With 70% of American households or about 90.5 million families owning a pet, it is no wonder that veterinarians are in high demand.
As a pet owner, everyone deserves a reliable veterinarian dedicated to the service. Therefore, choosing the correct veterinarian will go a long way.
Choosing a veterinarian is not only about looking for someone with exceptional medical skills. A correct vet will have great communication skills, live close to your locations, boast knowledge about pet care, illness, and medications, and offers reasonable cost.
Finding the right veterinarian for your precious pet is a personal decision to lay the foundation for your pet’s health.
It is crucial to ensure that you have all the information before making your choice.
With this goal in mind, read on to find the essential considerations that pet owners should keep in mind.
What to look for in a veterinarian in Urbandale?
To help you find the right one, here are the compiled checklists of things you should consider.
1. Veterinarian Knowledge and Experience
A veterinarian must have the skill, experience, and qualifications required to treat pets.
Veterinary care accounts for $18.11 billion of the total amount of money spent on pet care in 2018, so investing in an experienced vet is a must for your furry friend's overall health and safety.
Their knowledge and skills should encompass various services, including emergency services, animal medicine, animal behavior, and psychological services.
Skilled veterinarians can handle and provide emergency medical care, treatment, and medicine for your pet, including surgical needs.
Similarly, when looking for the best veterinarian in Urbandale, check whether they are licensed to practice in your state, such as registered veterinary technicians.
Ask the vet for licenses or contact your state board of veterinary medicine to get their information.
The following are the licensed certificate you should consider looking for:
2. Ask for Recommendations
Ask your family, neighbor, or friends, especially those who have pets in their homes. It is usually the best way to find the best veterinarian.
Other useful sources of referrals include a Google search for the local veterinarian and check out their client's reviews and feedback.
You can even call or visit some local veterinarians to see how friendly, compassionate, and professional they are before making your final decision.
Care to ask the animal control organizations and animal shelters which often work directly with vets.
3. Communication Skills
Effective communication is an essential quality of any veterinarian. The veterinarian must effectively communicate the problem and health status of the pets to the pet owners.
They must have a thorough understanding of your pet's issue to be able to explain and communicate it to you clearly.
They should be able to explain the medical terms in the most understandable way possible.
- Empathy skills
- Comforting, relaxed, and assuring attitude to calm them down
- Technical skills
- Expressive and relational skills
- Confident in managing challenging scenarios like breaking bad news, conflicts, admitting mistakes, etc.
A veterinarian's communication ability extends to giving pet owners advice, medicines, and appointment reminders.
4. Location
Consider how close your veterinarian is to your home. Evaluate the distance and how safe you feel while taking your pet to the vet, especially in an emergency case.
That is why it makes sense to choose a vet within a reasonable distance of your home so that you can quickly reach them in an emergency.
Knowing the closeness of veterinary to your home is an excellent way to narrow your search.
5. Cost
The expense of veterinarian care and treatment is undoubtedly a consideration in the decision making.
According to the ASPCA, pet owners spend on average $225 per year in recurring medical costs for a dog and $160 for a cat.
But if a pet falls ill or has an accident, those costs can quickly escalate.
So, always ask for the total costs of procedures ahead of time to avoid any unexpected fees. Do they have fixed costs for set procedures, or do they give full quotes before going forward with treatment?
Costs can also vary depending on the vet, so compare the pricing of multiple vets to meet your financial needs.
Also, inquire about payment methods and financial assistance before committing.
6. Have a Strong Nerve
Veterinarians should have plenty of manual dexterity to tackle various situations with the least problems.
They must be cautious while treating an injured animal or performing a physical examination of an injured animal. They may need to hold uncooperative, frightened, or angry animals.
For example, during a surgical procedure, a veterinarian uses medical tools. They should be able to keep their hand steady while using these tools to make accurate incisions.
Similarly, if a pet is awake, they need to be able to work quickly and correctly in case the animal becomes distressed.
Vets with good motor skills will find it easier to handle the pets they treat confidently and compassionately, improving their experience and patients.
7. Problem Solver
The ability to solve problems is the next crucial trait of a good veterinarian.
They must do a physical examination and request the appropriate laboratory or imaging tests to determine what is wrong with an animal.
The pet cannot tell the veterinarian what the problem is, and the owners may only be able to describe a difference in behavior.
As a result, veterinarians who perform clinical examinations and research should be adept at recognizing and diagnosing symptoms, behavioral abnormalities, and other causes for concern.
8. Schedule a Visit to the Veterinary
Once you shortlist possible veterinarians for your dog, call them to request a tour. Many veterinary allow you to visit their facility before scheduling an appointment with your pet.
Otherwise, you can make appointments to meet with them and schedule some time to talk with the vets.
Request a quick tour to see the type of environment the vet and the staff create and observe how they interact with you, the animals, and others.
- Notice the staff’s friendliness
- The clinic’s overall cleanliness and the arrangement of the waiting area
- The clinic’s policy for emergencies
- Observe their approach to treating pets and the variety of services they provide
- Was the veterinarian caring for handling your dog?
- Did you get enough chance to ask questions, and were those questions adequately addressed?
Check if they can prescribe holistic treatment or focus on nutrition and preventative care by asking relevant questions.
If those things are important to you, make sure they are crucial to your potential vet as well.
9. Additional Services
Some veterinarian provides extra services like pet training and obedience classes, which can be really helpful.
They will maintain an ongoing history of your pet, including health records that detail preventive care such as vaccinations, heartworm test results and preventative medications, deworming, and recording your pet’s weight and illnesses.
They will also advise you on the best preventive care program to maintain your pet’s health based on its individual needs and disease risks.
Choose a calm, compassionate veterinarian willing to explain all the procedures your pet undergoes. Try to find a vet with whom you and your pet feel comfortable.
Conclusion
A good veterinarian will collaborate with you on all aspects of your pet’s health and quality of life, which is not just your priority but your veterinarian’s too.
Finding the right veterinarian is more than reassuring to whom you can fully trust and rely on throughout your pet’s life.
Need a trusted veterinarian to care for your pets in Urbandale?
Get in touch with Urban Pet Hospital & Resort, certified veterinarians in Urbandale.