Hello, my name is Catherine. I have long loved animals and have had several of my own over the years. Sadly, I saw two of my cats suffer with feline cancer, one of my dogs had arthritis, and, of course, we faced the usual calamities and injuries pets often face. However, I have had to navigate this on a relatively restricted budget, and through the years, I have gotten quite proficient at that. I work at a library and love doing research on pets and veterinary care as well as a range of other topics. I also love to write so decided to put my info in a blog. Please, explore and enjoy!
Keeping Your animals Healthy and Happy Without Overspending
4 Things to Consider When Choosing a Veterinary Hospital
Ellen Lampi
There's nothing any pet parent wants more than to see their furry friend happy and healthy, which is why choosing the right veterinary hospital for your dog or cat is vital. Veterinary clinics offer a variety of services beyond basic wellness checks and vaccinations, so it's important to find one that has the capability to deal with any potential problems in the future. Some of the best even offer services beyond health care, such as boarding and grooming. If you're unsure of which clinic to choose, here are four factors that should help you make your decision.
1. The clinic's location
A trip to the vet can be stressful for cats and dogs, and this is only made worse when the journey to the pet hospital is particularly far. If your clinic is too far from where your family lives, you could find yourself dealing with a very anxious pet every time they need to travel there. Plus, if your pet has an emergency and needs immediate care, it's imperative that you can reach the hospital as soon as possible. So, when choosing a clinic, make sure you take location into account.
2. Your budget
At some point in their lives, most pets require at least one unexpected medical procedure, and these procedures can be very expensive. An operation to fix a broken bone or treat a disease, for example, could set you back thousands. Of course, each veterinary hospital has their own rates. If you're on a tight budget, look out for a clinic that has fair prices and good payment plans available. Keep in mind that the best way to finance your pet's medical treatment is often by taking out an insurance plan in advance. If you opt for insurance, you'll have the best experience with a pet hospital that is willing to wait for your insurance to pay out rather than charging you up front and asking you to process the claim to get your money back.
3. Reviews and referrals
Chances are that if a vet clinic is doing a bad job, another client will notice and voice their concerns. You should look for reviews online or ask around to see how people feel about the services of the vet clinic you are considering. If it is possible, see if any friends or family have used the vet clinic you're looking at and ask them about their experiences. It helps to get an opinion from others before deciding on a veterinary clinic.
4. The services offered
For the utmost convenience, you'll want to find a veterinary hospital that has as many services available as possible. At minimum, you'll need them to offer services like vaccinations, microchipping, and routine checkups. Ideally, it's best if they also have on-site surgical facilities in case your pet suffers a more severe health problem. Beyond that, many clinics offer boarding services, grooming parlours, puppy classes, and other services that can be a big help. While you may not need all of these, it can be helpful to have everything you do need in one place.
Contact a local veterinary hospital to learn more.
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