When choosing a vet, why not get the canine perspective?

By Strider the Dog

Dear Strider,

My dog and cats and I are new to the area. We’re trying to choose a veterinarian. It’s tough, since a lot of vets aren’t taking new patients. But we do have a few options.

So we were wondering: what do you look for in a veterinarian? What’s your favorite characteristic of your favorite vet? Any bad experiences with vets in the past? If so, what was your least favorite interaction?

Thanks for any canine wisdom here.

— Looking For a Good Vet

Dear Looking,

As a matter of fact, I have two different vets, one a clinic, and one a mobile vet. They’re both great. My favorite thing is how they’re all so calm! Especially Dr. Kim. She comes to our house, and she has the most beautiful voice. A dog is really tuned in to voices, and hers says, “You can trust me.” I always do, too.

All the people who work at my veterinarian clinic are great, too. Really cheerful, which is kind of contagious, so even if I’m worried about something, I feel my anxiety going down by the minute. The treats don’t hurt, either.

My least favorite interaction was with a veterinarian once who was mad that Tod asked if we could get a vaccine outside. This was because I was still new to the vet game, and scared to go inside. He didn’t like that, and he showed it. We never went back to that guy again.

But that was about it. Otherwise, love my vets!

So my main hints about choosing a veterinarian are: 1.) is the office, and/or the person, calm? 2.) do you feel less anxious as you talk to them about your problem?

Fingers crossed that when you pick one, you, your dog and your cats, will love your new vet too!

Dear Strider,

Are people required to share their excellent pet care resources? Or is it okay to keep them to themselves when required?

I ask because I have a friend who is really bad about paying her bills. She wants to know who my vet is. I have this suspicion she’s asking because her last vet cut her off for nonpayment. I don’t want my vet — who is wonderful, by the way — to think I’ve recommended them to a deadbeat. But I don’t want my friend to think I’m thinking she’s a deadbeat. Even if she is.

By the way, I love her dog. I also love her. I just don’t love the way she seems to believe paying her bills is an optional activity.

— Still Friends but Wondering

Dear Still,

Ooooh. This is a tough one since it involves an innocent dog who may not have a vet when it needs one because of what sounds like extreme owner flakiness. You say your vet is wonderful. Every dog deserves a wonderful vet.

On the other hand, vets have enough problems without dealing with a client who won’t pay her bills. They have all those expenses! It’s not the best-paid job in the world, unless you count the benefits that come with knowing you’ve helped animals to have a better life. Which is probably why most vets get into the job in the first place.

So maybe the answer here is to offer to help her find a vet, rather than an outright referral. Why not say something like, “I don’t want to overload my own vet right now by recommending another client they might not have space for. How about if you and I go over a list online of all the nearby vets? You can see which ones catch your eye, and then you can see if they’ll take a new patient.”  That way, if she picks your vet, and calls them, and they take her on, it’s their call, not yours.

By the way, you sound like a very caring person, both for dogs and for friends. I love that.

Just saying.

Got any questions a Dog About Town could answer? Just email the Ashland.news advice columnist, who is always happy to hear from humans and beasts of all kinds: [email protected].