How do you chose a good vet?

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I have an appointment on Wednesday afternoon with a potential new vet. I've been somewhat disappointed with my clinic, where I generally see whatever vet is on that day, and I wanted to see if I could find someone better with whom I can develop a good relationship with, and that doesn't have quite so out to lunch prices.

 

I'm a rather impressionable person who has a natural tendancy to automatically trust any kind of supposed expert or authority figure (doctor's lawyers, police, random ladies who work in pet shops, etc.) right off the bat, and I tend to get won over pretty quickly...which has led to many disappointments in the past.

 

I found some general articles via a google search, such as this one http://www.petplanner.ca/en/article/22  So I'm wondering what you guys think. When interviewing a new vet, what kinds of questions would you ask? What should I be looking for in a good quality vet? Having some objective criteria to look for will keep me from getting excited just cause she's nice or says what I want to hear...

 

 

 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

wow, that is so nice Allyson. I definitely don't get that vibe at my clinic, especially with the young and inexperienced vet that I have seen most often. There is a vet at my current clinic that works there once in while when needed, and I saw her the time I brought Winston in. She was a bit misty when I told her his story and I could almost hear her heart break when she looked at his ears. But she isn't there regularly :o(  perhaps I could find out where she usually is.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Try!!!!!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I called and asked about her - she was only working as needed in the summer. She is out of the country right now. They said she doesn't have a practice of her own. She just goes around from one to another.

For the one I'm scheduled with on Wednesday, the website says "Her special interests include Dermatology (skin), Nutrition and Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Physiotherapy."

[Elizabeth & Cosmo]

I agree with Karen! I would definitely try to make sure your future appointments are all with the "misty" vet!

Cosmo and I had a similar experience with our vet recently. We were there for his annual checkup, and it happened to be on the morning that another dog (an old and ill dog) was being brought in to be put down. It was very sad for everyone in the clinic that morning, and our vet got tears in her eyes when she was with Cosmo, because she was so glad he was such a happy, healthy puppy!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Karen, your first line grabbed me - they must at least appear to "like" my dog. My Vet is so indifferent to Daisy, I just want to smack him.

Oh and of course the rest is important too - LOL

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

How could anyone be indifferent to Daisy?! I'd want to smack him, too!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I know, right?

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

yea! SMACK!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Oh I would have liked to....it's almost as good to say it though!

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

 

I just want to chime in.  In most vet clinic that have multiple vets the vets are paid on commission.  IMO that is why we see unnecessary testing and treatments that may not be cost effective.

 

In a smaller practice (owner run), the individual vets depend more on repeat clients and do not try to make a "killing" on each case. 

 

We saw this practice a few years ago, our vet was away and we brought Boomer to a local vet hospital.  They ordered about $300 worth of tests.  Fortunately our vet called from vacation and told us to call the vet hospital and not have the tests processed.  They were just running everything to bring up the bill.  The following day we were able to bring Boomer to his regular vet.  Boomer just had an off day, nothing wrong.  Our vet saw that right away.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Yes! This is exactly what my clinic does! They are always ordering tests that aren't necessary and not telling you how much it would cost. I bet they also work on commission.

 

The first time I took Sophie in for a 'consult' other than her regular puppy vaccine schedule, she had been peeing like 15 times a day. I thought maybe she had a UTI. So I brought her in, and they couldnt' seem to get a sample out of her, only a tiny little bit of pee. Even though they didn't have a big enough sample to do the test properly, they still did it (and later charged my $68), and said it seems like she might have a UTI so we'll put her on anti-biotics (another $40 or so). Then I asked them if they'd help me clean her ears since they were dirty and I couldn't get her to hold still. I naively thought they'd do this as a favour. They looked at her ears and said 'do you mind if we take an ear swab' (didn't bother mentioning the $52 or so fee to stick a q-tip in her ear). They told me she had some yeast in her ears so another $50 in medication. Then charged me for the ear cleaning as well. Then we got to talking about Sophie's poop and before you know it Fortiflora and some sort of RX food are up at the counter for me to pick up along with all the meds (I didn't take it). I had stupidly thought the $70 consult fee would be all that I would pay, I had no idea I'd walk out of there with a $350 bill.

The time I brought Winston in for his blood test she came back with him and said, I expressed his anal glands while he was back there because they were kind of full. I thought, great, how nice. Then they slapped $45 on my bill for it. WTD? She didn't even ask me if I wanted it done!

Of course I stupidly go along with it without complaining because if I bring up the cost I feel like they are judging me for not wanting to take proper care of my pets. When I rejected the forteflora they vet tech got personally offended saying she gives it to her dog without any problems.

Anyways, vent over. Point is, it's time to switch.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

oh, I forgot to say. They diagnosed a friend's dog with incontinance when all he had was a UTI. When I saw him last he was upset and said he's switching vets. I should find out where he's going now.