I started writing this blog and it turned into what felt like a really boring ten page essay. So I wanted to spare all of you a big yawn session and decided to make a list that’s easy to read (No yawning allowed). Let’s kick off this entry with a really cute picture of Yoda celebrating his first birthday with a Vet check-up!
- Check locations that are within 10-15 minutes from your home and check their business hours.
- I know sometimes it’s not always possible to find a vet very close by depending on where you live. Keep in mind in an emergency situation it’s best to have a Vet that you can get to relatively quickly.
- Most Veterinary Offices typically have one to two days a week where they’re open until 5:30 or 6:00 pm. My Vet’s late days have proven to be really important to me. Whenever we have a flare up I know I can get any of our pups in relatively quickly and without requesting time off from work which is a huge help.
- Now that you’ve found a few locations that are close by you will want to check their reviews.
- As you’re checking online reviews keep in mind that we live in a world where people are paid to give positive reviews for businesses. Even my vet who has awesome reviews does not have a perfect 5 star rating on Google. If you’re seeing nothing but perfect five star reviews I would definitely raise an eyebrow because that’s suspicious!
- Read both bad and good reviews. When reading bad reviews please keep in mind how sensitive bad news can be as a pet parent. Most bad reviews I read are from people that were given news that was not easy to handle. Try to stick to reviews that rate the customer service, knowledge of the vet, code of ethics, and any specialty services.
- If you’re in an emergency situation keep in mind that ER vets are more than likely going to have poor ratings. This is primarily because of the reason I just went over – trips to ER vets aren’t typically for standard care visits. The ER vet I took Subee to when we had to make the hard decision to let her go only had 3 stars. However, what was one of the most difficult days of my life was made a little bit easier by the care and consideration of the staff at the ER vet we chose. So I do think reviews are incredibly helpful but I also know that not everyone’s experience will be my experience.
- Customer Service
- When finally found our first French Bulldog (Yoda) we knew we had three days to get him checked out by our own vet. We didn’t actually have a Vet at the time so we were starting from scratch trying to find a good match for our family and new puppy. I called three different vets based on my suggestions listed above. All of the vets I called had a very similar rating but I chose my Vet simply because I received excellent customer service from my very first phone call to them.
- The receptionist who answered my call was so amazing! She was excited for our new puppy, she asked all kinds of questions about him, and it was incredibly easy to make an appointment. I called ten days prior to picking up Yoda and the other receptionists I talked too seemed generally uninterested and making an appointment was not easy.
- When finally found our first French Bulldog (Yoda) we knew we had three days to get him checked out by our own vet. We didn’t actually have a Vet at the time so we were starting from scratch trying to find a good match for our family and new puppy. I called three different vets based on my suggestions listed above. All of the vets I called had a very similar rating but I chose my Vet simply because I received excellent customer service from my very first phone call to them.
- Does your chosen Vet have a specialty?
- Other Frenchie parents may not agree with me but I don’t think it’s necessary to find a Vet that specializes in Bulldog breeds. I DO think it’s important to find a vet who will either:
- A. Refer you to a peer if they feel there’s a better Vet in the area specializing in your breed from the get-go.
- B. Is willing to reach out to their peers if they want additional ideas or opinions on treatments.
- French Bulldogs are known for having joint, bone, and spinal issues. A huge factor in choosing our Vet is that she is one of the only Vet’s in Michigan that offer Underwater Treadmill Hydrotherapy. The results they see and the wide range of people that bring their pets far distances for her Hydrotherapy services is truly phenomenal! She also offers IV Laser Therapy, Therapeutic Ultrasound, Therapeutic Exercise, Orthotics, Prosthetics, and a wide range of other specialty services. I am confident if the time ever comes that any of our pups need specialty care that our Vet will be able to help us and we will not have to travel. Keep in mind I live in a pretty small town so I don’t think you’re going to have to live in a big city just to find a Vet that offers a wide range of specialty services.
- A good question to ask is where your Vet will send you for invasive surgeries that they might not be able to perform within their own office. When Yoda had to have Soft Palate Surgery to correct his breathing we were referred to an awesome surgical center about thirty minutes from our home. Another idea to consider is if your Vet is able to perform any surgeries at all. The Vet I chose is able to perform a very wide range of surgeries right in her office.
- Other Frenchie parents may not agree with me but I don’t think it’s necessary to find a Vet that specializes in Bulldog breeds. I DO think it’s important to find a vet who will either:
- Does the Vet you’re considering do their own lab testing?
- The only testing our Vet has ever had to send out was for Luna and Yoda’s allergy testing. All other tests are done right in the office and we either get results during our visit or within 24 hours. It can be unsettling if you have to wait a week for labs to be sent out when something could have been treated almost immediately.
- How does your Vet stay up to date and learn about new methods and technology? Don’t be scared to ask this question! Most Vet’s should be proud of new methods they are learning and confident to talk to you about them. Our chosen Vet is also always open to reaching out to peers that may have more knowledge in a certain area than she does. When we were experiencing seizures/tremors with Yoda and wanted to explore CBD treatment she was quick to recommend us to an awesome Neurologist that could help us at U of M.
- Pricing for Services
- If you remember from my blog Questions To Ask A Frenchie Breeder my little family is a top spender at the office due to the Frenchie allergies we are managing. So it’s really important that we feel like we’re getting quality care but not paying an excessive amount. I have never left a visit, regardless how extensive the care was, that I felt like the cost was unreasonable.
- Dog medications can be expensive! So make sure you understand the cost of medications before you purchase them. Our Vet will always tell us if we can find over the counter medication for our dogs cheaper through other outlets. For example: Heart worm medication, ear maintenance medication, first aid materials, etc.
- Do both you and your dog like your Vet and their Staff?
- If you can’t tell – We love our Vet and the entire office. For these reasons:
- It’s never difficult to get an appointment even though they are always incredibly busy.
- No matter what Vet Tech see’s us the whole staff generally stops in to see which pup we had to bring in and to make sure we’re all doing okay.
- They schedule and perform surgeries at least once a week.
- They have extensive knowledge and are constantly expanding their practice to use new technology.
- Our dogs are always comfortable with them. Luna has terrible anxiety when she has to travel in the car. So it’s really important that she feels safe when we get to the office because she’s already incredibly stressed out from our ten minute drive!
- If you can’t tell – We love our Vet and the entire office. For these reasons:
All in all your pups health is so very important. Before I was a Frenchie Mom I had only ever had Pitbulls who were very healthy and required almost ZERO extra Veterinary care. I can say with confidence that if you’re looking at French Bulldogs you will most definitely be spending time at your chosen Vet’s office.I really think when you meet the right Vet for you that you will know. It’s almost like meeting the love of your life (just kidding … kind of). There will be an instant connection and understanding. I don’t think anyone should ever leave their Vet’s office feeling like they were just there to make a financial transaction and didn’t receive the best care possible. I feel cared for even when we just go in to get a nail trim! I wish you all the best of luck in finding the right care for your pup, never be scared to ask questions, and never be scared to make a change if you feel like there are better options out there. We feel very lucky to have found a Vet that we will be able to stick with for the life of our pets. If you have other suggestions please list them in the comments! As a pet parent community I think it’s so important to shed a light on good practices and to help each other out!
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