You love your pets, and take excellent care of them, but how do you go about hiring the best vet in your area or firing one you are not comfortable with. What is the difference betwween a really good vet and all the rest of the practices?
Ten signs that your pet is in good medical hands:
1) You feel a warm welcome by your veterinarian’s support staff.
2) Your vet greets your cat or dog by name.
3) Your vet does a complete physical exam. Sounds funny but I have seen and heard instances where the vet doesn’t look in the cat’s or dog’s mouth during an annual checkup.
4) Your vet is recording your pet’s weight every time they come in to your office.
5) Your vet makes recommendations to ensure a good quality of life for your pet.
6) Your vet gently approaches your pet and doesn’t yell at them if they are being uncooperative. I have heard of vets getting into power struggles with pets, a situation where no one benefits.
7) A good vet genuinely listens to your concerns and doesn’t make you feel like a bad pet owner. You, as the customer, have every right to ask questions without feeling like you are taking up their time.
8) Your vet, and not the technician, returns your calls when there are abnormal test results, and in a timely fashion.
9) Your vet goes regularly to continuing education lectures.
10) You have confidence in your vet’s abilities.
Above all, you should get a good gut feeling when you are there and when you are not there. Picking a vet is like picking any other doctor, some with better or worse bedside manner, more or less progressive in their medical treatments, more or less complete in their evaluations. Remember, your pet deserves the right for you to be picky, especially because they cannot speak for themselves.
Come visit Dr. Katz for the best, state-of-the-art feline care
