4 tips to help you choose the best veterinarian for your pet

Finding the right veterinarian for your pet takes time and patience. Your particular situation may determine what you need. One local pet owner, Amy Clark, has two long-haired dachshunds that are 10-years-old. At first, Clark relied on the vet who took care of her cats, but five years later, she made a change.

“One of my dogs, Jack, developed a heart murmur and seizure activity. At that point, I wanted to look into a holistic approach,” said Clark. She ended up using Atrium Animal Hospital.

Over at Commonwealth Animal Hospital, you can find Dr. Shebel Hanley Hariharan. She has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2005. Hariharan said that choosing a veterinarian for your pet is similar to choosing a family doctor for yourself.

“Find someone who you feel comfortable with,” she said.

Here are four items to consider when looking for a veterinarian for your pet:

(1) Consider your pet’s needs and your lifestyle.

Be sure that your beliefs and pet’s needs align with your veterinarian’s style and training. Veterinarians specialize in several different areas such as dermatology, nutrition and integrative medicine. If you have a bird, lizard or other exotic pet, be sure that the doctor has the special training for your particular pet.

Veterinarian medicine has developed over the years to include holistic care such as developing a raw diet for your pet and practicing acupuncture.

Hariharan said, “If you are interested in cooking food for your pet, you might want to find someone who has the nutrition background.”

(2) Think convenience

Although most pet owners will not choose convenience over a good vet, having weekend and evening hours at a location close to work or home is helpful. Some offices allow you to book appointments online and offer drop-off care. If the office does not have emergency care, find out if they have a relationship with a place that does offer this service.

(3) Find a welcoming environment

This seems like a given, but there are a few things to look for when choosing the right place to take your pet. Some animal hospitals and offices practice “fear free practices.” According to Hariharan, this could mean a special waiting room for cats or using pheromone plug-ins or sprays that are calming to the animals.

For Clark, it is important that she and her dogs have relationships with the doctors, vet techs and front office staff. When Clark needed extra care for her rescue dog, Finnigan, the staff was understanding and gave her privacy.

She said, “They know us. It’s like family.”

(4) Determine what services are offered

Services like prescription refill by mail, boarding and injectable and flavored medications are offered by some animal hospitals. Ask about equipment for dental care.

Hariharan said, “Dentistry is a hot topic. In the last 10 plus years, we have realized how important that is in animals. A lot more veterinarians are doing a lot more dentistry and dental procedures.”

Some veterinarians offer packages that include vaccines and a complimentary dose of heartworm medication for a new puppy or kitten. According to Hariharan, a vet should be able to direct you to a puppy trainer, as well.

Final pro tips:

Hariharan suggested these tips when looking for the right doctor for your pet

– Read between the lines. Look at online reviews, but don’t put too much stock in one or two bad ones.

– Meet and greet. See how your pet interacts with the doctor.

– See for yourself. Visit the area for overnight boarding. Give credit: Tell the front office who referred you.

– Plan for it. Ask about preventive care plans or insurance resources.

Photos: Katie Burns Photography, Amy Clark

This story was originally published February 2, 2017 at 10:00 PM with the headline "4 tips to help you choose the best veterinarian for your pet."