Content
- clinic legalization
- Localization
- Visit the facilities
- Personality
- Specialty
- 24-hour emergency
- Price
- Other services
- Be a good customer!
- Most important of all - Trust!
You veterinary care is mandatory in your pet's life. Be it a feline, a dog, a parrot, a rabbit, an iguana... From the moment we introduce a new member into our family, whatever the species, we must provide them with all the conditions they need to live happily in our lives. side. Periodic visits to the veterinarian are one of the key points in the health of any animal.
Each species needs specific care which may include deworming, vaccination or just periodic visits as preventive medicine to ensure that everything is ok. Many guardians only seek the veterinarian when the animal becomes ill. Don't make that mistake. Even before adopting an animal you should see a veterinarian!
Almost all tutors ask us this question: How to choose a good veterinarian? PeritoAnimal will answer this question indicating 10 tips to find a good professional.
clinic legalization
This is definitely the number 1 point! Unfortunately, there are many "fake veterinarians" and clinics that are not legalized. It is the role of justice to detect these cases of fraud, but all guardians must be aware and aware that these cases exist and may be closer than you think.
Only a veterinarian has the necessary training and practice to perform medical procedures with animals. Don't take your dog to be vaccinated by the Petshop worker, or your neighbor who can get "cheaper vaccines". Cheap is expensive and your pet's health is priceless!
Recently, in Portugal, the Chairman of the Veterinary Order, Jorge Cid, warned that there are dozens of complaints about false veterinarians in that country, which puts at risk not only the lives of animals but public health in general. If you reside in Portugal, you should know that any certificate or vaccine issued by a veterinarian must have a sticker that is issued by the Order.
In Brazil there have also been several cases of false veterinarians reported. These are some of the reasons that made customers suspicious:
- Vaccines applied without seal and application date
- Vaccine stickers printed directly from the computer
- All drugs donated without any medical prescription
- Advertising of services on the internet
- Prices too below average
Localization
The question of the location of the veterinary clinic or hospital is a relative one. Ideally, a clinic near your home is the most suitable, to avoid the stress of traveling with the animal and the time it takes to get to the clinic in an emergency. However, driving a few extra kilometers can be worth it to receive better service. You will always have to weigh the pros and cons.
Many clinics have home service! If you have an animal that has locomotion problems or that stresses a lot on travel, this can be an excellent option.
Visit the facilities
You can request directly at the clinic, before going with your pet, to visit the facilities. Most clinics will seamlessly show you around the facility (of course you shouldn't expect a guided tour of the entire hospital, especially if it's a busy day and you haven't made an appointment beforehand). They will surely explain to you all the conditions that the clinic has. Take the opportunity to ask what emergency services are available, how many veterinarians work in the clinic, what the specialties of the veterinarians are, if they have X-rays at the clinic or if they will have to do it in others if necessary.
Why is it important to ask about conditions? The more equipment the clinic has, the better for your pet. It will be much more convenient to carry out complementary exams in the clinic itself than having to move when there really is an emergency. However, most clinics when they do not have a certain service have agreements with other facilities. This is not a determining factor but it is important to be considered as well as all the others we mentioned.
This first approach, without your pet, allows you to immediately realize the environment in the clinic. Do you feel treated well? Is everyone friendly and happy in the workplace? These points are just as important as the qualifications and services of the clinic. If all goes well, you will spend many years in this place and it is essential that you feel well treated!
Personality
As we just mentioned, the sympathy and the way they treat you as a customer should be valued. Consider the personality of the veterinarian. It is very important that you like your veterinarian's way of being, both with you and your pet. Only then will you have complete confidence in him one day something happens to your little one and you need to drop him off at the clinic.
More than a "know it all" veterinarian, you want one humble veterinarian! All veterinarians, however many years of experience they have, have their limitations. A good veterinarian knows how to recognize his limitations and when a case requires more than his knowledge, he will be the first to suggest you look for an expert. In other words, a good veterinarian is not necessarily one who quickly diagnoses your pet's complex heart problem, but one who recognizes that it is best to recommend a fellow cardiology specialist to follow up on a case that he alone is not able to solve!
Specialty
Veterinary expertise is essential. Veterinary medicine is increasingly moving towards specialization, just like human medicine. Before thinking about specialization in terms of cardiology, neurology, etc., think about the animal in question.
If you have a reptile, it will not be the best choice to take it to a horse veterinarian. look for one veterinarian specialist in your animal. Nowadays, there are already exclusive clinics for exotic animals, exclusive clinics for felines, etc. Some clinics offer services for several different animals. You must ensure that your pet receives attention from an expert on that animal!
Veterinary doctors are always studying and updating themselves. Check your clinic's website for information about your veterinarian. You can also look for your veterinarian at CFMV[1] and see his courses and credentials.
If your pet has a specific problem, as we gave in the previous example, of cardiology, it will be beneficial to consult a specialist in this area. Of course the price of a specialist will probably be higher, but is there a better investment than your pet's health?
24-hour emergency
the service of 24 hour service is important because you never know when your pet will need immediate care. If your clinic of choice doesn't have one, ask your veterinarian to contact another one in case you need it. As with the other factors, you should not exclude a clinic if it does not have this service but it is essential that you be prepared and have a number always on hand for any time of distress!
Price
Price should not be a determining factor when choosing a veterinarian. It's extremely complicated to compare prices of medical services because in practice they vary a lot. A clinic can even offer cheaper prices on vaccination and be more expensive when an emergency hospitalization is necessary, for example.
In addition, paying 30 reais for the service of a less competent professional than one who charges 60 is really worth it? Your pet's health is priceless! This does not mean that a veterinarian who charges less is a worse professional than one who charges more. Each case is a case and for that reason what you must prioritize is the quality! Most veterinarians will always provide a budget before proceeding with any treatment. Unfortunately, not all people can afford to finance some treatments and veterinarians deal with this reality on a daily basis.
Some questions that are important to ask the clinic in this regard are:
- What payment methods do you accept?
- Do you accept credit?
Other services
Other services that the clinic has can be a bonus! Currently, many clinics already have professionals specialized in bathing, haircuts and nails. Some even have associated hotel service and trainers!
Some feline clinics, for example, already have so-called "kitty classes" that promote the socialization of kittens!
Be a good customer!
If you want to be treated well by your veterinarian, you must also be a good customer! Being a good customer doesn't just mean being a good guardian of your pet. You must promote and encourage a good relationship with your veterinarian. After all, it's in his hands that you'll leave your best friend!
Listen carefully to all your veterinarian's advice and tips. If it's saying something it's because it's important that you listen and apply it! Sometimes the veterinarian is saying too much information at the same time and you have difficulty following... tell him that! A good veterinarian will have no problem slowing down the information or even writing to you! Don't be shy to ask as many times as you need to get clear!
Don't expect from the vet what you wouldn't expect from a mechanic overhauling your car. I mean, you wouldn't tell your mechanic to take a look at your car without paying, would you? Yeah, the veterinarian also has bills to pay, also has a family and the equipment and drugs do not pay for themselves. If you have economic problems, talk openly with your veterinarian. Most veterinarians have more affordable options and forms of payment for people with less economic conditions.
Value your veterinarian's work and his opinion. If your vet has prescribed a certain treatment, don't tell him that your neighbor's home remedy must be better! Your vet is doing all he knows and doing his best to save your best friend.
Respect the clinic's hours and use the emergency service only when it really is an emergency. Being woken up at 5 am to get a puppy vaccinated is not an emergency. Veterinary doctors are also human and need to rest to be at 100% to take good care of our best friends!
Most important of all - Trust!
Most important of all is to trust the veterinarian. This trust must be reciprocal and, for that, do not lie under no circumstances to your veterinarian. You must remember that it is your pet's health that is at risk. He can't speak and you are his voice! All the details you tell can be useful to arrive at a correct diagnosis and define the treatment that will cure your pet.
If you've ever found a veterinarian that you trust your best friend's health completely, don't let go! If, on the other hand, you are not satisfied with the service or are just looking for a second opinion, don't hesitate! As with human medicine, there is no problem in seeking a second and third opinion on your pet's case!
