4 Features To Look For When Choosing A New Veterinarian For Your Puppy

Even if your puppy never needs emergency care as they grow up, regular check-ups at the veterinarian are crucial, as they'll help you gauge how the pooch is progressing and will optimize the chance that a underlying illness is caught before it becomes too serious to treat. Here are four important features to look for when choosing a new veterinarian to provide your puppy with long-term care:

24-Hour Emergency Care

One of the most important features to look for when choosing a new veterinarian for your puppy is the availability of 24-hour emergency care services. Even if they don't operate in the middle of the night, they should have a hotline manned so that referrals to nearby hospitals can be made and emergency transportation can be arranged if necessary.

You should also be able to get advice and have your questions answered in the event of an emergency outside of your veterinarian's regular hours. Make sure that the veterinarian you decide to take your pooch to for regular care has some type of 24-hour emergency system in place so you know that you won't be left to fend on your own in an emergency situation that you're not familiar with.

A Full Staff That's Specialized

The veterinary center you decide to take your puppy to for check-ups, routine vaccination visits, and emergencies should house a full staff of technicians, vet assistants, and office support scheduled during business hours and on-call during emergency service hours. If your veterinarian's facility isn't fully staffed, you can expect wait times that are likely longer than is convenient, and there's a chance that you won't get the care you need if an emergency does arise as your puppy ages. When checking out prospective vet facilities, ask for a list of staff members and their working hours so you have an idea what to expect from each of them when your pup needs care in the future.

A Complete Diagnosis System

Another feature to look for while on the hunt for a veterinarian is a complete diagnostic system located within their facility. In addition to an x-ray machine that can be used to check for broken bones and intestinal obstructions, the facility should have its own ultrasound machine to take care of challenging pregnancies. The facility should also house an EKG machine to help diagnose heart conditions, as well as a complete lab to manage blood work. Make sure that the veterinarian you choose to care for your pooch long-term owns all the equipment they need to do everything from diagnosing illnesses to doing surgery and treating cancer if necessary.

A Standard Fee Schedule

You should also look into the fee schedule of each veterinarian you consider working with, as they're all bound to differ at least slightly. And some vets may not even have a set fee schedule, which makes it hard to budget for things like vaccinations, check-ups, and treatments for illnesses as time goes on. When consulting with each prospective veterinarian, ask them for an itemized printout of their standard fee schedules so you can compare them to one another and determine who is most likely to save you the most money on the basic services your dog needs as the years pass. It's also a good idea to inquire about fees for specialty service so you can make sure that you're financially prepared in case of an emergency. How much does an x-ray cost, and what are the average surgery fees?

This outline should be included in your own list of preferred features and services so it can be used as a guideline when comparing veterinarians in your community to one another. For more information, contact different veterinary centers in your area, such as Seattle Emergency Veterinary Hospital.