The vet you pick may well be with you the entire lifetime of your dog, seeing both of you at your worst moments. Weigh this decision carefully and do not be afraid to ask opinions of friends, co-workers, and humane societies about all the local vet hospitals. Most everyone will have an opinion, good or bad, depending upon their own level of vet care for their animal. After you get the first impressions, drive to each possible clinic to make your own judgement. When you arrive at the clinic, think of what you look for in your own doctor's office. There should be a clean, neat environment , both inside and out. Check the open hours and ask if the vet is available for after hours visits and how emergencies are handled. If your call, after hours or in an emergency, is simply sent to an answering machine that won't be checked till the next regular opening day, pass this vet by. All good vets offer emergency services and will not complain that they have to assist their clients 24/7. It is highly unlikely that your dog will fall ill during a 9-5 work day, Monday through Friday. Find out the cost of after hours visits, often it ranges from fifty dollars on up just for the exam. Well worth it if your beloved animal is ill or injured. Ask the vet if that cost can be billed to you instead of you paying at the time of services. This is very important because thinking about bringing your check book or credit card when you face a life or death situation is not at the top of your priority list.
Speak to the staff, vet techs, receptionists, and the vet as well. They are very busy with regularly scheduled appointments so you may need to ask when you can come back to chat for a few minutes. Find out how long the practice has been established, is the parking lot full, are there Saturday hours, do they have a working relationship with people who rescue strays, are there discounts if you bring in more than one pet at the same time for yearly vaccinations and heart worm testing. Some vets will offer a package discount to you for that particular service, such as, not charging the full office visit price per dog.
One major point to consider is whether the vet a small animal, large animal or both clinic. Both types offer their own advantages. It has been my experience that when a vet treats both farm and domestic animals they have a casual confidence in their abilities to deal with most major situations (they don't get ruffled feathers easily). These vets are relaxed, laid back, and truly enjoys treating your pet. More often they are not in the practice for the money. Their prices tend to be lower and they may match another vets price, one you have seen online, or in a magazine. (Remember you will pay shipping and handling for online and magazine orders and that needs to be figured into the price of getting the Rx on the spot) Some disadvantages to this type of clinic is the more restricted hours open to the public. Sometimes they offer "open hours" each day of the week at a set time. During these hours you do not need an appointment. However, it will be first come, first serve and you may have to wait a long time if an emergency call to a farm comes in. The clinics offer the aroma of farm animals and can be much noisier than the other type.
Strictly small animal vets usually offer more hours and days to fill your appointments. They get to know you and your pet on a personal basis. Many attend lectures on the newest diseases and treatments to further their knowledge. They are aware of advanced treatment options and can direct you to a place specializing in the care of your animals illness or a major university with advanced skills. Their equipment is state of the art. Not having to send out blood, urinalysis, or other tests, allows you to get the results the same day. The building is usually within your town limits and has an attractive design inside and out. Typically, your emergency calls are answered and attended to in a timely manner. They have more time to converse with you during an appointment and address your general fears, questions, or concerns.
It is entirely up to you, the type of vet you wish to make your own. Maybe you will have both kinds; using the local vet for emergencies and long and short term illnesses your pet faces, while using the farm vet for yearly shots, spay, neuter, flea, tick and heart worm medications and refills. If the vet is out your immediate town, ask if they offer a mailing service when you need to refill your prescriptions. This saves time, gas, and hassle of driving to the clinic to get the refill. Expect to pay a small shipping and handling charge.
When you are inside a potential new facility, scoping it out, read what is on the walls. A bonus would be areas dedicated to lost and found pets, something that speaks of spaying and neutering your animal, posters reflecting the need to have yearly animal vaccinations and the use of heart worm and flea treatments. Even if all those services are not for your animal, the posting of them shows a conscientious person who is looking out for the welfare of animals. The staff should be friendly, knowledgeable and patient.
There is a third option of a traveling vet. This may be someone who, most often, works out of a RV and is in your town on specific days, maybe two a week, at specific hours. This choice is not generally used as a permanent solution. Traveling vets offer substantially lower prices as they have so little overhead to pay. These only cater to small animals. Some offer spay/neuter but since they have the ability to leave your area for parts unknown, it may be advisable to not have a recovering animal and an absent vet. For the testing of blood or urine, yearly shots and a few other things this choice may be good.
The choice of your new vet should be a place you and your animal will be comfortable with. By using your choice a few times, you will get a feel of whether or not this will fit into your life. Pick carefully and listen to that little voice inside your head and heart. Someday, that fuzzy critter you let sleep with you may have their life depend upon your vets knowledge and skills.
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