One of the most important decisions you'll make for any new or existing pets you have is the animal hospital or Pet clinic you will use for their sick care, any emergency visits, and well care. Finding the right fit for you and your pet is really important and the tips and suggestions below are all things you can use when doing your search.
Once you've narrowed down the choices of animal clinics or Pet clinic to check out, you can begin the process of seeing which one will fit your needs the best. Things like location, doctor's fees, and services offered are all important things to look at when deciding.
Ideally, choose an animal hospital that has a full range of services. Here is a list of services that you should look for in your final choice:
A good wellness program: Preventative care is just as important as good emergency and sick care. A lot of illnesses and problems can be avoided with the right preventative care. Immunizations, heartworm preventative, flea control, and many other things can ensure your pet will be healthy and happy for a long time.
Dental program: Dental care for pets is probably one of the most overlooked forms of care. But just like humans, pet's teeth needs to be cared for as well. It's been shown that with regular dental cleaning the life expectancy of your pet can increase by 3-5 years.
Emergency care: You never know when you will need the services of your pet veterinarian, and it won't always be during office hours. Finding an animal hospital that has a good emergency care system in place is so important. Sometimes a single minute can be critical in the health of your pet. Make sure that your pet clinic has this aspect of pet care under control as well.
Veterinary Products: Your animal hospital is a great place to get products for your pet. Most clinics sell pet foods, flea control products, heartworm preventatives, collars, leashes, toys and more. Some places will have a bigger line of products than others.
Going to see the potential animal hospitals you are interested in is a very good idea. You can see the cleanliness of the place as well as interact with the staff and pet veterinarian. Don't just show up at the office to tour it, be sure to call first and ask if there are specific times that they allow tours. Apart from that, asking your relatives or friends is also a great idea. The people who have already dealt with a pet veterinarian can guide you to find the best pet clinic. So consider taking suggestions from these people.
Bring your pet if possible, because seeing how your pet acts in their facility and with the staff is important. Animals have a natural ability to read people, and if your animal is extremely fearful and uncomfortable, that may be something to consider. Seeing if it acts the same way at another office will give you a lot of insight into whether it's just a fearful pet or something specific to that office.
