Choosing a Veterinarian for Your Cockapoo

As a pet parent, picking the right vet can be a difficult and stressful decision. Similar to choosing the best pediatrician for your child, finding the right vet for you and your pets can be a matter of trial and error. You obviously want someone who is easy to talk to and knowledgeable, treats you pets with care, has a clean and comfortable facility, along with having supportive and helpful staff. Plus, the location of the vet can weigh heavily into the right decision. If you are looking for guidance going into the vet search, you will find a helpful guide below that lists the top five essential decision points you need to at least consider.

Ask your (local) friends and family for helpful suggestions. One of the very first steps to take is asking your friends and family about veterinarians they have taken their pets to. This kind of word-of-mouth advice from the people you trust won’t come around often and to top it all off, it is always great to have a reference when you make the first appointment or test run. If you’ve just recently moved to a new state, city, or neighborhood, you can always employ the help of your new neighbors for their advice. The internet also can be extremely helpful, as many local search sites have ratings and comments to go along with each vet.

Do your research! As I said above, even after you’ve gotten your suggestions, doing a little research online is going to be extremely helpful. Yelp.com or insiderpages.com can be a great asset into finding greats vets by location as they are user-generated reviews. These two examples or only a couple of useful research and reviews sites on the internet to find that great vet as you seek out others to compare and contrast.

Call ahead of time. Remembering to call ahead of time for a brief interview of one of the staff members that aren’t the vet can also go a long way. This can provide insight into day-to-day activities, attitudes of staff, as well as other helpful aspects. While making an appointment, you can get your first impression of both ambiance and attitude.

Remember to trust your instincts. What visiting the actual vets office, be sure to trust your instincts. If something about the waiting room, the front desk or anything within the office make you feel uncomfortable, there is always another vet you can try or visit for your pet. Choosing the right atmosphere for you can be just as important as the care for your pet.

Trust your pet’s instincts as well. Though your dog or cat, obviously, cannot communicate verbally, most often, an intuitive owner can sense when their pet’s comfort level is off. If the staff and vet are friendly and professional people who treat you and your pet with the right care, your pet is sure to feel more comfortable and relaxed. Make sure to keep an eye on your pet’s attitude and disposition to help gauge the comfort level and assure your pet is in the right hands.