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Choosing a veterinarian
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As with any exotic pets,
chameleons and other
reptiles need vets with
knowledge of the anatomy
and physiology of their
family and species.
Author's photo.
Recent posts have recommended consulting your veterinarian on a variety of health issues, such as treating an overheated pet (Recognizing heat distress in pets and Don’t mess with the heat!) and whether your pet needs treatment for something it ate (What not to feed your pet and Food dangers for the “other pets”). But what do you do if you do not have a vet?
Before responsible pet owners exclaim in horror over the idea of getting a pet without immediately forming a relationship with a veterinarian, you should note that perfectly legitimate reasons for not having a vet do exist: moving to a new area, for instance, or your previous vet retiring, moving away, or otherwise leaving his or her practice. And of course, if you do not yet have an animal, you may just be starting the process of deciding who should give your pet-to-be medical attention as needed.
Approach the problem as you would the selection of a doctor or dentist for yourself or your family. Important considerations should include the vet’s area of expertise and his or her affiliations with other vets or animal hospitals for backup in emergencies, necessary specialist care, and so on.
Start with referrals from pet-owning friends, if possible. Of course you want to talk to friends with similar pets. The standard small-animal practitioner will do both dogs and cats, but some practices now specialize in only dogs or only cats … which certainly makes sense from the point of view of someone with an ailing or injured cat entering a waiting room with a pugnacious terrier, for instance.
Similarly, not all small-animal practices may feel competent to treat more exotic pets such as birds, fish, reptiles, or even ferrets or rabbits. The veterinary clinic (three vets, all wonderful) I’ve taken our dogs and cats to over the years did operate to remove a fatty tumor from a friend’s classroom rat but declines to do more than give our ferret rabies shots. Ferrets differ significantly from dogs and cats in many ways, so make the effort to find a ferret specialist.
Which leads us to the next step: Does this vet have experience and training for your pet’s species? How much of the practice involves this species? You may find at least partial answers through Internet searches on the vet’s practice, looking for membership in various veterinary organizations.
Interviewing the person you’ve identified remains a necessary part of the process, even if you found information on his or her professional standing from Internet searches and got a glowing recommendation from a friend. As with doctors for yourself and your family, the vet’s rapport with you as owner, and with your pet, remain important factors in your choice.
Do you trust this person? You don’t need to feel close personal friendship, but if you do not feel at ease, you probably will not have peace of mind accepting this vet’s recommendations in the case of a difficult decision. Keep looking until you find someone you do feel comfortable with. Judging your pet’s reaction may be more difficult as many animals become agitated in a clinic setting (see Stress: A trip to the vet) but a good vet will approach all patients with gentleness and respect even if calming them remains beyond the realm of possibility.
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