Looking for the best veterinary center is much more than just Googling what clinics are nearest to you. It’s a crucial step in fur parenting that could mean life or death to your lovely animals.
Suppose you’ve already found the veterinary that will take care of your pet, then good for you. But if you still haven’t found one, you might want to start searching your area for the best local vet.
If you have family members or friends who are certified fur parents and regularly consult a veterinarian, you can take referrals from them. Although, their recommendations are not absolute. Keep in mind that every pet has its own needs, so you still have to check whether their vets can attend to the needs of your furry friend.
In this piece, we’re going to tell you how you can find the best care that your pet needs and deserves. Below is the step-by-step process we did when looking for the right vet for our pets.
1. Have a checklist of all vet clinics near to you
Before going out for an ocular, you have to list the clinics near your place. Make sure these clinics are easy to locate. You don’t want to waste all your time finding the address during an emergency.
A little heads up, though, you don’t have to list down all of the clinics. Just include the animal centers that offer services that you think your pet will need in the future. Also, consider these factors when listing down your options:
- Do they have emergency care?
- What are their admitting processes?
- What type of animals do they specialize in?
- How much are the medicines?
These details are often displayed on their websites. All you have to do is painstakingly scour their sites for information. You can also call their hotlines if you want a more detailed answer to these questions.
Remember only to ask questions that concern your pets. And while you’re at it, schedule an ocular of the clinic. Most centers are not strict with scheduled visits; sometimes, you just have to show up there.
2. Observe keenly during your visit
While on your mini-tour, make sure to look very closely at how things are going inside the clinic. This is your chance to get information about the clinic that an About Page on a website can’t provide.
See if the place is clean, warm, and very relaxing for pets. Observe how the pets are being treated. An animal center must exude comforting vibes so that the pets could settle in easily.
Also, always keep an eye on cleanliness. See if the equipment is being sanitized. Are the cages and litter boxes clean? Are they being replaced regularly? Does the place stink? The last thing you want to happen is for your pet to get infections and diseases from the clinics supposed to treat them.
3. See if they have affiliations or accreditations
Most clinics like to hang their certificates on their walls. So make sure to get a glance. These accreditations and affiliations can prove their case of being a legitimate clinic in your area.
It can also tell you whether they have specializations that could benefit your pet. For example, if they’re a member of the International Society of Feline Medicine, then it would be perfect if your pet is a cat. This means that they know what they’re doing when it comes to feline care.
4. Rough pet handling is a red flag
As much as possible, we don’t want to hurt our pets or stress them; that’s why we handle them as gently as possible. And that’s what we expect from all the staff in a vet clinic, especially if they’re transferring them to and from their cages, beds, or holders.
As you probably know, rough handling is a major stressor to pets. And you don’t want your pet to suffer from stress while battling a disease.
If you see one of the staff handle a pet so roughly that you can’t take it, get out of the facility with your furry friend and never come back. It’s simply unforgivable.
5. Ask if they employ a nursing specialist
If your pets are still babies, one of the most important things you should look for in a clinic is a nursing specialist.
As the name suggests, nursing specialists are the experts in nursing animals under six months old. Since birth, these babies are not yet used to artificial feeding methods since they’ve just been suckling from their fur moms.
During treatment, a puppy or a kitten will need to get their nutrition to fend off infections. And feeding them can be a challenge since they’re away from their moms.
This is where the expertise of a nursing specialist comes in handy. They are pros in handling and feeding baby pets, so you’re assured that they get the nutrition they need.
If your pet is still a baby, don’t forget about the nursing specialists. Also, specify what type of pet you have because baby animals nurse in different ways.
These are only some of the steps that you have to take when looking for a veterinary clinic. It might seem like a grueling task, but trust us, it will all be worth it once you’ve picked the right vet clinic for your pet.
Author Bio
Katie Elleray is an expert from Sugarland Vet Clinic. She is a proud pet mom of a fluffy cat named Percy and an ebony shiz Tzu named Hershey. She’s also a freelance writer of pet-lovers and travel blogs, and in her free time, she does travel around with her pets.