How to Choose the Right Veterinary Clinic
Your beloved pet will need to be cared for throughout its entire life, and it is up to you to provide professional and quality care. It is important to find a reputable and trustworthy veterinary clinic that provides regular checkups and quality treatment when needed. It will also be essential to locate one near you in case your pet is involved in an accident or becomes ill. Quality care for your pet can significantly impact your economy, especially if it’s an unexpected expense. Luckily, pet insurance companies like Bivvy can help you cover some of these expenses like routine vet checkups, orthodontic treatment, prescription medications, and hospitalization. This ensures your beloved pet lives happy and healthy.
Focus On Qualifications and Credentials
The first thing you need to do when choosing a veterinary clinic is to check they have the proper credentials. You should never settle for a clinic or a person without the necessary qualifications, even if they try to assure you that they can do the job professionally.
You will want to make sure they have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) qualification and a state veterinary license before you even consider asking any questions about their practice.
There are additional qualifications that are a step above a DVM, for instance the Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (DABVP), and you can also get other specialist certificates which means that a vet has undergone additional training. An example of this could be a qualification for pets that are particularly fearful or suffer from anxiety. You can also find specialist vets that work in a specific area or species, such as exotic animal vets.
Location
Location should be the second thing to consider here when choosing a veterinary clinic, as you will want to be able to get your pet to receive quality treatment as soon as possible if an emergency or injury arises. Having a significant geographical distance between you and the vet can be a barrier that could cost your pet their life, so choosing a qualified vet that is the closest to you is important.
If you are located in Orting, consider taking a look at ortinganimalhospital.com, who offer many services and treatments to keep your pets in great shape; this is anything from pet dentistry to preventative care to surgery.
Word of Mouth and Reviews
If you have any friends and family in your area that have also got a pet, there is a good chance that they are registered with a vet and have an opinion on how they feel about their chosen clinic. Get recommendations from those you trust and take note of any negative feedback so you can adjust your choice accordingly. For example, one vet might be really good, but you can barely ever get an appointment, whereas the other one could be rated a little lower but always has appointments available.
It is important to look at the reviews and take note of what they are saying, but also use common sense when rejecting a veterinary clinic based on them. For example, if there are not many reviews, the one bad rating can really bring the average down, and that rating could be about not being able to get a last minute same day appointment in the evening or something relatively common.
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