Which vet would you use?

[ifonly4]

I'm between kitties at the moment as I lost the last of our two last month but hope to get some more in approx 8-10 weeks. One dilemma I will have is which vet to use, and would appreciate your comments.

Vet 1. I was with them 17.5 years during which I had no problems until my boy had kidney disease and I was told there was nothing they could give him to keep him comfortable, particularly I wanted treatment for nausea which I knew was available. At that point I moved to Vet 2. I'm tempted to use Vet 1 again (on the proviso if I think another vet would help them more, move immediately). They are very cheap (in an old prefabricated building so lower overheads and have been established many years), have long surgery hours including all Sunday morning, would always fit you in on the day often tagged onto next surgery if you wanted. They operate their own 24 hour call out. Easiest for parking.

Vet 2. I have every confidence in and they have a lot of new ideas. Providing your vet is free, they like to put you in with that vet so they really get to know the animal. Only a little further away from home, but a lot more expensive, surgery only until 11am and then from 4pm with no Sunday surgery, Sunday and evening cover at a practice which is a pain to get to. They will do in house testing but prefer to send out for more accurate picture.

Vet 3. Further-est away so a bit tricky getting DH home earlier for the car, if I needed a friend to give me a lift. My friend has just transferred from Vet 1 (same problems as me with lack of support from same vet there), has used vets 1 and 2 and can't praise vet 3 enough. Middle priced, long surgery hours including Sunday, but again do not provide their own out of hours cover.

So which vet would you use?

I'd say vet one - as you've said, you can always move immediately

I would likely go for 2 as you have confidence in them which I think is hugely important. They also sound like they are more up to date on things than 1. Closer to home than 3.
How tricky is the out of hours to get to? Realistically you (hopefully) aren't too likely to need. All the times our old girl needed a vet she only saw the out of hours once when she had a bladder infection one Easter Sunday (typical the only Sunday the sister practise was shut!)

Vet 2 or 3. I'd rather pay someone competent and compassionate to treat my pet.

Always use the best, most knowledgeable vet you can find. I have had some hopeless vets treating my horse in the past, I now drive him 1 1/2 hours to the best vet I have met.

I was in a similar position - but we moved from the equivalent of your vet2 to your vet1. Vet2 made (to my mind) a poor decision about keeping one of my cats alive, I believed the cat should be pts and stated this - but the vet persuaded us (my dw) to give her another chance. She died at the vet's overnight. (I exploded the following day when we got the bill and it included a ficticious fee for euthanasing her).
Personally I think a lot of older vets - who practised before insurance became commonplace - have a more realistic view of end of life treatment.
Our current vet is great and far cheaper than the old one.