Choosing a vet for your JRT can be a very daunting
task. You want to make sure you can
trust the individual you choose with your JRT’s health and welfare. Because all the information out there can
sometimes be a little overwhelming we thought we would present some of the
criteria that you should consider in making your choice.
Family Communication
When looking at choosing a vet, it is of utmost importance
to get the whole family involved. Gather
everyone together for a family conference and go over what each of you are
looking or and consider important to you in a good vet. Make sure everyone has a voice in the
decision, and talk over any concerns that anyone might have.
Accreditations
When looking into a particular individual, it is always
sound advice to look into which school they attended as well as the
accreditation credentials of the school itself.
As with most things in life, not all schools are created equal. There are those that the veterinarian major
is lost in with other majors, and there are those better schools that are
either geared more towards the animal medicine field, if not exclusively so.
Gives Back To The Community
Does the individual you are considering entrusting your JRT’s
health and well-being to give back to the local community? By that, ask does the individual visit
shelters to help with the animals housed there, while also maybe offering a
small discount on their fees? Do they
attend adopt-a-pet type outings, offering discounted general check-ups or pet
care advice to new pet adopters? Is the
individual there in wellness as well as when needed?
Personal Beliefs
Don’t be afraid to ask the individual about their own
personal beliefs. This is a very
important step as it will give you the much needed insight you will need to
know if your personalities will mesh, for the welfare of you JRT. If you are constantly in disagreement with,
or butting heads with your veterinarian, it could result in poor judgement
calls that could be detrimental to your JRT.
Ready Access To Medical Information
Whether the information comes from your veterinarian or
their technician, you need to know that you are going to have ready access to
any needed medical information. For
instance if you JRT is hospitalized by the veterinarian would you be able to
call and check on their progress as often as you feel you needed to? Will they answer any questions about your
JRT’s health while in the veterinarians care?
Up To Date and Current Equipment
A successful veterinarian office will have the necessary and
up to date equipment needed to provide top notch care for your JRT. Some of the equipment to inquire if they have
is, but not limited to, x-ray machine, IV pumps, ultrasound, blood-pressure testing
and lab equipment. Also to be checked is
if, for the more time involved lab testing, that the individual has a reliable
and timely testing facility that they use.
The more timely the lab results, and the more accurate, the better the
ability for accurate diagnosis.
Pride In Their Facility
Any veterinarian office worth its weight will be more than
happy to give you a tour of their facility.
You need to know that they are up to date and cleanly enough for your
JRT. And, if they are up to snuff they
will be more than accommodating.
Standard of Care
Take time to observe how the veterinarian and his
technicians interact with the other animals in the office, and in their
care. This casual observation will tell
you multitudes about how they will care for and handle your own JRT.
Word of Mouth
Ask around about the veterinarian and see if maybe you know
someone who either take their own pet to them or has in the past. Ask family, friends, co-workers and anyone
who will offer some insight to help you in your decision making process. If you hear the information from someone you
know, you are more likely to get more accurate, trusted and helpful information
Hours of Operation
The office hours, or even after hours, are crucial to
know. You need to know if you can get
your JRT to the new veterinarian at a time convenient to your schedule and in
the case of emergencies after hours .
Choosing a veterinarian can be a major decision, and one
that is of great importance. But, if you
include all the family in the discussion, and you get all the information
listed above, you will be able to make a more informed decision that will affect
your JRT well into their older years.
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