How do you know a vet is a good one?

[wantayorkie23]

I live in the Atlanta area and there are so many to choose from. How do I pick the best one

[yorkiepuppie]

you can check their reviews online and see what people are saying about them. try yelp.com.

good luck!

[chicos2009]

well in my experience i ake chico to the humane society because they do love animals and out here it is more cheeper ,recently i had to take chico to a vet for an emergency and i regert it he took me in and got me out as sson as possible .i really felt awfull .also try the aspca in your area good luck to you

[wantayorkie23]

Originally Posted by chicos2009

well in my experience i ake chico to the humane society because they do love animals and out here it is more cheeper ,recently i had to take chico to a vet for an emergency and i regert it he took me in and got me out as sson as possible .i really felt awfull .also try the aspca in your area good luck to you

you can take them there to get check ups?????

[Ellie May]

Ask tons of questions all the time.
Before I'd choose a vet, I'd want to know:
Anesthetic protocol (anesthesia used, monitoring offered, if an IV is placed, if surgery is done on a heated surface, if there is someone there overnight should the dog need to stay or if transferring to a 24 hour hospital is an option, etc).
Shots required by the vet and how often they have to be given.
Is the office clean and organized.
How much experience does the vet have.
Do they push rx diets and Science Diet/Purina/Iams not giving the owner much of a choice.
Do they take phone calls and do they charge for them.

[phfgkl]

At one time, I think on this site, there was a website posted on how to find good vets in each area.
I don't think if they push certain dog foods that makes them bad vets. I know my vet, who is 25 and very thorough, and who I really like(even though she's kind of expensive) had my retriever on a certain purina food for her hip dysplasia. I took the dog off the purina myself, but, I sure don't think it made her a bad vet because of it

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by phfgkl

At one time, I think on this site, there was a website posted on how to find good vets in each area.
I don't think if they push certain dog foods that makes them bad vets. I know my vet, who is 25 and very thorough, and who I really like(even though she's kind of expensive) had my retriever on a certain purina food for her hip dysplasia. I took the dog off the purina myself, but, I sure don't think it made her a bad vet because of it

If this is from my post, I'm not saying if a vet sells SD and suggests an rx diet that they are bad. All I am saying is do they discourage all feeding methods but their own so heavily and make someone feel horrible for not wanting to use a prescription food? Because that isn't right. It isn't their place to do that. Ellie is eating an rx diet right now. It happens to be Purina. It was her vet's choice but I certainly wasn't made to feel like I better do it "or else" which I know a lot of vets act like...

[phfgkl]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

If this is from my post, I'm not saying if a vet sells SD and suggests an rx diet that they are bad. All I am saying is do they discourage all feeding methods but their own so heavily and make someone feel horrible for not wanting to use a prescription food? Because that isn't right. It isn't their place to do that. Ellie is eating an rx diet right now. It happens to be Purina. It was her vet's choice but I certainly wasn't made to feel like I better do it "or else" which I know a lot of vets act like...

Lordy, I was hoping all those things you were mentioning didn't mean the vet wasn't any good. LOL Mine never pushes any of those, but, she does sell them. I would suggest to the OP, ask other people what vets they use and if they like the vet, etc. word of mouth is always one of the best ways to go. Maybe someone will see this and print the site again that has all the good vets listed

[Woogie Man]

Crystal (Ellie May) mentioned some good things to inquire about. Also, personal recommendations from someone you know and trust is a good starting point. However, a good vet for a Doberman, Collie, etc. may not be a good vet for a Yorkie. You really need a vet with good experience with small dogs. Finding one that is an AAHA member could give you some confidence. Though it is no guarantee, clinics that are AAHA members tend to be up on the latest treatments and protocols and have good diagnostic equipment. That isn't to say that every vet in that clinic is equally competent but it is something to look for.