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How to Choose the Best Veterinary in Indian Trail, NC for your Dog
Choosing a veterinarian for your dog can be a daunting thing. With all of the mysterious smells floating around, new dogs are probably going to be anxious and unsure about the whole process. There are usually countless vets to choose from, and you don’t even always get to watch the actual examination taking place. How do you know you can even trust your vet?
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best vet for your dog, most of which we miss. All of these are important ideas to consider!
- Observation
The degree to which the best vet for your dog is able to reassure and comfort your pet in an uncomfortable, strange situation speaks volumes! Any small animal veterinarian should be very familiar with dog behavior and psychology. Unless the dog is prone to excessive anxiety, it shouldn’t be difficult for your vet to calm him.
Your dog might come away from his veterinarian visit nervous or uncomfortable the first time or two, and that is only natural but shouldn’t persist. Unless your pet is continually receiving uncomfortable injections or treatments, he should actually begin to feel comfortable around the ‘doctor’s office’.
If your dog shows repeat signs of anxiety and discomfort, it might be time to try a new veterinarian. Watch out for these signs after your pet’s examinations:
- Dog slouching, trying to appear small
- Tail tucked or held low
- Ears flat against forehead
Behavioral Tip: Always go into the veterinarian’s office with a happy, cheerful demeanor! Your pet is going to look to you in these situations, judging the way you handle the situation. If you appear scared, emotional or uncomfortable to your dog, he will become all the more anxious!
- Is the clinic clean, modern, and well organized?
- How many veterinarians are on staff? How many vet techs?
- Is the veterinarian able to set aside time to communicate his procedures to you in a clear, professional manner?
- Will the veterinarian take time to answer all of your questions?
- Cost & Pricing
Many people will choose the best vet for their dog based upon pricing. This isn’t always the best deciding factor! Though many veterinarians in a given area will offer similar prices for their services, those with better reputations might charge more for their services. In other words, a lower price may or may not mean lower qualifications.
Put together an appointment to speak with the veterinarian; get a feel for his personality and facilities offered. Many pet owners will simply call around, comparing prices by phone. Most veterinarians will also offer websites for easy online comparisons.
Pet Insurance: If money is a big problem for you, you own several pets or spend excessive amounts in vet bills for whatever reason, there is another option. Countless companies offer ‘pet insurance’, which acts nearly the same as health insurance for humans. If you do decide to invest in pet insurance, be sure to compare plans and know exactly what you’re getting!
- Word of Mouth & Reputation: Ask Around!
If it is a great, well established veterinarian with an experienced history, he (or she) will have a great reputation! Ask your friends what they think, how their experiences are/were, and who they go to. After all, they’ve probably already gone through the comparison process you are about to!
Despite all of the countless marketing techniques out there today, ‘Word of Mouth’ is by far the most effective. Any good veterinarian will know this, and go out of his way to reassure/comfort his clients.
- Busier Is ‘Usually’ Better
Though it’s not always the case, a busier veterinary clinic is often a good choice. This means the veterinarians that work there are probably more experienced with a better reputation. If the vet clinic is busy, it means all of the other pet owners decided to place their trust in that veterinarian/s instead of someone else.
Don’t be put off by a busy clinic and a wait. After all, isn’t your pet’s safety worth a little bit of time?
- Hours of Operation
Dogs don’t always get sick or injured when it is convenient for us, and most veterinary clinics are only open during a normal, 9-5 weekday. What happens if you have a pet emergency after they close?
Even if your favorite veterinarian is closed at night or on the weekends, make sure you know of an emergency veterinarian or emergency animal hospital that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Location, Location, Location
Having a vet close by is huge! In case an emergency does occur, you’re going to want to get your little one seen as quickly as possible. If your pet is suffering, don’t drive an hour or two out of your way to see the popular vet just because you like him more when there is another 15 minutes away.
Is your veterinarian American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) accredited?
Though many excellent veterinarians aren’t AAHA accredited, the extra membership does carry weight and is impressive. Make sure you check and see whether or not your chosen vet is AAHA accredited!
- Philosophies
It’s important to make sure the best vet for your dog not only makes a clear stance on moral grounds, but that stance is in agreement with yours. Many veterinarians will recommend things simply to make money; you don’t want to get stuck in that situation! Ask your veterinarian his stance on popular issues like:
- Large scale animal breeding
- Spaying/neutering
- Pet overpopulation
- Euthanasia
If your opinions in these matters vastly differ, there could a problem. Is your veterinarian willing to set aside a few minutes of his busy schedule to discuss these matters?
In a nutshell, do your research and go with your gut! Sometimes our intuition will be indicative of much more than our research in the long run.
Start your research, right here! These are all local Veterinary Hospitals.
Chestnut Arbor Animal Hospital
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