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When choosing a veterinarian, there are several aspects that prospective clients may place a lot more weight on than others. These typically include price, personal referral, and proximity to one’s home. I’ll briefly discuss what I consider to be crucial things to look for when choosing a veterinarian. I feel that the most crucial characteristic in choosing a veterinarian is someone who not only is experienced in general scientific medicine and surgery with an well established and caring support staff, but also a veterinarian who is ready to actually tell a client “I don’t know” when presented with a question they do not know the answer to. Or at the very least, the vet must refer cases to veterinarians who practice in various specialty areas of veterinary medicine. Because our field is becoming as specialized as human medicine, it is nearly impossible for a veterinarian to be proficient and an expert in all areas of veterinary medicine.
Veterinarians can treat all species of animals, even though we do all still currently receive the same basic 4 year core veterinary education school coursework. and while that will likely be changing soon, where small animal veterinarians branch out from those interested in large animal medicine midway through veterinary school training, it is still the common practice that all veterinarians receive generally the same core education during their four years of veterinary school.
If a person developed a specialized skin or digestive condition for example, that individual would be immediately referred on to a human dermatologist or gastroenterologist. The same type of specialization and referral system exists in veterinary medicine and must be utilized by a general veterinary professional when appropriate. There are too lots of clients who spend thousands of dollars on symptomatic treatments for their animals, often without any diagnosis, before often finally being referred to specialists, often having little discretionary income or money left to spend to appropriately treat their pets. In my opinion, these referrals need to occur much earlier in lots of cases. Whether it be internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, orthopedics, or oncology (cancer medicine), referrals are critical for optimal care of our animal companions.
Another crucial aspect of veterinary care is the availability or access/referral to 24 hour emergency care. As with us, health problem can strike our family pets any time of day or night, as well as on weekends or holidays. It is crucial that your general professional have either access to or supply 24 hour veterinary care.
Finally, I consider how much time a veterinarian devotes to a basic wellness exam crucial as well. The old standard of practice was for veterinarians to see 4 to 5 individuals an hour. However, with increasing information and education of the animal guardian needed in today’s world, I don’t see how a veterinarian can do a genuinely thorough job without allowing at least 20 minutes for even a wellness exam. I also consider it critical that today’s veterinarian be familiar with current vaccination protocols, and not over vaccinate dogs and cats, given our knowledge of the role over vaccination can play in autoimmune diseases, allergies and even certain cancers.
Most core viral vaccinations do not need to be given more than once every 3 years in a lot of cases, and in lots of aging and chronically ill pets, vaccinations must be given with caution, if at all. Each pet must be treated as an individual when it pertains to which and how lots of vaccinations should be given, rather than a “one shot fits all” approach. Lastly, word of mouth referrals still provide a very crucial source of information for referrals from friends or relatives. distance and price would be the least crucial criteria I would consider. I know that for the ideal professional for my own animal or human family, distance and price would play the least crucial role in my choice of a health care practitioner.
Veterinary Care