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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

What do you want from your vet? (not only for the dog-lovers!)

107 replies

Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/03/2011 12:45

Right, I am setting up my own practice in the next month or so (gulp!) I want to get it right and give people the service they want. Things I think are important are:

Clean, comfortable waiting room, with seperate areas for cats and dogs

Friendly receptionist and staff, easy to get a same-day appointment

To see the same vet each time, if at all possible (as there is only me, you won't get any choice Grin)

Your concerns to be listened to properly, and you and your animal to be treated with respect and empathy.

Procedures and prices to be explained and detailed. Prices to be reasonable.

A good range of in-house facilities (xray/ blood work etc)

Ample parking close by/ right outside

Computerised records/ receipts

What else? What makes a practice a good one in your view? Really interested to hear all views!

OP posts:
claricebeansmum · 15/03/2011 16:45

Our vet is absolutely lovely - as I am sure you will be. He was recently Vet of The Year and I think very highly of him and apart from being an excellent vet he has a very reassuring manner with owners. Be gentle with novice owners - and out of hours we can leave a message and our vet calls us back. Not sure that he has a life though Hmm

mollymoocow · 15/03/2011 16:50

When I registered my new puppy with my existing vet we got a welcome pack that had some helpful leaflets, details of opening times, services offered etc. Came with in a handy wallet that fits his vaccination card and a free pen!!! and he got a tennis ball (supplier promotion) which he happily chewed to pieces Grin

chickchickchicken · 15/03/2011 17:20

Smile at cheap plastic chair. just wanted to be clear that i dont expect luxury but need a seat. amazed at how many vets dont have a chair in their consulting rooms. i cannot stand for long but its also useful for bags, carriers, kids, etc

mmmm fresh Brew in the waiting room. where is your new surgery?

my vet has a water cooler which is lovely when waiting but not as good as a cuppa

  • i also like when i take dogs in for routine booster that its not jab n go. vet takes the time to check dog over and ask if i have any questions. recently took my young rat jrt for booster and for second year running vet felt all over his body and said he was an athlete Grin dog not vet! was very proud
MrsKwazii · 15/03/2011 17:28

My vets is wonderful - apart from the fact that they're never running on time and never tell you this when you arrive. In general I wait an extra 30 minutes for my appointment and I've normally got at least one child with me - not great! If you are running late, letting clients know is v helpful. Good luck with the surgery! Grin

Scuttlebutter · 15/03/2011 17:31

This is such an interesting thread. It got me thinking about our vet and what we like about the practice. The vet himself is alwasy very professional, calm and respectful and always goes into detail to explain and discuss what he is doing or proposing. This is particularly relevant if you have a dog (as we do) with a chronic condition such as arthritis where its management is important rather than looking at a cure.

In fact, it would be interesting to have things like talks at the practice about subjects of interest, such as the management of arthritis/value of hydrotherapy etc. I'm a sad person and would love to go to talks on things like worms/parasites so I could get a better understanding of what they do, how they are caught and why their management is important.

Have a good website - plenty of info on basics like opening hours, what to do if...., costs of basic procedures, bio about key staff, ethos of practice, useful links etc. Seasonal advice useful e.g. reminder about Bonfire Night well before. Love the idea of regular email newsletter, and email queries.

The things I don't like about our current practice are relatively minor but here they are - often difficult to park, especially as it is near a school. Vet nurses are a bit funny - often seem to be more interested in talking to each other than hte customer, and one stinks of smoke, which I HATE.

Toys in the waiting room would put me right off to be honest, although we are generally seen very promptly (another reason why we like them) and have no difficulty in getting an appt.

It would make me run for the hills if you suggested any "woo" but I know some dog owners are gullible fools like that kind of thing - so it might be a case of know your market.

A good noticeboard with info for local dog related stuff such as local rescue news, dog training classes etc. as well as the usual drug company posters about lungworm. Smile

Like the idea of keeping payment area separate as others have said - it's difficult to juggle dog, tablets, purse, card and debit machine especially when patient is a large greyhound who is extremely interested in the next patient which is a cat!!

I have no problem at all with paying a consultation fee - ours charges around £20. To me, the vet is a professional - even if I come out not needing any treatment I have still needed that professional expertise. However, would not be happy to be charged for a follow up visit for stitches removal - our vet doesn't do this but I've heard of others doing it, and it's a bit naughty.

With my rescue hat on, I've experienced great kindness from vets over the years, who have on occasion substantially undercharged/waived charges for fosters and rescues. I am not for a moment suggesting you should do this, but it's one of the reasons why I have great goodwill towards the profession as I've seen that quite clearly money is not the only motivator.

I'd second the idea of notes on patient preferences/quirks/and possibly other pets. About two weeks ago, we had the week from hell when first one, then two, then all three of our greys were ill with spectacular vomits and poos everywhere. The washing machine was going non stop (we did five loads in one day) and i felt like I needed a season ticket at the vets! Thankfully, every time we went the vet made a point of asking how the the other patients were recovering/doing. We really appreciated that.

Lastly please do tell us what you want from your patients. We are always rigidly punctual and pay promptly, but I ask loads of questions and am very inrterested, I also tend to bring them in/phone up if I am simply not sure about something. Can well imagine vet sighing at PFD type owners! What can we do to help you?

Scuttlebutter · 15/03/2011 17:38

Actually, looking at my last post, if an owner has multiples like us, maybe some sort of season ticket might be possible? 3 for 2 on vax/worming etc.? Am thinking aloud here, so it may not be feasible.

emily82 · 15/03/2011 17:47

Our vet has a just marvellous set up. Every morning (Mon - Sat) he has a drop in session between 9am and 10am. No appointments necessary - just turn up with your ailed mutt or moggy and he'll diagnose/treat them there and then. If they need a little more (as did our beloved Porky the Cat who got clipped by a car last year), he keeps them all day to do his operating and you go and pick them up between 6 and 8 in the evening. If you're having a routine check up, you can make an evening appointment - say for jabs etc. As we have both a dog and a cat, we've found this system to be wonderful. So flexibile.

He also offers a great pay monthly scheme which we use for both animals and covers all checks and jabs throughout the year and also gives you a % off other treatments (such as x-ray etc). There are two waiting rooms so cats and dogs can be seperated if necessary and they have an intercom system so you're no fretting that you've missed your name being called out. There is also a water cooler for us humans as well and the radio is always on.

Finally, he's recently introduced an email/sms reminder service when our creatures jabs are due which is super handy. We also get an ecard on both their birthdays which i LOVE as I'm easily amused Grin

Good luck with it all - it sounds like you're going to do marvellously. A good vet whom you can build a good rapport with is invaluable as a pet-owner. I wish you all the best :)

QuietTiger · 15/03/2011 17:57

Our Cat vet (specialist cat clinic) allows 15 minutes for an appointment so that he can 9/10 get his clients in at the time of their appointment and so he has a chance to actually speak to the client without feeling rushed.

He acknowledges the cats first, before the owner. Grin

QuietTiger · 15/03/2011 18:03

Oh, and same cat vet gives 10% off routine VAC's if more than 3 cats from the same household go in for re-vaccination/boosters at the same time.

karmakameleon · 15/03/2011 18:03

Please don't forget about the non cat and dog patients! We have two house rabbits and tbh I rang round a few vets when we first got them and there were plenty that blatently knew nothing about rabbits and didn't seem that keen to find out. I was quite surprised at the amount of bad advice I was given.

Our vet is fantastic for all the reasons people mention above. They seem to really care about the animals they treat, offer over the phone advice for free, are open about their charges upfront and reasonably priced. Also when we first went to them, they had a nurse who was a rabbit specialist and she was great with them. She's since left, but they are still very good and when our bunny was sick recently they contacted another vet that works a lot with a local rabbit refuge for treatment advice. They also phoned up a few days after her treatment to make sure whe was better! Smile

Good luck with the practice, hope it all goes well.

Madsometimes · 15/03/2011 18:07

My dog would be very put out if there were toys in the waiting room that he could not play with.

I love the idea of a separate waiting area for dogs and cats. My dog gets very excited at the vets and pulls like crazy on the lead. Paying for treatment is usually very hard because the receptionist's desk is by the dog treats and toys for sale. My dog loves going to the vet and is into everything.

Best of luck for your new business.

Batteryhuman · 15/03/2011 18:29

Tin of dog biscuits in the consulting room. My dogs are so busy staring at it and drooling that they totally ignore what is being done to them. All they can think about is when the tin will come down from the shelf.

All the best for your new practice.

IlsaLund · 15/03/2011 18:32

We love our vets - DH has been using them for more than 25 years.

Things I like are

Lovely, caring friendly receptionists

A sheltered area outside, so if your animal is nervous or naughty you can let them know you are there and then wait outside until they call you

No appointments are necessary - they have set surgery hours when you call in and wait. Surgery hours vary according to the day of the week (eg Mon, Wed and Fri afternoon surgery is 4-5, Tues and Thurs 4.30-6) This means that for non urgent cases there is usally a time that is suitable.

They are very open about prices - they are clearly explained and price lists are available.

Becuase we have lots of pets and have been going to them for years they occasionally give us a free consultation

When we have had to have pets pts they have always been incredibly kind and sympathetic. A couple of years ago we had to have our 15 yr old dog pts - the vet sobbed and sobbed - he was the very first animal she had treated when she joined the practice. They also let us leave via a side door.

Scales are in the waiting room so customers can use them to weigh their pet

chickchickchicken · 15/03/2011 18:42
  • oh and my vets only has a few bags of food on display behind the counter. there is also a few collars, leads, and toys but again these are behind the counter. so no kids or dogs trying to get at the goodies for sale. they also do a delivery service on food. i've never used this but can imagine it would be very useful for some people
Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/03/2011 18:45

Thanks again- lots more good ideas!

Scuttlebutter- you sound like an ideal client, tbh! I have no problems at all with clients who ask loads of questions, as it usually means they are interested and keen to do the best for their pet Smile And I am keen to run evening talks, possibly from behaviourists/ experts/ charities- all good ways of involving the clients in the practice outwith their own pet. Arthritis management etc is definitely a good one, especially as I ahve a friend who does hydro etc and would no doubt be keen to promote her alternative treatments.

emily (and others) I am looking into a practice health scheme, like the ones you mentioned, where the owner pays monthly and is rewarded for their loyalty. think I will wait and suss out my clients first- if there is demand I will definitely do it, as it is a good way for vets to even out their finances and have loyal clients.

And karma, as a lifetime bunny owner I definitely appreciate the needs of bunnies! The nurse who will be working with me is someone I have worked with for years, and who has a special interest in small furries and exotics- she too has bunnies and various other small furries.

And I will definitely consider discounts for vaccines etc for multi-pet households.

QuietTiger- I too tend to acknowledge my patients before their owners! can be a bit embarrassing when I say "Hello, handsome!" to a cat or dog and his male owner smiles and says thank you Blush

It makes me very proud of my profession to hear all these good things about vets Smile I half expected to get a load of "DON'T do this! DON'T do that". So chuffed that most pet owners seem to appreciate the service they get from their vet!

OP posts:
Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/03/2011 18:52

batteryhuman- yes- I always offer a biscuit, even though many dogs like to turn it down with a sniff of disdain! It's like their method of protest- "see how unimpressed I am with you" kind of thing! You do get some who are forgiving enough to take it, though!

OP posts:
MotherJack · 15/03/2011 19:34

I admit to only having skim-read this thread (I need to get DS to bed!!) but after having one particular vet for my old boy (I had him as he did "woo" Wink as I was advised by a canine osteopath that accupuncture could help my dog) but I absolutely hated the fact that he was a money grabber. I fully accept that vetinary(sp?) practices are a business, but I now realise the extent to which he was a money grabber since moving to an alternative (not as in "woo" Grin) practice when I had to take her in an emergency as she had badly cut in between her toes in the woods one morning.... A consultation, clean up, antibiotic jab and 5 days of antibiotics cost less than my previous vet charged in consultation alone.

In his defence, he was the only one who helped my dog live far longer than he would have otherwise... Also, I offered him a solution to a really bad problem and he accepted it and administered on the basis I had convinced him I could dose it correctly. He wouldn't have offered it, but I suppose on the basis I had given a reasonable argument, he believed I could do it. (I miss my Bear and his medication regine Sad)

So, what I like to see in a vet is one who listens to argument in chronic cases, a reasonable consultation fee and one who does not make a disproportionate amount on administered medicines.

Good luck Jooly! Smile

WildAndCrazyHorlicksDrinker · 15/03/2011 19:54

Nothing to add, Jooly, but I've bumped into you on the pets boards a few times over the years under other guises and wanted to wish you well. It's a really brave thing to do, but if I could finance it I'd do it myself in a blink. It must be absolutely wonderful to be able to do things the way you believe they ought to be done. I'm sure you'll be a great success and I hope it's everything you want and more :)

higgle · 15/03/2011 20:05

We all love our pets, so it is lovely when the receptionists, nurses and the vet make nice comments about them. ( even if they are plug ugly you can say "what a character he is" )

orienteerer · 15/03/2011 20:08

I'm not sure where this comes in your list but it's one of my little vet rants:

I guess vets make a profit on the mark up on drugs (like wine in restaurants). I don't know what the answer is but I was shocked when instead of paying the £55 the vet charged me for Metacalm(?) I discovered that for a repeat prescription I could pay the vet £10 for the written prescription and buy the same product online for £15, total price £25! Hmm, shall I pay £55 or £25......not a difficult decision.

MotherJack · 15/03/2011 20:13

Higgle, you will never convince me yours is plug ugly Wink, but I agree with what you are saying. I think receptionists should be breed savvy too. I have seen several almost pull faces and actively draw away from mine, whilst cooing over some fluffy thing Wink so I agree wholeheartedly.

In fact, a better point than just at face value, as I never felt entirely happy leaving old Bear on the occasions I had to if those staff were on as they were the ones who were doing the care/giving affection - my previous, previous vet (IYSWIM) adored my old boy and openly admitted he was one of their favourites so I knew he was cared for, but never felt that way with the previous vet.

MotherJack · 15/03/2011 20:18

I had that too, Orienteerer, but with my current vet, it would take a properly chronic condition for me to question the cost as they are so reasonable - so even if the vet made a few quid overall it wouldn't be worth the hassle to order a prescription, go to pharmacy/send in prescription to online and then fetch it/wait for it.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/03/2011 20:29

WildAndCrazy- thanks, it IS exciting (although the thought of all the money I have borrowed does make me feel a bit panicked at times!) Are you a vet? I said for years I wouldn't do it, but finally got so fed up working for other people and doing things their way (and running my childcare etc around their timings!) that I decided it was now or never!

Orienteer- yes, vets do make a profit on drugs, some vets more than others. We do need to make some profit on drugs, to make it worthwhile stocking them, but I am wary of making the mark-up too high, especially as more and more people ARE turning to online pharmacies. Because they can buy in huge bulk they seem to be able to sell cheaper than we can (in some cases online pharmacies seem to be charging less to clients than we can actually buy the product through suppliers!) The other reason for marking drugs up ++ (which I don't agree with) is to have a lower consultation price. I would be very very wary of this as a) people can and will now buy elsewhere and b) vets may lose our right to dispense medicines full stop (it has been threatened in the last few years) , so if it is something a vet relies on for income they could end up in trouble. I'd rather have a realistic consultation price and a lower drugs mark-up, I think.

I also don't like to push my clients towards online pharmacies because when I prescribe a drug if an animal has a reaction to that drug, I am the person responsible. If the drug comes from my suppliers and I have the batch no etc, I can be sure that the client did in fact get what I wanted them to get. If it comes from an online pharmacy I have no direct control over the content- in theory, it could be anything, or a similar "substitute", but it would still be my neck on the line! Having said that, I can understand very well why people use them, and sometimes we just cannot match their prices!

OP posts:
Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/03/2011 20:31

MotherJack- what breed do you have? Must admit to liking characters more than fluffballs Blush

OP posts:
deepcover · 15/03/2011 20:41

I'm going to PM you the link to the website of my vet.
I think it's pretty good.
I have namechanged Grin so I don't out myself

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