Pet Care
Pet Health Tips: Choosing a Veterinarian
Choosing the right veterinarian can make any pet owner feel more secure.
Finding a veterinarian can be just as challenging as finding a family doctor or dentist. The most highly recommended veterinarians may not be accepting new patients, or the nearest office may be two cities away. Some veterinarians work on a first come, first served basis, but their offices may be crowded
and service may be rushed. Animal hospitals may offer emergency services, but advanced treatments may be very expensive and pet owners have few insurance options. Finding a veterinarian who will devote significant time to your sick pet and offer affordable payment terms can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack at times.
Here are some things a pet owner should look for when deciding on a veterinarian.
1. Location, location, location. How far are you willing to travel for quality veterinarian services? Some vets have offices in the city while others prefer to remain in more rural areas.
Having a veterinarian nearby makes sense in the case of emergencies. Time may be a critical factor, so a pet owner may want to choose a veterinarian within easy driving distance of his or her home. However, it pays to ask the local veterinarian about his emergency and after-hours treatment policy. Some vets will refer emergency cases to a better-equipped animal hospital across town or even in another city. They may not have the proper facilities to treat certain serious medical conditions. Having a veterinarian closer to home can make routine visits more convenient, but pet owners need to be aware of any restrictions the local office may have.
Some veterinarians prefer to work in rural areas, because they offer services to cattle, horses and other large animals. While these veterinarians can also treat dogs and cats, a pet owner should decide if the services offered are worth the additional transportation expenses. One positive aspect of rural veterinarian service is a more liberal after-hours policy. Veterinarians in rural settings are accustomed to late-night emergencies and weekend calls. If your pet needs attention at night, a veterinarian located in the country may be more accessible.
2. Specialties. If you have a dog or cat, finding a capable veterinarian in town may be fairly easy. If you have a more exotic pet, however, you may need to do some more research. Not all veterinarians offer services for exotic animals such as birds, reptiles, snakes and small rodents. These animals often have specific medical needs that only a trained professional can treat effectively. The veterinarian's advertising should spell out any special training he or she may have. Vets who specialize in birds may also be familiar with exotic pets such as guinea pigs or ferrets. Some traditional 'cat and dog' veterinarians may not feel comfortable treating certain exotic pets, so you'll want to ask a potential veterinarian about their experience with exotic animals.
3. Do they accept pet insurance? Routine office visits may be affordable, but advanced medical treatments can easily run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Unlike human patients, many pets are not covered by any form of health insurance and the owners may be responsible for substantial payments at the time of services. Veterinarians are not obligated to extend credit for their services, although many have adopted private forms of extended payments. In recent years, some private companies have started offering a form of pet health insurance, which works much like human insurance- the policy holder makes regular premium payments and the insurer pays for approved services. If you have this sort of pet insurance coverage, you'll need to find a veterinarian who accepts the terms. Because pet insurance is not standardized like Medicare or Blue Cross/Blue Shield, different offices may accept different policies.
4. Cage-side manner. A good veterinarian should demonstrate some compassion for distraught pet owners as well as their sick pets. A pet owner should feel as if he or she can speak freely about the pet's prognosis. If a difficult decision must be made, a good veterinarian should present all the scenarios and give the owner enough time to make a choice. Veterinarians need to be realistic enough to recognize a suffering animal, but compassionate enough not to force an owner into a hasty decision. A good veterinarian also should understand a pet owner's financial situation, which may mean recommending a less-expensive course of treatment or using generic medications when appropriate. A pet owner may want to seek a second opinion if an unfamiliar veterinarian recommends an expensive operation or extended treatments with expensive medications.
5. Is the veterinarian working alone or does he have a fully-staffed office? Some veterinarians prefer to have a minimal staff in order to keep expenses low and provide more personal services. Others prefer to hire additional vets or assistants, plus maintain a pet supply section and a fully-staffed office. A single veterinarian may provide more detailed examinations, but they may also have to limit the number of new patients they can handle. Full-service veterinarians may be able to keep complete records on their patients and provide more supplies in-house, but these amenities are not inexpensive. A single veterinarian may eventually retire from practice, so a pet owner may have to find another vet within a few years. A veterinarian working for a clinic or large practice may decide to move or retire, but there should still be qualified vets who can assume his or her patients.
Finding a veterinarian can be just as challenging as finding a family doctor or dentist. The most highly recommended veterinarians may not be accepting new patients, or the nearest office may be two cities away. Some veterinarians work on a first come, first served basis, but their offices may be crowded
Here are some things a pet owner should look for when deciding on a veterinarian.
1. Location, location, location. How far are you willing to travel for quality veterinarian services? Some vets have offices in the city while others prefer to remain in more rural areas.
Having a veterinarian nearby makes sense in the case of emergencies. Time may be a critical factor, so a pet owner may want to choose a veterinarian within easy driving distance of his or her home. However, it pays to ask the local veterinarian about his emergency and after-hours treatment policy. Some vets will refer emergency cases to a better-equipped animal hospital across town or even in another city. They may not have the proper facilities to treat certain serious medical conditions. Having a veterinarian closer to home can make routine visits more convenient, but pet owners need to be aware of any restrictions the local office may have.
Some veterinarians prefer to work in rural areas, because they offer services to cattle, horses and other large animals. While these veterinarians can also treat dogs and cats, a pet owner should decide if the services offered are worth the additional transportation expenses. One positive aspect of rural veterinarian service is a more liberal after-hours policy. Veterinarians in rural settings are accustomed to late-night emergencies and weekend calls. If your pet needs attention at night, a veterinarian located in the country may be more accessible.
2. Specialties. If you have a dog or cat, finding a capable veterinarian in town may be fairly easy. If you have a more exotic pet, however, you may need to do some more research. Not all veterinarians offer services for exotic animals such as birds, reptiles, snakes and small rodents. These animals often have specific medical needs that only a trained professional can treat effectively. The veterinarian's advertising should spell out any special training he or she may have. Vets who specialize in birds may also be familiar with exotic pets such as guinea pigs or ferrets. Some traditional 'cat and dog' veterinarians may not feel comfortable treating certain exotic pets, so you'll want to ask a potential veterinarian about their experience with exotic animals.
3. Do they accept pet insurance? Routine office visits may be affordable, but advanced medical treatments can easily run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Unlike human patients, many pets are not covered by any form of health insurance and the owners may be responsible for substantial payments at the time of services. Veterinarians are not obligated to extend credit for their services, although many have adopted private forms of extended payments. In recent years, some private companies have started offering a form of pet health insurance, which works much like human insurance- the policy holder makes regular premium payments and the insurer pays for approved services. If you have this sort of pet insurance coverage, you'll need to find a veterinarian who accepts the terms. Because pet insurance is not standardized like Medicare or Blue Cross/Blue Shield, different offices may accept different policies.
4. Cage-side manner. A good veterinarian should demonstrate some compassion for distraught pet owners as well as their sick pets. A pet owner should feel as if he or she can speak freely about the pet's prognosis. If a difficult decision must be made, a good veterinarian should present all the scenarios and give the owner enough time to make a choice. Veterinarians need to be realistic enough to recognize a suffering animal, but compassionate enough not to force an owner into a hasty decision. A good veterinarian also should understand a pet owner's financial situation, which may mean recommending a less-expensive course of treatment or using generic medications when appropriate. A pet owner may want to seek a second opinion if an unfamiliar veterinarian recommends an expensive operation or extended treatments with expensive medications.
5. Is the veterinarian working alone or does he have a fully-staffed office? Some veterinarians prefer to have a minimal staff in order to keep expenses low and provide more personal services. Others prefer to hire additional vets or assistants, plus maintain a pet supply section and a fully-staffed office. A single veterinarian may provide more detailed examinations, but they may also have to limit the number of new patients they can handle. Full-service veterinarians may be able to keep complete records on their patients and provide more supplies in-house, but these amenities are not inexpensive. A single veterinarian may eventually retire from practice, so a pet owner may have to find another vet within a few years. A veterinarian working for a clinic or large practice may decide to move or retire, but there should still be qualified vets who can assume his or her patients.
Source: essortment