| No, this is not an article on how to pick up the phone book and call
the closest veterinary hospital because your dog is sick. After working
for a vet I’m very picky about who will see my animals; only
the most caring and sensible vet will do. German shepherd owners do
not have the luxury of knowing that their dog will be cared for adequately
wherever they go, so the following points have been compiled as a guide
to finding a new vet for Fido. These suggestions do not cover the most
important part of the selection process: gut feeling. If something
doesn’t feel right, ask yourself why. Ask for recommendations from multiple sources, but make sure that
you ask why the person is giving the recommendation or warning. One
owner told me to not go to my (and Auster’s) favorite vet because
they weren’t available after hours. However, there’s a
24-hour emergency clinic in the next city so this wasn’t a concern
for me. I asked for recommendations at dog clubs, rescue organizations,
and contacted the local search and rescue group. I was able to find
out which vet took care of the area police dogs (not only does this
mean that the vet has experience with German shepherds, but it can
mean that their services are reasonably priced as well) and where the
search and rescue handlers preferred to take their dogs for care. I
ended up taking my animals to the vet that the police use for their
dogs (but not before carefully looking into all my options) thanks
to the recommendations of area search and rescue handlers. Other vets
that I felt would not suit Auster’s needs came highly lauded
from other sources, but at least I had a starting point. Tour the clinics next. You are not looking for the latest and shiniest
equipment or state of the art facility. You are looking to see what
kind of care and attention the vet and staff give to the animals. While
you are at it open up the phone book and notice how big of an ad the
different offices have while you are finding phone numbers. I’ve
had better luck with veterinarians that only need to run a small ad
and aren’t begging customers to come with colors and a long list
of accepted credit cards. Your mileage may vary. You can also call
a few other vets and set up tours if they sound promising. Ask both the vet(s) and staff questions while you are there. It is
very important to find a vet’s office that is comfortable with
you asking questions about what they are doing. If you have any issues
that you are unwilling to waiver on now is the time to mention them
and see what the response is. I was able to rule out a few veterinarians
because they did not want to let my animals have combo (“distemper”)
vaccines every third year or even less often. Pick up a brochure and
make sure that what you saw matches what they advertise. Once you find a few vets that stand out from the rest, bring your
dog in for a wellness visit. This means paying an exam fee, but if
it avoids picking the wrong vet it will be worth it. The exam or lack
thereof is the most telling part of the whole process. If you decide
to let the new vet do vaccines make sure that they know exactly what
you want and do not want. My cat received a distemper combo this way
that I did not want and he did not need. Another vet sent me home after
a very brief exam and told me that I was being silly because there
was nothing wrong with Auster. A few days later Auster was a pretty
sick dog, and I wished that I had visited a few other vets in the area
so that I could take her to someone else. Here are a few suggestions
to get as much information out of your exam as possible. * Always think of a question to ask the vet before you go in.
I try to ask one small question (for example, does it hurt when I cut
my dog’s toe nails too short) and one more complex one (in my
case, I ask about Auster’s pannus), making sure that I already
know the answer to both questions. No matter how silly or small the
problem is the vet should take you seriously. If they won’t trust
you when it comes to small things then chances are that they will not
trust you when you come in with larger concerns. The vet should be
able to answer your more complex questions as well, or be willing to
look up the answer to discuss it with you. If your German shepherd
has any kind of chronic illness it should be discussed as well.
*
Unless you have a dog that is likely to bite the vet, do not let the
staff muzzle your dog. A vet that automatically requires a muzzle for
all German shepherds obviously is not comfortable with the breed or,
even worse, large dogs. Vets should have enough dog experience to at
least be able to interpret basic canine body language and determine
a friendly dog from a threat. This is something that is very easy to
pick up when seeing many dogs so the staff should be able to respond
to your dog correctly as well (unless they are new and in training).
I am amazed that some people do not like large dogs, yet they go to
vet school and open up a companion animal practice.
* Make sure that the vet thoroughly examines your animal. They should
NOT be concerned with getting their hands dirty or having to touch
a German shepherd, and you should not have to beg the vet to look at
something that you mention is a concern (I’ve had that happen,
and I never went back). Remember, the whole purpose of an annual exam
is to detect problems before they become problems.
*
Do not let the vet examine your dog while you are not present or take
your dog away from you. In my experience, the dog gets a more thorough
exam when the owner is present. I will never let anyone take Auster’s
leash unless I trust them completely, and that never happens during
the first exam.
*
The vet shouldn’t be persistently trying to sell you some product
that they offer (especially food). I am more than willing to listen
to a genuine recommendation, but I’m paying for an exam and not
a sales pitch. I recently moved to a new city after finally finding the perfect vet
where I used to live. After taking my animals (one cat, Choco, and
one German shepherd, Auster) to Dr. Parker my expectations were high
and I visited no less than six veterinary clinics in our new city (and
called many more). One vet’s office staff wouldn’t let
us take a tour when we had made an appointment the day before (acceptable
if an emergency comes in, but common courtesy would be for them to
call and reschedule the tour). Another clinic had a nice vet do a tour
and talk with us, but the other vet wouldn’t examine Auster beyond
briefly touching her when we brought her in for an exam. Another vet
had a crowded and stressful looking boarding area that was advertised
as “relaxing” with soothing music and aromatherapy. The
vet we chose did not have a fancy building, but the concern for the
animals was obvious. She listened to what I was telling her, and even
though she usually did things differently she was willing to do what
I felt was best for my dog and cat because I had looked into the issue
(I wouldn’t expect a vet to do my every whim if it wasn’t
best for the animal). Once you find a vet, periodically ask yourself if you still think
that your animal is getting the level of care that you expected. Medicine
changes as new discoveries are made, and sometimes vets can be slow
to change or even ignore new findings. By trying to learn more about
your animals’ health from your vet and other sources you can
make sure that your animals are still getting appropriate, current
treatment and reassure yourself that your furry friends are receiving
the best care possible.
Lauren Woods
lauren@tarheelweb.com
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