Choosing a Vet for your puppy

Once you pick your puppy, one of the first things you need to do is to pick a veterinarian.  It's best if you do this before you even get a puppy if possible.

So, how do you find a vet? Ask friends, family and neighbors for recommendations. You can also call your local SPCA to see who they would suggest. They often know the area vets.

When you have a list of vets to consider, call for an interview.  It's not that uncommon so don't worry about it appearing strange. When you get to the veterinarian's office,  notice if the place looks clean. The staff should be friendly and knowledgeable. When talking to the vet, you should not feel rushed. The vet should actually listen to you and answer your questions in English, not medicalese.  Does the vet give you advice and tips on caring for your puppy? If you are able to see how the vet interacts with animals, notice how gentle he is with them.

You do want to find a vet that is reasonably close to you. But proximity isn't the only thing to consider.

Do you want a small 1 person practice or a large clinic? There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Small practices are more personable, know your pet more intimately and are often more flexible.  But they may be limited on the hours and days they are open.

Larger clinics mean more options both in the times available and probably have more services available too. But you may never see the same vet twice. He/she has little chance to get to know you or your pet.

Does the vet offer Boarding services or overnight after surgery care should your pet need it?  How about grooming services? These thngs may or may not be important to you but it's good to know either way.

Find out where your vet stands on vaccinations. Some feel the dog needs every vaccine that is available. But more and more of them are going he "less is more" route and only give the vaccines that are absolutely necessary. I always ask for the 3 year vaccines whenever possible. Does your vet offer these?

Once you have found a vet and you take your puppy to her first visit, make sure to bring the puppy's medical records that you obtained from the breeder, shelter ot prior owner. The vet may also ask you to bring in a stool sample from your puppy too. Bring a list of questions that you have.

The first visit is the real test. You don't want to "vet hop" but if you feel uncomfortable with the vet during this visit, you can always find another if you need to.  Of course you need to ask yourself if you are uncomfortable because something seems "off" or because it's hard to see your fur baby getting poked and prodded.

You and your puppy will have a long term relationship with your veterinarian and his staff.  Do your part to make it a pleasant experience for all of you!