Related Sponsors

How do I choose a vet?

Home » Pets » Choosing a Vet » How do I choose a vet?

The task of choosing a veterinarian for you dog should be handled with as much care and concern as choosing your family doctor. Depending on where you live, there could be a few choices, or there could be hundreds. Either way, you should take some time and make the best decision for your pooch’s well-being.

Veterinarians are medical doctors for animals and should be chosen with as much care as a family practitioner or specialist. Fortunately, there are many good veterinarians to choose from, so really is no excuse for not providing a dog with top-notch preventive care or treatment of illness or injury.

There are many different types of veterinarians. Some are the equivalent to a family doctor or general practitioner in human medicine. Others specialize in either dogs or cats or in special illnesses and disorders.

The vets that are like a general practitioner cover a broad range of services, including annual physicals, vaccinations, diagnosis and treatment of many illnesses and disorders, and do x-rays, some surgeries, and in-house diagnostic tests.

Some small animal clinicians continue their education in areas of special interest to sharpen their knowledge and skills in orthopedics, reproductive work, skin diseases, behaviors or something else. These vets do not seek certification as specialists but use their expanded knowledge to help clients and their dogs.

The number of certified specialists with practices limited to dermatology, dentistry, surgery, internal medicine or eye problems is relatively small, and dog owners often have to travel to find a specialist if one is needed.

Some specialty practices provide office space to traveling vets who spend a day or two a week seeing appointments in two or three different areas in an effort to bring the specialists to the patients. In these situations, the clinic may have appointments for orthopedic patients on Thursdays, dental patients on Mondays and Wednesdays, behavior consultations on Tuesdays, and allergy patients on Fridays.

Most veterinarians belong to a local medical association. Along with constantly improving their proficiency and level of education, veterinarians participate in community events designed to educate pet owners, work with area animal shelters, and keep abreast of laws that affect their profession. All veterinarians are required to attend continuing education programs in order to maintain their licenses.

Veterinarians are as individual as our doctors. There are those who have an easy bedside manner and those who are brusque; those who explain every detail about Rover's illness or condition and those who are too busy to do so; those who calm your fears and grieve with you and those who brush off your concerns or seem callous to the loss of a pet. There are some who are prejudiced against certain breeds, and some who refuse to do certain procedures such as ear cropping dogs or declawing cats. Only you know which one meets your needs as a pet owner.

Some veterinarians are higher-priced than others. Some have limited office hours and others provide 24-hour service. Some are part of multi-doctor practices and some run one-man clinics. Some are excellent diagnosticians or proficient in OFA hip x-rays; others are especially well-versed in parasitic diseases or orthopedic problems; and still others are well-versed in puppy problems or autoimmune diseases.

Next Page: How do I search for a veterinarian?

Related Choosing a Vet Articles