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Meow- How to Choose a Veterinarian for Your CatApr 26 '06 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line You have a choice when it comes to your cat's care- choose wisely.
As medicine and technology advance, there are also advancements in veterinary medicine. The vet's office isn't just a vaccine, spay and neuter clinic anymore. If that's all you're getting right now, you cat may be missing out on a lot! When choosing a veterinarian for your beloved companion, do some comparison shopping! Competition keeps the industry strong and in the veterinary "industry", better medicine is better business. If one doctor charges more than another for a "simple spay", ask why. There is either a good reason (they may do pre-anesthetic blood work, for example) or not. Some vets are admittedly more expensive than others, but a lot of them have good reason to be. What makes one veterinarian more expensive than another? The Tour When you are searching for a new vet, ask if you can have a tour of their facility. A vet hospital might not be brand new construction with a cool office design, but you should still feel comfortable in your environment- your pet will feel more comfortable too! It should be clean and for the most part, free from any major odors- at least the majority of the time. Not all vet hospitals have odors, so there is no reason a lingering odor can’t be cleaned up. You may be surprised what you find behind the exam room door. Remember that most hospitals are a full service operation. They do vaccines, routine physical/wellness exams, dentals, and surgeries, even issue prescriptions. Some practices will have extra high-tech items such as MRIs and digital radiography for digital x-rays. Other smaller clinics may still have high-end equipment such as ultrasound machines and laser surgery. All these items will have to be paid for, and because they ultimately help in the well being of your cat, you may find that fees will also be adjusted accordingly. Blood work Another factor when deciding on which veterinarian to choose is whether or not pre-anesthetic blood work is run. Any time anesthesia is administered, certain risks are posed. If your cat’s liver or kidneys are in any way compromised, serious complications can arise. Simple blood tests can be done to ensure your cat is as healthy as possible before (and after) surgery. It is becoming a standard of care to offer pre-anesthetic blood work. Many vets can even run the tests while you wait and/or just before surgery, which is ideal as blood chemistries can change even after only a few weeks time. If your current veterinarian is not offering pre-anesthetic testing, ask why. You should have the option to decline if you so choose, but the option should always be available- it’s just good medicine. Cat doctor or not? There are many cat-only practices out there, so how do you know if that’s right for you and your cat? I used to take my cat to a cat hospital, but found that I actually liked the doctor and services offered better at another practice. The vet that I see now is more of a full service vet. They have equipment in their clinic to run blood work while I wait, the staff is great with my cat and I think their standards of care are higher. Of course, there are a few other factors to consider. Cats can get seriously stressed out traveling even half a mile in the car to go to the vet. Add a couple of barking dogs, tweeting birds and other felines to the mix and you’ve got one freaked out animal. I’ve read that cat only hospitals are more soothing to cats- I guess that just depends on your cat’s individual personality. Also, many clinics today have separate cat and dog entrances, so even though it might be a mixed practice, your cat will still be able to relax a little in “dog free zones”. Final Thoughts Ultimately, the veterinarian that you choose will depend on your attitude towards your pet. If you just don’t care and need to get a rabies shot and neuter your cat, then you probably haven’t read this entire piece. If you love your cat half as much as I love my own ScrubbyCat, then choosing a vet will be a thought out process. Of course, there’s always the possibility that you live in a one-vet town. And that’s okay. But don’t forget to do your research and ask questions! Choose a vet that you feel comfortable with, both in the waiting area and in the exam rooms. I used to travel 35 minutes to take my cat to a specialty vet; it was worth it to me. Your cat’s health will depend on your decisions, choosing the right vet for you and your cat is important! For other feline information check out the following: Advice on Catnip Feline AIDS When ScrubbyCat had no hair  |
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