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Veterinarians... the good, the bad and the Professionals.
At some point in time or another, if you own a dog, you will need to go “shopping” for a Veterinarian. Sounds a little crude, I realize that, however your choice in Veterinarian can make or break you. When we are interviewing a veterinarian we use the following list of questions to determine if the veterinarian is someone we “choose” or not.
1. How long ago did the Vet become licensed to practice?
2. If there was a situation wherein my dog sustained a major injury and the Veterinarian could not perform the surgery needed, where would the Veterinarian recommend I go?
3. Does the Veterinarian have the capability to x-ray in house?
4. What are the office hours and do they have after-hour emergency services?
5. How are emergencies handled during business hours?
6. How long does it take to get an appointment?
7. When you call into the office... check the following:
When you ask questions, how are they handled?
Are the members of the staff courteous, professional and knowledgeable?
Are phone calls answered promptly and are you placed on hold for more than 2 minutes?
If you ask to speak with the Veterinarian, how is that question handled?
8. When you visit the office... check the following:
Is the office clean, neat and without odor (either of animal OR disinfectant)?
Is the office “packed” with clients or are there only a couple of clients?
Stay there for 30 minutes, watch how many people come & go and are still waiting.
Is the outside of the facility well kept and free of hazards?
Is the vet’s office in a location that is convenient for you and can you get there in less than 15 minutes?
9. What services are available?
Medical exams.
Wellness exams.
Surgery.
Dentistry.
In house lab testing.
After you have determined all of the above, I send you with this word of caution...
Veterinarians (in my opinion) are LICENSED, board certified professionals and as such, they should NEVER “practice” on your beloved companion. We always shy away from any Veterinarian who refers to their “Clinic” as a practice. Additionally, Veterinarians are Veterinarians, they are not behaviorists, trainers, nutritionists, groomers or boarding facilities - from our experience, Veterinarians who handle the aforementioned always practice because they are not specialized enough to know what they are doing well enough to actually be a professional.
Following is our “cheat sheet” regarding the above questions - these are our preferred answers:
1. Greater than 10 years.
2. The closest Veterinary Teaching School - like MSU, Colorado State, UC Davis, etc.
3. Absolutely.
4. 8-5 Monday - Friday (with a staffed lunch hour) 4 hours on a Saturday and on call in house emergency services.
5. Emergencies during business hours are given priority and other clients are informed that there will be a wait due to an emergency - clients due in later are called at home to allow for rescheduling due to the delay that the emergency has caused in the Veterinarian’s schedule.
6. Same day, occasionally up to 3 days but NEVER longer than that.
7. - 9. are at your discretion... be certain to weigh all of your options so you know what extras you will have to pay for elsewhere if the vet cannot perform the necessary test.
PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR PAGE REGARDING VACCINATIONS... THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT MAY HELP YOU CHOOSE A VET!
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