been in practice?
- How many vets do you have on staff?
- How long have the vets been practicing?
- Do you provide emergency services?
- Do you have specialists on staff? If so, who, and if not, do you work with other practices?
- How many technicians do you have on staff and how long have they worked there?
- What services do you offer, i.e., boarding, grooming, x-ray and ultrasound testing?
- How much do your services cost?
- What are your hours of operation? Some vets are only open Monday to Friday, which might not work for you.
- Will you give us a tour of your facilities? If so, can we speak with a vet at that time? Note: If a clinic will not give you a tour, ask why. A good clinic should be proud to show you their facilities.
First Impressions Count
After choosing at least three vets to visit, we arrive for the tour and assessment. This is what you may want to look for when you do the walk-through:
- The Greeting: How were you greeted? The atmosphere and reception should feel professional and organized. If possible, arrive a little early for your appointment so you have time to observe. The clinic should be busy; the receptionists should be attentive to clients both on the phone and in person.
- Signs of Satisfaction:Look around the reception space. Are there thank you cards posted or photos of pets? If so, read through some albums or bulletin boards. If you sit next to another client, ask them how long they've been with this vet and if they're satisfied.
- Clinic Philosophy: Look for brochures, newspaper clippings and information bulletins. What are they about? Do you share their concern for these issues? For instance, our current vet posts information on how declawing is harmful to cats and also has a bulletin board explaining recent bylaws that do not support animal rights with petitions availabe to sign.
And the single, biggest clue I look for when choosing a new vet is the presence of "clinic cats". A vet that rescues unwanted animals, providing them with a home and medical help says a lot about their practice. I usually ask directly if they have any clinic animals, then ask how the animals came to be there. Again, the stories are usually of unwanted pets or strays or animals that the owners didn't want to treat and had wanted to put down. If a clinic doesn't have any animals, then I usually ask why. Again for me, this can be the deciding point on whether or not I keep them on my list.
The Clinic Tour
Usually the tour is given by a veterinary technician, thus providing you with a great resource on the practice. These are some of the questions and observations I make while taking a look around:
- Are the facilities clean?
- Ask to see the boarding areas. Are the kennels clean and do the animals have water and a bed to sleep in?
- Is their equipment up-to-date? You can ask them directly what kind of new technologies they've incorporated into their practice even if you don't know anything about veterinary medicine. They should be able to tell you how up-to-date they are or if they're planning on expanding services.
- How many surgery beds do they have? While you may not think this is important, if your pet requires emergency surgery it's good to know that they may be accommodated. Ask about this kind of service and how busy their operating table is.
- Ask how they handle difficult animals? This is important if you have a pet that is highly stressed or aggressive when in a vet's care.
- Ask to see their quarantine area or ICU. If there are any staff present in this area, note if they are following strict procedures of wearing masks, gloves, booties and disposable smock or if they have a bleaching station. This is especially critical if any of your pets are immune-compromised. You certainly don't want to leave your pets for any length of time in a clinic that doesn't follow proper procedures. Infectious diseases can easily be transmitted on shoes, hands or clothing from one cage to another.
