The best time to find a vet is before you need one.
We strongly recommend that you take the time to research vet clinics in your area to find a clinic that matches the standard of care you are looking for and your financial goals. Set up an appointment to establish your pets before they get sick. This allows you to meet the doctor and the team, familiarize yourself with how the clinic runs, and ask any questions you may have about your pets’ wellness care. It also allows the doctor to have a baseline on your pets so that they can more easily identify when there is something wrong. It will also save time when your pet is sick, as the clinic will already have basic but crucial information on your pet, such as vaccine records.
Your vet should be a good fit, not just able to fit you in the soonest.
This is not to say that you should stay with your veterinarian if you are unhappy. Finding a veterinarian who you trust and is a good fit for your goals is crucial for your pets to get the best care. Whether you prefer a low-cost, walk-in clinic, or an appointment-only, Fear Free Certified Practice with a consistent standard of medical care, Spokane offers veterinary care to fit all goals and budgets.
Consistency of care – like consistency at Starbucks!
Consistency of care is more important than you might think. Having all your pet’s records in the same place eliminates the confusion that can happen when you rotate through several clinics for your pet’s care. If you are unhappy with your veterinarian, we recommend that you make a thoughtful switch, and give your new clinic plenty of time to obtain your previous records.
Emergencies happen!
We are lucky in Spokane to have several emergency clinics available to us. If you find yourself having to take your pet to one of those clinics for an emergency, make sure to list your primary care veterinarian so that they can get the records as soon as possible to ensure continuity of care.
What about a second opinion?
If you feel that you need a second opinion, either from another veterinarian or a specialist, your veterinarian should be happy to accommodate this and even help you facilitate it. Your veterinarian should be happy to collaborate with specialists for the best care of your pet, and refer you when necessary. If you would like a second opinion from another general practitioner, your veterinarian should be happy to facilitate this for you as well. Please keep in mind that sometimes a second opinion should not be from another GP, but rather from a specialist, as they are specialists for a reason!
Fear Free
If you have chosen a Fear Free Certified Practice for your veterinary care, good for you! The more that we learn about your pets’ mental state, the more we realize how deeply that impacts their physical health. If your dog mostly has positive experiences at the clinic, occasional visits to the emergency clinic or specialist should only have a mild effect on their general mental state. However, routinely going to a non-Fear Free practice may mean your pet is treated in ways they are not accustomed to. Consistently being held down for nail trims or taken “to the back” for bloodwork when they are not used to it can degrade their trust even when they do go to a Fear Free Certified Practice. If you travel, or routinely need to use another veterinary clinic, we strongly recommend that you find a Fear Free Certified Practice to go to, or at least use a Fear Free Certified Veterinarian.