What qualities do you seek in a vet?

Question

I mean, I know that everybody looks for compassion towards their pet, reasonable prices, etc... but what traits do you seek that will make you come back? that you know and feel that the dr. really cares and wants what's best for your pet? Describe your ideal dr...

Answer 1

When I am actively looking for a vet, I have found the best place to go is your local pet shop. All pet shops SHOULD have a "resident vet" so to speak. Someone who comes in and checks out all the new arrivals and gives them a good bill of health. This is particularly helpful to people who own small exotic pets such as birds, ferrets, rabbits, hamster, etc. I have never had an issue asking one of the workers who their vet is and getting an address and phone number.

Checking out their add in the phone book helps too. Did the vet make the investment of having a nicely printed, larger add in the phone book? What information do they give in their add? Is this information helpful to my pet? People should look for things like this in the add. I always look for "treats small and exotic pets" because I own ferrets.

When I finally make the apointment I like to see how the receptionest is on the phone. This should give you a good idea about what vibe and attitude is going around the office.

Seeing and sometimes smelling the office when I finally get there is the deal breaker. I have seen many vet offices in my day.... Some are clean and kept up. Others are dirty and smell bad.

Finally...I do lots of research on ALL of my pets. I usually know what is going on with my animal before I even get to the vet. If the vet seems to be on the same page as I am, then I feel comfortable knowing the vet is knowledgeable about my pet. It doesn't hurt for the vet to have an upbeat attitude. I like when they show that they like and appreciate their work rather then treating it like it is just a job. :)

Answer 2

Vast knowledge of all the different animals I house. Being in a smaller town, a vet here has to have a minimal knowledge of everything from a hermit crab to a bull, and the occasional emu or llama. Plus he is very reasonable and gives discounts on spay/neuters of 3 or more per household. He is also one of the many vets selected for the Iditarod race in Alaska and they only use the best.
If he thinks I am able to keep a sick animal alive without suffering, he shows me how and what to do. We had a 2 day old kitten that had a stroke, then a second at 10 weeks, she was hearing impaired and visually impaired. She was paralyzed on her left side and couldn't walk let alone stand. He told me to take her home and give her TLC, so I did. I did physical therapy with her and she learned how to walk, run and climb steps. She couldn't jump on a sofa or your lap, but she enjoyed the added attention of getting picked up every time.She went back at 6 months and fixed. Sadly she passed at 11 months, but she lived a good life. Rest in peace my little Wolfinator (Smokey) Most vets would have opted to have the owner put her down. He helped me with one that had Feline Lupus, rare form with lesions in the mouth and throat, he gave her one month to live and a round of antibiotics. Well that one month turned into 5 yrs of living. She got to be a cat that could run, play, eat, sleep, purr (loudly), and be loved. My vet was amazed with her love of life. The time did come, however when she got real sick and had pneumonia, the vet and I both agreed it was time. She didn't think so though, she survived the first injection and had to be given another. Rest in peace my little Cynders. These 2 were sister from 2 different litters.
That's a great vet to me.

Answer 3

I found that vets who actually care about the animals health will treat the animal for its illness and if you are short on funds to pay for the service, the vet will help you out on this with a reasonable payment plan. This is the first thing I look for. Also, honesty, integrity, and a true love of his or hers profession before money.

Answer 4

I've worked with a lot of vets. I think the most important thing to me is a vet that's ego will allow him/her to say "I don't know" and that is willing to learn. Some vets are like human doctors and think they are just short of being God. A good vet knows that there is always more to learn, and that just like humans, animals don't always conform to what is considered normal. I feel that a good rapport with your vet is equally as important as your rapport with your own doctor.

Answer 5

One who is unafraid to grab the bull by the horns and has a clean, white lab coat.

Answer 6

knowledge of the animal, animal likes them, clean, friendly and easy to talk to, good staff-vet nurses, recomended by breeders, good cages, able to look at where animals are kept

Answer 7

animals respond well to him/her, polite to the owner, washes hands often, ask owner to wash his/hers as well, gives more than one solution to a problem if possible, advises on benefits of good diet without prompting, willing to explain everything to you clearly and in plain language, and certifications, awards, thank-yous posted around.