Home
Welcome Search This Site
What's New
_blog
Photo Contest!
Rainbow Bridge
Index Pages Puppy Care Pages
Dog Training Pages
Canine Health Pages
Dog Food Pages
Your New Puppy Which Breed?
Adopt A Puppy
Best For Kids
Small Dog Breeds
X-Large Breed Dogs
Puppy Development
Choosing a puppy
Puppy Names
Bringing Pup Home
Puppy Care Checklist
Bathing A Puppy
New Puppy Care
Housebreaking
Puppy Behavior
Separation Anxiety
Puppy Grooming
Puppy Training Crate Training
Clicker Training
Socialization
Puppy Training
Dog Agility
DogTraining Books
Health Care Puppy Health
Puppy Vaccinations
Puppies & Worms
Fleas & Ticks
Growth/Weight
Dog Illnesses
Ask A Vet
Dog Allergies
Dog Dental Care
Natural Remedies
Pet Health Insurance
First Aid
Dog Pain Medications
Dog Food About Puppy Kibble
Best Puppy Food
About Dog Food
Best Dog Food
Compare Foods
How Much To Feed
Organic Dog Food
Homemade Dog Food
Raw Dog Food
Healthy Dog Treats
General/Misc. Find A Petsitter
Dog-friendly travel
Dog Toys
Fun Puppy Stuff
Helpful Links
Puppy FAQ's
Shopping Web Buyers Guide
Puppy Toys
Indestructible Toys
Dog Rope Toys
Rawhide Chews
New Puppy Gifts
Dog Lover Gifts
Cool Dog Collars
Fancy Dog Collars
Dog Relaxation CDs
Dog Books
Dog Party Time
Dog Birthday Stuff
Natural Products
Aromatherapy
Agility Equipment
Dog Urine Cleaning
Training Collars
Grooming Aids
Business Pages Site Index
Share This Site!
Privacy Policy
Disclosure Policy
About Me
How I Built This Site
Contact Us

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines



Choosing a Veterinarian



Choosing a veterinarian is an important task when you're a new puppy parent... or when you have any type of pet for that matter!

choosing a veterinarian


He or she is going to be your partner when it comes to keeping little Fido healthy and well.

Choose someone that both you and your puppy like; making the right choice now will be more than worth the time and effort involved.

What To Look For In A Veterinarian

Talk to friends, work-mates and family, see who they trust with their precious pets. Word of mouth recommendations are a great starting place.

You can also look through your local Yellow Pages or check online for suitable clinics, then drive over there and take a look. You can drop by to take a look around and get a feel for the place before you make an appointment.

Some important things to look at when you're choosing a veterinarian and visiting prospective clinics are whether or not the premises are clean and inviting, are the receptionists and nurses friendly and welcoming and whether or not the veterinary surgeon is properly qualified and if possible, affiliated with a professional organization such as the AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association).

If your first impression is good, you can move onto the second step - making an appointment to visit with the veterinary surgeon themselves.



Meet & Greet

When you go to meet with the veterinarian, take Fido along with you. It's a good way to introduce him to the sights, sounds and smells of an animal clinic - without the trauma of shots or procedures.

The staff should be very willing to make a fuss of Fido, they may even have special treats for him and this will really help build up his self-confidence. Feeling comfortable in the veterinarians office will reduce the stress and anxiety of future appointments.

When you speak with the veterinarian, be sure to ask all the questions you want - it helps to take a list with you so you don't forget anything. Things such as what puppy shots he recommends and his opinion on diet and supplements etc. are a good place to start.

Puppy with veterinarian
If you are interested in holistic, homeopathic or complimentary treatments it's important to find out how the veterinarian feels about that. When choosing a veterinarian you need to be sure that you pick someone who shares your philosophies.

There is one other point worth mentioning, and that is to check the charges made for regular visits, vaccinations etc. as costs can vary quite dramatically from one clinic to another.

Although you should expect to pay a reasonable amount (and NEVER make a decision based solely on price) when you're choosing a veterinarian make sure that you're not being overcharged for routine procedures and appointments.

Veterinarian checklist

We've put together a quick check list that you can use when choosing a veterinarian and evaluating a veterinary practice. Feel free to add or take away anything you want, it's just offered as a rough guideline.

  • Clinic is clean and well organized
  • Equipment and furnishings look modern and well cared for
  • Staff is friendly and welcoming, to you and Fido
  • The Veterinary surgeon is qualified with board certification
  • The location of the clinic is convenient for you. You'll be visiting often, and you don't want to have to drive across town through traffic each time
  • You are happy with emergency services and provisions
  • The charges are reasonable
  • Clinic has convenient hours and same-day or emergency appointments

puppy with food bowl
One other point to consider. Many veterinary clinics and hospitals carry a certain brand of dog and cat food which they recommend.

These are usually good products but there are many equally good ones out there.

Don't feel you have to buy the food the clinic sells, and even if you do decide to use that brand you'll often find it's a bit cheaper at the local pet superstore.

Take your time and do some research to make sure that you know what are the best puppy food choices for your little fur baby.

Check out my Dog Food Comparisons page to find a great way to rate any puppy/dog food according to the quality of it's ingredients.

If you have questions about your puppy that relate to behavior, training, housebreaking or non-urgent health issues, you can submit them to me on my Puppy Questions page.

For health questions where you'd like an answer from a qualified veterinarian, use my Ask A Vet page. You'll get a professional opinion for the fraction of the cost of a veterinary clinic visit.

Of course, this is not a substitute in any way for the medical care and assistance of your own veterinarian. If your pup seems unwell or you have real health concerns, please talk to your own vet as soon as possible.

If your process of choosing a veterinarian includes checking out Holistic Veterinarians you may want to take a look at the AHVMA (American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association)website.....

click here to search for holistic veterinarians in the US and Canada



Dog Illnesses

Puppy Vaccinations

Puppy Questions

Ask A Vet

Return from Choosing a Veterinarian to Homepage

Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape



New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.

Custom Search



I just brought home my second chihuahua (sent you pictures of both for the puppy photo contest).

Your site is glorious! Helpful, fun,well-organized. Just perfect.

Thank you for the service you provide.

- Rebecca


Awesome website and information, Sue.

Thank you so much!

- Larry


I will definitely be referring my friends and family to this site, whether they are new to puppies or lifers like me.

Thank you again for a wonderfully informative website!!

- Jennifer



Got A New Puppy?

Try these...