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LET'S GO VETS!

    Since launching this website several months ago, we've gotten numerous e-mails and posts concerning serious health problems or accidents that have unfortunately befallen many of your beloved  cats and kittens.  We thank you for  seeking us out.  We are here to listen and to provide hope and advice whenever possible.  However, there are times when this is simply not enough.  We launched the Discussion Forum several weeks after the initial start of the website in an effort to get readers from around the world to offer their expertise and advice as well.  In many instances, this has been successful, but unfortunately again, words alone often fall far short of expert medical intervention.  Hence this article.  We cannot overestimate the importance of having a good veterinarian care for your pets.  

    We daresay that sometimes we think our vet not only cares for our animals but for us as well.  He, and his staff, have helped us through illnesses, both serious and not so serious.  They held our hands, literally and figuratively, when one of our cats was terminally ill.  Our vet always  took as much time as we needed  while we talked through the painful decision of whether or not to resort to euthanasia.  He never balked at our often difficult questions, and his educated and sympathetic conversation allowed us to gently face the reality of our cat's poor health.  It was apparent to us that our vet understood our sorrow.  And, when we found a darling but pitifully underfed, frightened and nearly frozen little stray kitten that walked into our lives one snowy February evening, he and his staff shared our joy at  being able to save - and savor - this precious life.

Finding a Vet 

    Do we consider ourselves lucky?  You bet we do!  But luck has only a little to do with our having found a great veterinarian.  We have shared our entire lives with animals and have had many veterinarians.  Most were good; some were great; one or two were bad.  We never went back to the latter.  So, how do you find a good vet?  The best way is through recommendation.  Barring that, check the Yellow Pages  for listings in your area, or call a local animal emergency hospital.  (Many of these are affiliated with colleges and universities.  They should be able to give you a list of reputable vets in your area.)  

    Once you have the name of a vet, or several vets, make appointments to speak with them and their staffs BEFORE you have to, that is, before your pet requires  an annual checkup or other treatment.  Check out the office.  Is it clean and devoid of animal smells?  (You might have to wait to see the vet.  You want it to be in nice surroundings.)  Is the office staff pleasant?  Do they seem  helpful or harried?  (If it's the latter, please keep in mind that sometimes  their jobs are extremely difficult.  Give them the benefit of the doubt.  If they persist in ignoring you or keeping you waiting without an explanation, go elsewhere.)  Ask to see the examining rooms.  If there are surgical facilities - and they are not in use at the time of your visit - ask to see them as well.  Ask for a tour of the facility.  Most veterinary practices will be happy to show you around.  If they are not, you  might want to rethink  bringing your beloved pet there for any kind of treatment.  

    Ask the staff what they charge for routine services, such as annual checkups and vaccinations.  They should be happy to provide this information.  Find out the hours of service and who, if anyone, is available should you have an after-hours emergency.  Also ask who, if anyone, is available to check on your pet should it have to stay overnight or over a weekend.  If the vet offers boarding, ask who runs it, the hours they are on duty, and their drop off and pick up policy.   Visit the facility and make sure the animals and their cages are clean, that their water is fresh, and that they are fed in a timely manner.   Ask how often the dogs are walked/exercised or if  there is a play area for them.  

    When you meet the vet, speak frankly.  Let him or her know that you are in the process of selecting a vet, hence your preliminary meeting.  Ask their policy on neutering, declawing, euthanasia, and anything else that is a concern.  You should be able to tell from this interview whether or not the vet is someone you want to care for your animal(s).  

The Fees Please

    Many of the e-mails we receive deal with veterinary fees and the fact that sometimes people can't afford them.  Most veterinarians offer payment plans, or accept credit cards.  Some offer discounts for treating strays.  Ask the prospective vet his or her policy on payment and whether or not they will work with you concerning this issue.  It has been our experience that most vets are kindhearted doctors who love animals; however theirs is not a labor of love, nor should it be.  If you cannot afford a particular veterinarian's fees, find another vet.  Please don't allow financial need to be the overriding concern.  If your pet requires veterinary care, get it for him or her.  Many animal shelters offer excellent but lower-cost veterinary care.  Neutering and vaccinations are often provided at extremely reasonable rates, even if you did not get your animal at that particular shelter.  We've also heard of veterinary clinics that offer lower-cost health care for your pet.  Look in your local telephone directory to see if there is one in your neighborhood.  

    Your pet needs and deserves certain things.  You provide food, water, shelter, love.  These cost so little in comparison to what you get from the companionship of your animal.  Keep your pet healthy.  Get it annual checkups and vaccinations, and, if and when it requires medical treatment of a more serious nature, do your best to provide it.  Your four-legged friend deserves a  healthy, happy, long life.  

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