Advice on finding a good vet

[Jenn! 918]

So it's getting time that I need to think about spaying/neutering my kittens. The thing is, I don't want to take them back to the vet where they had their initial exams and vaccinations. It was my first time in a vet's office, so I don't know what the norm is, but the whole place just seemed rather run-down, and not up-to-snuff sanitation-wise. I was not impressed and I'm honestly concerned that they would not do the surgery properly.

How can I make sure this doesn't happen again, short of going and visiting a bunch of places? Should I look for animal hospitals as opposed to clinics? I understand that I probably shouldn't be expecting the same environment as a clinic or hospital for people, but any advice on what I should be looking for specifically?

Thanks a bunch!

[MissStacey 1]

Talk to neighbors who have pets. Ask them where they go and if they like their Vet.

Or phone your local SPCA or similar organization and ask them who they highly recommend.

Edited September 14, 2007 by Stacey33

[Mags 112]

Talk to neighbors who have pets. Ask them where they go and if they like their Vet.

Or phone your local SPCA or similar organization and ask them who they highly recommend.

I agree. Recommendations are an excellent way to find a good vet. Do you know anyone locally with animals (dog, cat etc)?

[featherB 1]

Where did you get the kittens from? We got our cats from a shelter and when we asked for suggestions, they were very happy to tell us which vets in the area they'd recommend as worthy of treating their adoptees! (With heavy hints that every vet immediately local to us is very much not worthy).

[Jenn! 918]

Talk to neighbors who have pets. Ask them where they go and if they like their Vet.

Or phone your local SPCA or similar organization and ask them who they highly recommend.

I agree. Recommendations are an excellent way to find a good vet. Do you know anyone locally with animals (dog, cat etc)?

That's the problem, I don't. I know of some reputable places that are about a half hour from me through recommendations, but I'd like to find something closer.

I can try the SPCA route though. Thanks for the suggestions.

I wonder if my standards are just unreasonable though...maybe there's nothing wrong with the first vet I took them to. I just have nothing to compare it to.

[Mags 112]

Where did you get the kittens from? We got our cats from a shelter and when we asked for suggestions, they were very happy to tell us which vets in the area they'd recommend as worthy of treating their adoptees! (With heavy hints that every vet immediately local to us is very much not worthy).

Yup, another great idea.

We've got a pretty good vet (only two here in the area) plus the vet nurse is Australian, so we end up chatting about how people react to our accents all the time. We must be the only non-American accented people in the place.

[Jenn! 918]

Where did you get the kittens from? We got our cats from a shelter and when we asked for suggestions, they were very happy to tell us which vets in the area they'd recommend as worthy of treating their adoptees! (With heavy hints that every vet immediately local to us is very much not worthy).

Maybe I can try calling a local shelter then and asking. We got our kitties from a friend who doesn't live very close by.

Do you think it would be a bad idea to take them on a 30 min + trip to get their surgeries? Then I know I can take them to a good place.

[Mags 112]

Where did you get the kittens from? We got our cats from a shelter and when we asked for suggestions, they were very happy to tell us which vets in the area they'd recommend as worthy of treating their adoptees! (With heavy hints that every vet immediately local to us is very much not worthy).

Maybe I can try calling a local shelter then and asking. We got our kitties from a friend who doesn't live very close by.

Do you think it would be a bad idea to take them on a 30 min + trip to get their surgeries? Then I know I can take them to a good place.

I think that would be fine. If it means that they are going somewhere that you trust, then the extra journey time is worth it, I think.

[derekkj 0]

Jenn, also be advised that spay/neutering can be expensive. I had my last cat for 21 years and was completely unprepared for how much is costs in the DC area to neuter a cat nowadays. My vet charges $300-$400 depending on sex. (Females cost more because the surgery is more invasive.)

Anyway, the shelter that I got Calvin from had a few lower cost alternatives and I ended up using one called Spay, Inc. They are affiliated with the national Spay USA, and even if you don't want to use them for spay/neuter, they may have some vet recommendations as well. http://spayusa.org/ FWIW, Spay USA is a program of the North Shore Animal League on Long Island which is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization in the world. Just be advised that you have to read the fine print with some of these low cost organizations. A few of them priced out every little thing from pre-surgery bloodwork to pain medication (as if pain medication was an option!) and when I added everything up it was almost as expensive as using my normal vet.

Trust your instincts about your vet. Your kitties will hopefully live as long as my Jenny and you don't want to be going to a vet you don't feel comfortable with for 20 years!

BTW, the vet that spayed Calvin was about 30 minutes away from our home. Going there he as a bit stressed, but coming home he was so doped up that he slept the whole way back.

Edited September 14, 2007 by derekkj

[Jenn! 918]

Jenn, also be advised that spay/neutering can be expensive. I had my last cat for 21 years and was completely unprepared for how much is costs in the DC area to neuter a cat nowadays. My vet charges $300-$400 depending on sex. (Females cost more because the surgery is more invasive.)

Anyway, the shelter that I got Calvin from had a few lower cost alternatives and I ended up using one called Spay, Inc. They are affiliated with the national Spay USA, and even if you don't want to use them for spay/neuter, they may have some vet recommendations as well. http://spayusa.org/ FWIW, Spay USA is a program of the North Shore Animal League on Long Island which is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization in the world. Just be advised that you have to read the fine print with some of these low cost organizations. A few of them priced out every little thing from pre-surgery bloodwork to pain medication (as if pain medication was an option!) and when I added everything up it was almost as expensive as using my normal vet.

Trust your instincts about your vet. Your kitties will hopefully live as long as my Jenny and you don't want to be going to a vet you don't feel comfortable with for 20 years!

BTW, the vet that spayed Calvin was about 30 minutes away from our home. Going there he as a bit stressed, but coming home he was so doped up that he slept the whole way back.

Thanks so much!

Wow! $300-$400!? I had no idea. I had looked into some of the lower cost clinics and they seemed to be way less than that, but then I was thinking that they might not be good, so I should take them to the regular vet. But I think I'm going to look back into that option again, because I just don't have $800 lying around right now!

ETA: I had found this (http://www.arlboston.org/main/spay_schedule2.aspx) :

* Female Cats: $65.00

* Male Cats: $55.00

The price includes: physical exam, spay (females) or neuter (males) , rabies vaccine, distemper vaccine, test for feline Leukemia and feline AIDS (cats) or Heartworm test (dogs) and a microchip.

So, $400 sounds ridiculous!

Edited September 14, 2007 by Jenn!

[Sister Fracas 5]

Check out American Association of Feline Practitioners for a listing of vets by state. Also, you can check out American Animal Hospital Association website to look for a listing of accredited animal hospitals. Personally I'm glad to see my vet proudly displays the fact that they've been accredited by the AAHA for over 50 years. It makes me have that little extra bit of confidence that they are going to care for my cats with top notch service.

[vanee 13]

When you see a clinic you're considering, ask if you can have a tour of the place. Observe how clean it is and how the staff handles the animals.

Talk with the vet and other staff to see if their approach is similar to yours. For example, do they allow you to be with your pet during examinations if you want to be? Do their views on conventional / holistic treatments match yours? Will they discuss all the health care options available when problems develop or just the most expensive ones?

Do they expect their advice to be taken at all times, or do they see themselves more as consultants who give you the information to decide what to do? Will they explain health problems in detail? How will they react if you ask for a second opinion? (Of course they will say that it's fine, but you'll get to know them a bit more by asking this question.)

Do their hours fit with your schedule? If you need to drop off your pet in the morning before work, are they open early enough? And late enough for you to be able to pick up your pet after work?

I had to put my cat to sleep last year when he was 16 years old. I'd taken him to the same vet since he was a kitten. I'd chosen that vet because he was in the neighbourhood, and I was lucky. When my cat developed several health conditions and needed a lot of veterinary care for several years, I realized how important it was to have a really good vet. I could discuss everything with him, he presented all the options for me including cost vs. benefits, he was available for questions between appointments by email, he respected my decisions, and he genuinely cared about my cat. I wish the same for everyone who has a pet.

[Sister Fracas 5]

That's a great post vanee. Any really good place will welcome a tour of facilities and asking the staff lots of questions. I had a kitty on three years of subcutaneous fluid therapy/medication and food therapy for kidney failure and there is no possible way I could have done it without a superior vet and the staff at the animal hospital. She lived for about 2 1/2 years longer than they thought she would because she just thrived under their care. The the most amazing thing was that when both of my kitties died in their very old age, the animal hospital made a memorial donation in my pets' names to an animal charity. That blew me away!

In my opinion a good vet may cost more, especially if they are at an animal hospital, but it is worth it for the well-being of my companions.

BUT, $400 sounds like way too much for a spay or neuter.

[Mags 112]

Yeah, if you are charged $400 you're being ripped off. The average is anything between $50-$100 for females and a little less for males.

[derekkj 0]

ETA: I had found this (http://www.arlboston.org/main/spay_schedule2.aspx) :

* Female Cats: $65.00

* Male Cats: $55.00

The price includes: physical exam, spay (females) or neuter (males) , rabies vaccine, distemper vaccine, test for feline Leukemia and feline AIDS (cats) or Heartworm test (dogs) and a microchip.

So, $400 sounds ridiculous!

Trust me, $300 - $400 sounded ridiculous to me too! But it's been 21 years since I last had to get a cat fixed so I was completely out of the loop. But judging from what I have heard from friends and family in other parts of the US, the DC Metro area has way higher than average costs for just about everything! I ended up paying about $130 (which I still thought was waaaay to much, but seemed about average for the lower cost places). They wanted an additional $55 for pre-surgery bloodwork which I thought was a rip off and declined. But I did pay the additional $20 or so for pain medication which I couldn't believe wasn't included in the surgery cost to begin with. And I was glad I don't have a dog because my boss who got his puppy neutered at about the same time paid even more at the same vet.

Let's just say I am beginning to wish I lived in Boston right now!

When my cat developed several health conditions and needed a lot of veterinary care for several years, I realized how important it was to have a really good vet. I could discuss everything with him, he presented all the options for me including cost vs. benefits, he was available for questions between appointments by email, he respected my decisions, and he genuinely cared about my cat. I wish the same for everyone who has a pet.

Could not agree more.