It's hard to understand the love a human being can have for a pet if you've never been a pet owner. Maybe it's not until you adopt your own furry friend that you understand that our beloved animals become just like another member of the family. That's how much we love them. So when it comes to their health care, you want to be as careful in your choices as you would for any other family member. Choosing a new animal hospital to take your pet to can be tricky. Here are a few tips to help you choose.
Accreditation
One thing to consider in choosing a new animal hospital is accreditation by the AAHA, the American Animal Hospital Association. To achieve this accreditation, a hospital must pass a strict evaluation and meet certain guidelines for operation. Accreditation also gives that hospital access to the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool, a type of software that enables your vet to access a wide list of pet recovery service registries in the event your pet is lost. Only about 12-15% of North American vets are AAHA accredited.
Number of Vets
The number of vets that work at an animal hospital can have an effect on how easy it is to schedule a visit for your pet, especially in an emergency. A wide variety of vets indicates that your pet will have access to care quickly and easily. However, you may prefer a hospital that has fewer vets so that you can ensure that your pet always sees the same person, one who is familiar with your pet's particular needs. Take a look at the vet roster of the animal hospital you're considering and you can decide which factor is more important to you.
Emergencies
Many animal hospitals operate only during regular business hours and refer clients with emergencies to an after-hours facility. This after-hours emergency hospital may or may not be close to you or convenient to contact. When considering an animal hospital to take your beloved pet to, ask whether they provide emergency or after-hours services because you won't know you need it until it's too late to make a well-researched choice.
Level of Care
This one is difficult to determine in advance but it's important that your animal hospital of choice shows your pet the level of care and respect you would wish. You can get a sense of how a facility operates just by talking to the reception and vet tech staff. It's a good idea to pop in for a quick visit to any potential choice and ask the staff questions about their facility to get a feel for how it operates and their level of friendliness.
For more information, animal hospitals like Kenmore Veterinary Hospital can help.
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