Medical Information
Choosing a Veterinarian
Choosing a vet for your pet is just as important as choosing a doctor for yourself. You want someone you feel confident is doing the best for your pet and is making decisions or recommendations based on your pet's needs and not their desire to cash in. You need to feel comfortable asking questions and should be able to contact them easily about health questions in between visits.
One thing to look for is that the vet is AAHA accredited. The AAHA develops standards for veterinary practices. You may also request an interview or a tour of the facility. Keep in mind, however, that veterinary clinics can be very busy and there may be limited times when you can go in to look around. If you are not able to go in, try to find references for the clinic or ask a friend if they have a clinic they like or dislike.
To find a veterinarian near you, visit Pets911.
Emergencies
Regular veterinary clinics are not able to stay open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For this reason, there are Emergency Clinics. They are generally open the hours that regular hospitals are closed - nights and weekends. In the event of a sudden serious illness or injury, and emergency clinic could save your pet's life. Always keep a phone number handy.
Some other important phone numbers to keep nearby:
Local animal shelter or animal control if your pet is lost
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 (A consultation fee may apply)
photos: sciondriver,liberalmind1012,Miguel Vera
Pet Insurance
There are now many companies that offer pet health insurance. Depending on the type of animal, some offer plans for a little as about $10 a month. It is very affordable and could keep you from having to make a very difficult decision if your pet ever needs a costly procedure. Pet insurance works similar to peoples' health insurance: if your pet needs to visit the vet, you will pay a deductible and the pet insurance company pays the remainder, or whatever the policy you choose specifies. While most companies do not cover routine exams, there are some that may.
Here are just a few companies that offer pet insurance:
Veterinary Pet Insurance
PetCare Insurance
Embrace Pet Insurance
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance