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.
Your trust is two-ways and has come about over time working together. Nice relationship.
Since the discovery of PoC, I am continually impressed with the content.
Great article. From experience, I cannot stress the impact and devastation you go through when you cross paths with a bad vet. Fortunately they are the minority. One suggestion that I would make, is that even though you may have found the perfect vet; don’t become complacent with blind trust and always question. Maintain your own copies of the medical records. You are the voice for the pet. If something legitimately goes wrong, you may not be dealing with the friendly caregiver anymore, but a business owner fighting to maintain the reputation of his business.
I have a wonderful vet and trust her with my cats. She is not afraid to listen to what I have to say and even teases me that my cats are to the vet before there are actual symptoms she can find. A blood test confirms my suspicions. She never blinked or hesitated to take my cats in this January when our house burned. She kept them at the office for 6 days until we could get into housing that allowed them. When I went to pick them up the bill was high but she told me to pay when I could. We have mutual trust. She listens to opinions too.
Our vet travels with her horses to shows all over the eastern seaboard so sometimes she has fill in vets. When one of the fill in vets told me that I didn’t know anything about my cats and that my cat was ill and should be euthanized I was furious. Upon return I talked to our vet and told her what happened. That fill in has never been back. Not only is our vet great , her staff is excellent too. Ask questions and look for someone that cares about your fur children and you also.
I have been using the same vet since 1994. As a breeder I have trusted Muddy Creek Animal Hospital with the care of my cats and kittens. They work with me and know I do give my own vaccines and de-worming medication. My vet knows I will show up on his door step if I have a cat that need to be seen no matter what time a day. He has gone out of his way with research and taking the time to listen to me. Never ever shrugging me off as someone who thinks they know it all. I don’t and neither does he. Together we have learned about Maine Coons and trust each other. I know if I drop off a sick cat and have to go to work they are in the best hands possible and that they are being well cared for and loved.
Since I have both dogs, and horses, I have a regular Vet and an Equine Vet. My regular vet is the daughter of our vet that we have used for twenty years. I have known her since she was twelve years old and have a lot of faith in her since I have known her for so long. She is very caring and has excellent bedside manor.Our Equine vet has taken a lot of time with our horses and gone to extra measures to make sure their diagnosis is correct and subsequent treatment as well. I would find it very difficult to change our vets as I have the most confidence in them.
Some vets are definitely better than others at handling people through the euthanasia process.
My regular vet was away when Sophie was taken ill so I had to see a vet new to the practise. Whilst I can’t fault his medical skills, I was less than impressed with his people skills. To be fair, it was manic in the surgery that morning. Two dogs had been brought in as emergencies causing all other appointments to be delayed by several hours. The vets were rushed off their feet and maybe I was over-sensitive, but I didn’t appreciate it when he came out to the waiting room to announce he was very concerned about Sophie and then left me and my imagination working overtime for the next 30 minutes. When he returned he explained that they’d not had time to carry out any diagnostic tests yet and invited me into the treatment room to see “him”. (I had to remind him several times the cat was female.) My heart sank when I saw her because she was so lifeless, though she did crawl towards me when I said hello. The vet allowed me to remain in the room whilst he did the x-rays and ultrasound, which sadly revealed Sophie had end-stage liver cancer. I remember being offended when he told me he was glad to have reached a definitive diagnosis, because he’d been thinking two emergencies and now I’ve got to test this cat! When I was ready, the vet administered the injection and left me alone in the room with Sophie.
I have mixed feelings about how he handled the situation. He was I felt, somewhat tactless at a highly sensitive time, but he was accurate in his initial assessment of her condition and chose the most appropriate tests to pinpoint the problem as quickly as possible. He was young, so perhaps he will develop a better manner with clients, but I can’t help thinking that empathy is something you either have or don’t.