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Choosing a Veterinarian

12K views 51 replies 49 participants last post by  gsdsar 
#1 ·
How did you chose the vet you have?

We all need a vet for our dogs. Some vets are very good and some vets are not the greatest. Do you just go to any vet or did you search for (and find) a really good vet? Share with us all how you found the vet you use.
 
#3 ·
I chose my Vet because her hospital is kept very clean, it doesn't have plain white walls, it has personality, it's colorful, all of the exam rooms are painted and they all have a different theme. There is a cat room that has hand painted cats and a maze. There is a room full of quotes about animals from famous people. The Vet's are all super smiley and friendly. The receptionist's are very polite and welcoming. My personal Vet loves all 5 of my animals, she knows them all very well and she always gets on the floor to play with them. :wub:
 
#4 ·
When I moved up to upstate NY, I didn't know a soul and made finding a vet my #1 priority for Dakota b/c of his DM and his regular acupuncture appointments. My vet in PA didn't know anyone who practiced up here, so he directed me to various websites to do some research.

Basically, I originally chose my vet because of he did acupuncture. I stayed with him because of the great care he provided both to me and Dakota. He sealed the deal when I got Phoenix. As I have "grown" as a dog owner, he and I have great discussions on pet care and nutrition. He is open minded and will actually listen to me when I have questions and take the time to thoroughly answer them and make sure I understand his point of view as well as understanding mine. He was also instrumental in referring me to our current holistic vet who now provides Phoenix's acupuncture and chiropractic. He is still our primary vet, but he willing referred me to someone else when it came to holistic care.
 
#5 ·
I don't know about any where else, but in Michigan you can actually look up your vets back ground to see if they have been fined and/or on probation, etc. I had a vet for just over 12 years until a couple of my dog's were done wrong. Then I found where I can look up his back ground and found out how many times (what year, etc)he was fined and/or on probation. That was a HUGE Shock to me!!!! The website I use can also be used for human doctors, etc too!!!!
 
#6 ·
the back yard breeder i got Max from, suggested the Vet that was takeing care of his mother and litter mates, (not cheap in the least) and i was not happy with my last vet, so i went there on a visit, she was young, graduated top of her class, i had some questions to ask, i already knew the answers, she passed, she has been taking care of all 3 for the passed 5 years, one thing I will say is she was bitten pretty bad in the face by a dog once, but she has no fear and thats one thing i liked about her, if the Vet has or shows fear then the dog is going to pick up on it, shes the only Vet I let handle my pac
 
#7 ·
When it came down to the last vet I had, there were two choices: one vet office was run by a veteran vet and the other was a new man. I choose the veteran vet not only because he's more experienced, but he offered customers more stuff. His office was small and clean and he even had an office pet, a declawed goofy cat.
 
#9 ·
If you know anyone with pets in your area I'd ask them for suggestions/recommendations.
I didn't really choose a clinic originally-- my parents had been taking our family's pets to one clinic ever since I could remember as a kid so I just took my own pets there since I'd already been taking the family pets for so long...
I decided to change after they started having problems, ended up being bought by VCA, and the vets I liked at the clinic kept leaving. I chose a new vet by just finding out where one of the vets I'd really liked from that clinic had moved to, and I followed her to the new place she was working and when she opened her own new hospital I went there and that's where I still am taking my pets. I really like her because although she does "traditional" medicine she also is interested in holistic medicine and natural treatments and will often give options of both types of treatments.

The only other clinics I've used were picked either because I had a gift certificate for them or because they had some sort of specialty service that I needed (like acupuncture, hydrotherapy, oncology, surgery, exotics, etc...)
 
#11 ·
I'm much picker choosing a vet than I am for a people doctor for myself.

When I moved to Florida in 1995 my vet in Maryland helped me search for a vet down here. I also asked a few friends and everyone came up with the same doctor. I went to him but had a falling out with him in 1998 so I started going to his associate who I still go to today even though she bought a clinic of her own and I have to drive 30 miles one way to get there ... she's well worth the trip.
 
#12 ·
I chose my vet after seeing the results of surgery he performed on a dog that had been hit by a car and his head was split open from the crown to his nose. No one else would touch the surgery. You can hardly tell this dog was ever hit by a car. This vet was new to our area after doing a tour of duty in Iraq as one of the working dog vets and I heard nothing but good things about him. So I switched and am very happy. The other day I contacted the vet specialty clinic here to see about taking my dog for some water therapy. When the rehab vet tech asked me who my vet was, she said there would be no reason to have him do a referral - that any diagnosis made by him would not be disputed.
 
#13 ·
I have about 10 veterinarian clinics in my town and been to 3 of them.Simply put, I did't like either of them.So I went to animal control office and ask them which vet they use and why. One they recommended was probably cheapest one in the town, but also most knownegable and they did't charge me any "office visit" charge as other do nor push me to something unnecesarry to do. They just did and charge me for what I ask them to do and that was it. I'm verry happy with my vet.
 
#14 ·
Back a quarter of a century ago or so, we had a stray shepherd mix named princess.

After getting new carpet, she got sick. she baptized every inch of that carpet. She went off her feed, and started to get thin. We took her to the old guy up the highway from us. He was ancient then and what is scarier is, he is still in business.

The guy was afraid of dogs. Good job to have. But anyway, he looked at Princess and told us to take her home and feed her Chicken Soup. (Yes, this was WAY before Chicken Soup for the Dog lovers soul. It was before the original book Chicken Soup for the soul was written.)

Anyhow, we went home, opened a can of Cambells Chicken Noodle soup, and put it in her dish. The poor pup mouthed it, barfed again, and left it in her dish.

A week later all her ribs were showing. She was going to die. My parents had six kids, no money, and both of my parents were going to college and they had no money whatsoever, but they dragged the dog back to this vet.

He looked at her and said that he would check her for worms, but did not want to while she was so sick, so he gave her a shot to make her more active.

We put her back in the car. Mom drove her to the other, the new vet in town.

The man was a young guy, he saw her and started shaking his head. We told him her story, and what the other vet had done. He was ticked off. He collected stool, gave us wormer, told us to get her off the generic food, explained about the AAFCO and 100% Balanced nutrician, and told us to keep her out of the garbage.

She got better.

They did an emergency spay on her a few months later. And when she was 18 months old we found a lump on her abdomen, and took her in. It was an aggressive form of stomach cancer. They removed it, but said she would likely live no more that a year, maybe a year and a half.

He must have gotten it all because we ended up putting her down at 14 years.

Every time she came in after that, the doctor would check and check her stomach, no reoccurance.

Over the years, there has been no reason to change vets.
 
#15 ·
I have had the worst time finding one vet I really like...part of the problem is we have too many to chose from. I used one vet for eons until he all the sudden started jacking up prices and wanting to run ridiculous tests so we canned him. Then we found Best Friends vet and liked them though they always left us in the waiting room forever and fighting traffic there and back became a real pain. We heard about Lost Ark from a friend and liked them a lot too so we use them when we think something is really wrong- they are awesome, honest, conservative, and open minded. Other than that I vaccinate at home, do rabies through our county clinic, and regular check ups at the pet vax 2 miles from my house. Place s clean, staff is nice enough, and vet isn't too pushy:)
 
#16 ·
i personally try to find a vet with some personality in the office and a friendly staff but also one who has GSD experience along with reasonable prices. unfortunately where i am right now, all the vets are ridiculously over priced and the ones who DO have GSD experience have nothing positive to say so i wouldnt trust them. Also if i cant be with my dog 100% of the time (unless its a surgical procedure) thats an automatic no. My first vet back home no matter what i did, made me out to sound like i had no idea what i was talking about. He told me to keep my GSDs away from cats and kids because they were a dangerous breed. He regularly told me that because our female had hip dysplacia our male would too. Well being that they're not related and our male is a mix (science has also proven mixes tend to be healthier than PBs because they get the better genetics). And his prices were outrageous. I went to the vet my mother in law uses and boy do i wish i had gone to them sooner. I wish i could bring them with me whenever we change stations too. The vet gets very excited when he gets a GSD or a doberman or a pit bull in the office. He knows his dog breeds (i'd bet he knows them far better than AKC judges!). He didnt treat me like i was some stupid kid that didnt know anything. I use the base vet right now for basics because its cheaper and easier but anything major i have to go out in town (i use Banfield though i dont like them).

Find a vet you're comfortable with, doesnt take your dog into another room for anything without you there with them, isnt prejudice against the breed and at least semi knowledgable, reasonable prices. Theres a long list. Its like searching for a doctor for you. If the staff isnt friendly and the office isnt welcoming or has a funky smell, leave. IMO.
 
#17 ·
I remember when i moved to Suwanee, GA a few years ago. I was looking for a vet to take my new puppy, Sadie, to. I was mainly taking her in just to meet the vet, and get a prescription for the heartworm medicine. As part of the adoptions process from the Humane Society, they spay/neutered, bring them current on their shots, and de-worm them.

Well i walked into the exam room and put Sadie up on the table. A few minutes later the vet came in. I handed her Sadie's medical records and told the vet i just adopted her from the Humane Society. The vet glanced thorough the paper work, then proceed to tell me that Sadie needed to be neutered, and that she had worms.

I just stared at her because i though she was joking. I just said to her..."Are you kidding? SADIE is a she, who has already been spayed, and de-wormed a few days ago.

The vet said..."Oh, ok. I'll have that taken off your bill."

That's when i left. She never looked at the dog, didn't even read the medical records, and had already created a bill before she even meet us.

-------
I'm much happier with our new vet, she's overpriced, but seems to really care about the dogs. If we ever have any problems with the dogs, she always calls the next morning to check on them.
 
#18 ·
I did some research on local vets and found the vet clinic I go to, Best Friends Animal Clinic, to be the best North of Seattle. They have done everything from saving and rescuing sea life and bald eagles to farm vet service to pets. They are also used by the local and county departments for their K9 service... I think it is worth paying a little extra (sometimes a decent amount extra) for good vet service. To me I see it as going to a bad doctor for yourself... would you really want the service done to you in a sub par manner?
 
#19 ·
I actually have 2 vets - one is a classic homeopath (I like to use alternative medicine whenever possible), so it was important for the second one (a referral from a friend) to be comfortable with that and to work alongside her if necessary. I got really lucky, and now have two wonderful ladies who complement each other and will share information - a rare commodity in the medical field. (I also knew I was in the right place when I walked into the reception area for the first time and noted that there wasn't a bag of Science Diet in sight - only the best quality kibble, and, for raw feeders like myself, a freezer full of Bravo products.) Vet # 2 also offers services such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and Chinese herbal remedies. As well as the usual surgery, shots, etc. I and my dogs are VERY fortunate!
________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge :angel:
 
#20 ·
I have 2 vets. About 25 years ago when I got my horse, he was very hard to handle. I found a vet that was calm and quiet, he even hung around a little while after he was done treating my horse for the first time, that impressed me. He would treat my dogs & cats right at my house when I did my barn call. I used to take care of everyone at the same time and choke when I got that bill. When Kiya started having seizures November of 2005, I continued going to his office with her but with traffic it sometimes took over a half hour, we were making lots of trips there, then with gas around $4 a gallon I started going to the vet in my town for blood draws. I continue to go to the local vet for sheer convenience but if I had a problem and wanted a second opinion I would speak to my horses vet. I also met a woman who just began her own practice a few years ago, if I had a reason to stop using the local vet I would go to her next, she's not too far away and I've heard good things about her.
 
#21 ·
We met our current vet through a referral about 13 years ago from a friend. We were unhappy with the vet we had been going to because she was ridiculously expensive and made us feel guilty if we didn't go for every single preventative measure possible, even vaccinations for things our dogs had almost no chance of catching, and knowing we didn't have much money. I can truthfully say I love our vet, Dr. Broderick, and he is the only medical person ever that I have completely trusted. He is very common sensical and reality based, but willing to try different techniques. For instance, for my 16 year old cat, euthanasia is not his first choice, he's giving her steroid shots which make her feel much better. However, he did say that there were lots of things we could try, but he wasn't sure they would be in her best interest. He tries things, but in the end, he understands that everything dies and sometimes it is just their time. When we have lost pets, our vet seems to grieve right along with us. He doesn't charge an arm and a leg, and he doesn't recommend unnecessary procedures.
 
#23 ·
I use Banfield.... I use Banfield because of the preventative care insurance ...but finding a vet IU really like has taken some time. I enjoy the vet Jordan and I are seeing now but may eventually change.... she has answered a few GSD questions...incorrectly... and has pushed spaying very young when I would rather wait.... also everytime I go in she has something to say (negative) about what I feed... which I dont appreciate because I researched food choices very extensivley. I have used a few other banfield vets and the one I REALLY REALLY like is about 40 miles from my house (oops!)

Pretty much for a sick puppy we go to the reg vet.... if I want 2nd or 3rd opinions we try the other Banfields I like... thats one of the pluses of having the insurance, as many free office visits as I need/want... its great for a worried puppy-mommy!
 
#24 ·
My vet earned our business by the exceptional care they gave my dogs. They are kind and compassionate, helping us when we were living high on the hog, and down around the hocks. They are probably a bit more expensive than some around here but to me, compassionate care was more important. When we made the difficult choice to free Sadie, they made a paw print for us, then a few days later, Doc sent us a card. It's the little things that I appreciated. Everyone up there knew and loved Sadie since she was dinky pup and that was evident by the care they gave her right up to the end.

No way no how, will I ever switch.
 
#25 ·
I always had used a group practise that I had with Candy, she had lost her weight (and mine) with them. So when I got Layla and she started to have her back problems I was so pleased that the Vet there was so good with her. Layla had been stable for so long that when I next booked her in for a checkup I was gutted that the Vet had gone out on his own. I managed to locate him and he was so brilliant with Layla and when I went back after my own cancer op. I asked him to let me know if he thought I was making her hang on too long. When the fateful day came I knew and he said that it was time. He is really great and doesn't charge the earth. I have taken rescue dogs to him as he is much more reasonable priced than most. He also doesn't advertise but funds an open day at our local Dog's Home. Anyway I always recommend him to my friends and they all agree and return.
 
#26 ·
When I moved here, I was referred to about 3 different vets. One of them was the vet clinic I now (still) use. The reason I stuck with this one is because, unlike the others I went to, they do not push for expensive testing or treatments immediately upon finding a problem -- they like to rule out things step by step -- unless it's something obviously very serious. And in the "very serious" cases, they hit it with all they've got, and they have saved my dogs. They have also been incredible to me when I have had to put a dog down. When I had to have Jasmine euthanized, I left the room and turned to look back at her one last time. The vet didn't know I had turned around. She was sitting next to her, didn't know I was looking/watching, and so gently turned Jasmine's head to the side with such care. It was very touching.
 
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