Partner with a Great Veterinarian in White Bear Lake, MN! Here’s What to Look for

Are you looking for the right veterinarian for your pet, but you are not sure what exactly to look for? You are not alone. Many people struggle with finding a good veterinarian. Most importantly, you need to find someone you can partner with who can help you make good decisions regarding your pet’s health for years to come.

When searching for a veterinarian to care for your animal, there are specific things you must look for. Look for someone who is:

  • They are willing to listen to you
  • They have excellent communication skills
  • They have a love for animals
  • They have a desire to save them
  • They will assist you in making the right choices about your pet and their health

You and your veterinarian will be working together for the good of your beloved pet for a long time. You will want to be sure that you choose the veterinarian who is the most deserving of caring for your animal. Read below to discover what you should be looking for when partnering with a great veterinarian.

great veterinarian in white bear lake, mn

What are 5 Attributes of a Great Vet?

There are five main qualities of a great veterinarian. These qualities separate the good veterinarian from the mediocre one. It isn’t easy to believe, but some vets out there do not have a true passion for animals. This mindset is unacceptable in a veterinarian. The following are the five qualities every great vet should have:

1. Communication Skills

A veterinarian should communicate with and provide instructions to their staff and the families of the pets they see regularly. The vet should explain the condition of a pet or give instructions on how to dispense medicine to the pet.  Their instructions should be clear and understandable to the pet parent.

The owner needs to be involved in decisions concerning their fur baby’s care. Therefore, vets need to be good listeners. They need to listen to the owner who knows their pet the best. Veterinarians should also be able to demonstrate knowledge of their practice.

2. Love for Animals

It should be a requirement that all veterinarians love animals. If a vet truly loves animals, they will be more inclined to spend more time with their patients and be careful with them. Veterinarians should devote their lives to saving animals.

The desire to help them should be the reason they choose their profession. Veterinarians need to have compassion for the animals they treat and develop a relationship with their owners. The best vets treat their clients like family, and the animal is a part of that.

3. Ability to Problem Solve

Vets need to order the right lab or imaging tests and determine if there is a problem and what to do about it. In turn, they must help pet owners make good decisions concerning the care of the animal. Veterinarians should also be skilled at assessing animal behavior and determining what the animal is trying to communicate about their condition.

Pets cannot talk to us in words; however, vets can often tell a lot from the animal’s actions. The vet should also be able to use evidence-based medicine to explain their recommendation to the pet parent.

4. Manual Dexterity

Vets perform surgery and handle animals of all sizes. They need to be mindful of the animal’s comfort level while handling them. They may need to hold pets that are uncooperative, nervous, or even angry. Vets must be careful when treating animals who have been injured and may be suffering from trauma.

Vets need to make the correct assessment of the animal, so they must examine them successfully. If a veterinarian performs a surgical treatment, they must be precise in their movements to avoid making mistakes.

5. Education

You want a vet who knows their stuff. Knowledge and ability are essential components involved with being a veterinarian. You will also want someone who has experience and wisdom. In the US all veterinarians need to have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. Some of the things that vets learn in veterinary school include:

  • Animal Behavior
  • Veterinary Pharmacology
  • Animal Nutrition
  • Clinical Pathology
  • Large and Small Animal Medicine
  • Animal Management
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Anesthesia and Surgery Principles

The best vet to partner with is someone who loves animals and has a solid education to treat them.

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What Questions Should I Ask the Vet?

As a pet parent, you worry about your pet’s health and want to take good care of them. Always maintain a good relationship with your veterinarian so that the two of you can work together and make sure your pet is a happy and healthy one. The following are questions that you should ask your veterinarian when you take your pet to see them:

  • Am I feeding my pet the right food?
  • Should I get pet insurance?
  • Is my pet at a healthy weight?
  • Is this behavior my pet is displaying normal?
  • Does my pet need their teeth cleaned?
  • What kind of flea and tick medicine should I be using?
  • Is the bump I am feeling on my pet normal?
  • Should I seek a second opinion?
  • Do you think my pet needs any other tests done?
  • Is there something I should do between now and the next visit?

Make sure you ask your vet the right questions the next time you take your pet to the animal hospital. If there is anything unusual you see with your pet, you should always consult your veterinarian immediately.

What Makes a Bad Vet (Now That You Know What Makes a GOOD Vet)?

Good vets will take their time with each patient and make sure they get the care they deserve. They will make each patient comfortable and make their trip to see them go as smoothly as possible. A good vet recognizes that pet parents know their fur baby better than anyone, and if a pet parent insists that something is off, the vet should do everything in their power to investigate the issue.

On the other hand, an inferior vet will not listen to the owner and go that extra mile to make sure your companion is safe and healthy. A bad vet will often rush the appointment to get to the next patient when they are busy. Vets that are not so good will not take the time with you to discuss your pet and their symptoms. They will typically give you the brush-off and act like your fears are unfounded without any further assessment.

Call Birch Lake Animal Hospital

Finding the right veterinarian for your pet can be quite a challenge. The first and most important thing to look for is whether they honestly love animals. Your chief goal should be to find someone with whom you can develop a long-term relationship and safeguard your pet’s medical care. You want someone to take the time to answer your questions and listen and have a genuine passion for their profession.

To partner with a great veterinarian call (651) 426-2246 or use the online form to book an appointment at Birch Lake Animal Hospital!