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Step 1
Schedule an introductory visit with the candidates and bring your pet. Note the waiting room. If it looks overly crowded, the vet might be overbooking patients. Arrive a good 30 minutes or more before schedule so you can observe if patients are seen on time. Talk to the other owners and find out what they think of the vet.
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Step 2
Take time to tour the clinic. Pay attention to the cleanliness of the facility. The floors and seating area in the waiting room should be clean and there should not be an offensive pet odor.
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Step 3
Check with any prospective vet about his hours of service. Find out whether you will have 24-hour coverage. If the vet is in a one-doctor clinic, ask how you can get help at night, on holidays and on weekends in case of an emergency. The vet should have relationships with other doctors or animal hospitals to cover these events.
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Step 4
Watch the interaction between your pet and the vet. Look for signs of gentleness from the vet and a receptive response from your pet. While not every animal is going to warm up to a stranger, there should be an indication of acceptance on the part of your pet.
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Step 5
Ask the prospective vet for the names of clients who can give personal references about the care given their pets.
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Step 6
Make sure the vet you pick is familiar with your kind of pet. Some clinics specialize in cats and dogs, and some do both or only small animals. If you have an unusual pet, don't be hesitant to ask about the doctor's hands-on experience. If your pet suffers from a specific condition, ask the vet if he has experience treating it, and then ask how he treats it. Compare that to treatments in the past.
