Five Things You Should Look For When Choosing a Vet

Owning a pet can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling part of your and your family’s life. It also requires a bit of work and responsibility to care for your furry companion! To make sure your pet has a healthy, happy and long life, making sure you take him or her to the right veterinarian is crucial. There are several traits and characteristics you should look for when finding a vet to ensure your pet gets the best care.

Here are the top five things to help you know how to choose a vet:

1. Amount of experience or specialization: Not every animal vet knows how to care for a pet lizard or bird. It’s therefore important to make sure your vet is well-experienced in caring for your pet’s species. The AVMA reports that 3.1 percent of American households own a bird as a pet, in comparison to the estimated 70 million dogs in the country. you have an uncommon pet, make sure he or she gets the best care!

2. Closeness to home: No one wants to endure an hour-long drive when going to a regular checkup appointment; this is doubly so when there are pets being transported as well. If your pet has an emergency, you also want to make sure you can bring it to a veterinarian close to home. To find local veterinarians, you can consult either the phone book or the Internet.

3. Affordability: The average dog owner in the United States spends about $378 on veterinary appointments annually, and the average cat owner spends about $90 each year in veterinary care. Veterinary prices vary depending on where you go, and while you shouldn’t necessarily go to the cheapest vet in town, it always helps to save a few dollars here and there.

4. Pet boarding services: Sometimes, you deserve a vacation — but that usually means leaving your pet behind. To ensure he or she stays well-cared-for while you’re away, a veterinarian that offers pet boarding kennels is a great option. At a pet boarding facility, employees will take your pet on walks, provide him or her with fun activities and feed him or her nutritious meals.

5. Relationship with the vet: It should go without saying, but having a veterinarian who is amiable and makes you and your pet feel comfortable is a necessity. If nothing else when looking at how to choose a vet, you should make sure you place your pet in the care of someone trustworthy.

Knowing how to choose a vet can help you and your pet enjoy many happy years together. There’s nothing quite like the bond that exists between you and your animal companion — make sure it’s the best it can be! Find more.