Bringing a dog into your home requires a lot of thought and preparation. Getting reliable medical care that you and your dog are happy with can sometimes be tricky. You want to be happy with the quality of care and you want your dog to be comfortable with the person you choose. Here are some things to consider right veterinarians for your family.

Interview

Don’t be shy when it comes to choosing your vet. Gather your family together and come up with a list of questions that you feel are important to ask. There are no stupid questions.

Community

Does the vet you are visiting get involved with the community in any way? Does the office give back?

Personal Beliefs

Don’t be afraid to ask the vet what they think about certain situations. Do your beliefs mesh well? Is he or she put off by your asking? You don’t want a vet who isn’t open or communicative.

Openness

Are your vet and the rest of the office staff open to answering any of your questions? Do they provide timely testing and answers? Are they open to giving advice and prescriptions over the phone if the patient has a recuring condition?

Up-to-date

Is the office and equipment current? Do they have access to the medical machinery and techniques that you would expect in this day and age?

Tour

When you interview a new vet, you should get a tour of the facility, and there shouldn’t be any closed doors unless there is a procedure going on that requires privacy. They should be proud of their facility and openly show it off to you.

Social Skills

Observe the other patients with the staff. Do they seem friendly, courteous, and helpful in person and on the phone? Is anyone pushy or rude? Do they seem to genuinely care or do they seem to be pushing a lot of products or procedures?

Hours

Make sure that they have plenty of hours that will work for you or members of your family. You want them to be accessible and easy to reach in an emergency.