I think it’s extremely bizarre when we lose confidence in a particular service provider we have been using – such as an automobile mechanic- or even a dry cleaner. We generally have no problem severing that relationship and moving on to one that we do trust.
However, when it comes to our feelings about a veterinarian that we feel is not providing our cats the best of care, we often find ourselves in a major dilemma about how to handle the situation. We often start second-guessing ourselves, and trying to find the “right” words to deal with the problem and requesting a second-opinion can be extremely difficult at times.
To better prevent “sticky” situations, what should we look for when choosing a veterinarian who is “trustworthy”? Here are a few things to consider.
One who is open to learning and keeps current with his or her profession
There are some veterinarians who appear perfectly content to use the same treatment methods and standards they used when they graduated from veterinary school. Perhaps their practice is overwhelming and they don’t have the time or are unwilling to make the time to continue their education. Does your veterinarian eagerly keep up with the latest treatment methods? This is an excellent question to ask when interviewing a prospective veterinary practitioner.
One who is honest and open
It’s unrealistic to expect that a veterinarian will know absolutely everything about all medical conditions or behavior problems. A trustworthy veterinarian is likely to respond to a question by saying, “I just don’t know; let me do some research on this issue and get back to you.” I expect that a trustworthy veterinarian will follow up and get back to me with the information I requested.
However, if a veterinarian is being arrogant or gives you the feeling that he/she thinks you are bothersome; using or choosing this practitioner is not the best option.
One who respectfully gives you treatment options
We all want to give our cats the best of care. This said, there are times when the cost of certain treatments may not be within our reach and making decisions are extremely difficult. A trustworthy veterinarian will take the time to carefully explain all treatment options, what they entail and any negative side-effects, and will offer them all without judging the client.
One who treats their clients with respect
Does your veterinarian seem to “pooh-pooh” ideas you offer? We may be more knowledgeable about feline nutrition than our veterinarian. Does the veterinarian give the client the brush off, or keep an open mind? Building a strong relationship with a veterinarian requires mutual trust and respect. Although it’s not easy to locate a feline –savvy veterinarian we consider trustworthy; one on whom we can rely to provide our cats with the best of care, there are veterinarians worthy of our trust.
I am lucky to have had my pick of some of the brightest, compassionate, trustworthy practitioners over the many years I have lived with cats. I can recall only one lousy experience years ago when we lived in New York. I felt some odd bumps under the skin of my Siamese cat and Yo-Yo when my trusted vet was out of town. Not wanting to wait another few weeks I had no choice but to have her checked out by another veterinarian.
After he examined her he said it was nothing of concern – that it was possibly insect bites. I replied, “Tell me it’s nothing to worry about after you biopsy those bumps.” He unenthusiastically agreed to perform the procedure, telling me I was wasting my money – but would call me with results. A few days later he called saying, “It’s bad news. Your cat has Fibrosarcoma.”
In my haste, I didn’t listen to my inner-voice. Bur something about him felt “off.” He was arrogant. I felt he was incompetent since he didn’t suggest the biopsy first. I had put myself between and rock and a hard place because I was worried.
As a result of this unfortunate event I now trust my gut when I am choosing a practitioner whom I feel innately is more than competent to competently care for our kitties. After an extended search thankfully I have found one who meets all the above criteria.
A final point: a good vet can be an excellent vet when he/she thoroughly understands cat behavior.
What do you look for in choosing a trustworthy veterinarian? What are your criteria? Share your opinions in a comment.
Associated: Elisa’s bad vet experience.
When looking for a new vet I always ask local rescues and cat owning friends who they’d recommend and then I go with my gut feeling about the vet at our first appointment.
I’ve been with my current vet for over twenty years now and I trust him implicitly to do the best for my cats. He has a great way with animals, never tries to inflate the bill by running unecessary tests or treatments and is always happy to answer any questions I have. I dread the day he will retire 🙁
I have in the past encountered a couple of vets to whom I’ve taken an instant dislike and never returned to their clinic. Any vet who shows signs of frustration or irritation, if one of my cats starts getting agitated is definitely not going to get my custom.
Top priority is to choose a vet who truly cares about CATS and preferably a cats-only practice. Secondly, since I am not a billionaire and businesses here are focused on how much money they can make off of anyone coming through their doors, the veterinarian needs to place his patients’ wellbeing above mercenary concerns.
Nice article Jo. Interesting. For me one of the best tests is how a vet deals with the end of life euthanasia problems. When a vet is genuinely caring and concerned about nothing other than the cat or dog’s well being it comes across when the decision has to be made to euthanise or not.
I know one such excellent vet in London who assists both the cat and the cat’s caretaker through this very difficult period. Her caring nature shines through.
Another positive for me is when a vet explains why a vaccination is not necessary! Usually they will sell vaccinations but occasionally they are so honest that they see a reason why a vaccination is not necessary and tell you. This is really thinking about cat welfare and of course it saves money at the same time.
I really enjoyed your article, Jo! I agree with the standards you set forth about vets. Samirah and I went to the vet yesterday. She was really nervous, but she didn’t act out. The vet and his staff were surprised, because they’ve seen her at her worst. She laid on the table and moaned, but they were gentle with her and comforted her. They took blood and examined her in a smooth, efficient manner.
My vet and I discussed things I should look out for her, symptoms of diseases and conditions that could develop. He’s always been available to discuss Samirah, and he told me not to hesitate to call in if something came up. In the beginning he told me not to clip her claws because he was concerned she’d rip into me, but all that’s past now.
This morning he called me with the results of her bloodwork, told me that everything was fine, completely normal, that the results “looked as good as she looked yesterday.” Calling me back when he promised to is important to me too. I can’t tell you how many times doctors and nurses have promised to call me back with my own test results and they never did.
Cat!
You are excellently describing our veterinarians and staff. We are blessed to have two top notch docs taking care of our senior kitties- both of whom have some major medical issues right now.
In addition to their skill, their patience with me is extraordinary since I tend to get worried- but they are there for me all the time.
They love our kitties- and our cats really trust them. It seems to me that they know that their docs are helping them to feel better- and they trust them. We feel blessed.
I have a very caring vet. He is willing to research problems to find the correct answer before offering solutions. He even allows his staff to bring their dogs to work everyday. The clinic even has a resident cat who loves to come greet the patients and their care givers. She is a joy to visit with. Her behavior reflects the clinic’s attitude towards pets. The technician got mildly grumpy when I asked about declawing and said that they do not encourage it at all. (Not that I would ever have it done!!!) The staff even “baby” talks my dogs and giggles with the doggy kisses. A definite sign of a good clinic!