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Step 1
Do a search using your zip code or city, and the word veterinarian or veterinary clinic. This will bring you many links, including the online yellow pages phone book. If you are trying to find an office close to your home, type in your zip code. The yellow pages results will include maps and driving directions, and will include the business website if there is one.
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Step 2
Find veterinarians offering specialties by searching online. There are many specialty veterinary directories. If you are looking for a holistic veterinarian, one who does acupuncture or chiropractic, an avian specialist, an ophthalmologist, or any other specialist, searching that specialty by name will bring up websites for directories and professional organizations.
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Step 3
Read through veterinarian's websites to see if their philosophy and practice is a good fit for you and your pet. Not every veterinary clinic has a website but many do nowadays, and you can find information on everything from philosophy to hours and directions.
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Step 4
Call veterinarians you find online to ask questions. Cost is a major consideration. Ask about fee schedules for specific procedures you may need to have performed. Some smaller veterinary offices outsource most of their testing and this can result in higher fees in the long run. On the other hand, large, full service clinics may have higher office fees to offset their diagnostic equipment. It is perfectly acceptable to ask questions.
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Step 5
Ask if you will always see the same veterinarian each time you go to the office, or if you may see whichever veterinarian is on the schedule that day. Some people like to establish a relationship with one veterinarian, while others like the idea of a pool of veterinarians if there's ever a need for a second opinion.
