We want to believe that every veterinarian and practice operates from a sincere love of animals. But there are practitioners who have lost their way and are placing profits above pets. These are some red flags to watch for:
There is a sign in the lobby that says NO PAYMENT, NO SERVICE.
They do not give senior citizens some kind of break - like a 10 % discount.
They ask for payment before they discuss the pet's condition and discharge instructions.
They have an answering machine instead of a person answering the phone.
They put you on hold for excessive periods of time and have you listen to sales pitches about products.
They push their pharmacy products instead of giving you the option of calling it into a local (or online) pharmacy that has better pricing.
After your visit, you are not given any handouts about the disease they suspect.
No diagnosis is made nor is a plan of action developed for further testing to lead to the diagnosis.
You leave confused about what happened or the next steps.
They don't give you written discharge instructions after your pet has been hospitalized or if no one goes over the discharge instructions with you.
They put time pressure on you so you don't get an opportunity to have all your questions answered.