How to Test Your Veterinarian's Knowledge

Though your veterinarian may have many answers, he/she may not have the answers you need for your animal's conditions. Here are a few tips as to how to shop around for a vet who knows what is needed for the matter at hand.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. If you don't understand the full scope of your animal's medical problems, ask the vet to explain in detail what he/she is thinking and what his/her plans are. Ask it twice (respectfully and politely), to see if you get the same answer. If you get different answers, go to another vet. If you get the same answer, go to next step.
2. With each test or diagnostic plan, ask why it is in place. Try to divert the conversation to one where the medical terms are related in non-scientific English. If vet can't relate same info in "common" language, the pracitioner may have knowledge, but not wisdom. But...it may be enough knowledge to solve the problem.
3. Read on the health problem and plan on your own. Consult veterinary journals rather than magazines and never confuse testimonials with proven scientific fact. Ask for research papers on the topic, and if the graphs don't have standard error bars on them...don't trust the data. Ask how many other such cases have come into the animal doc's clinic each year. This helps you, and helps them. Veterinary theory is constantly being refined by practice in the real world.
4. Keep in mind that a vet is allowed to say "I don't know" to questions asked. Animal docs aren't gods, nor should you expect them to be. If a veterinarian is honestly trying to help your animal, if you give him/her a chance to do so, you can form an effective team for the task at hand.

Tips & Warnings

• Be cooperative, yet critical.
• Animosity you put into the veterinian-client relationship will result in the same coming back at you, and substandard care for you animal. Tis human nature.