Part 3 (1/2)

Of the offices, not of the partic.i.p.ating vets (although hot-ness is a bonus in any professional you're likely to be seeing on a regular basis). The waiting room should be clean but not sterile, with comfortable chairs and a good use of s.p.a.ce, including enough room to keep the nervous dogs from being intimidated by the bullies. The back areas where overnight patients stay and lab work is conducted should be spotless-ditto the vet techs-and the cages should be s.p.a.cious. And yes, any reputable vet should allow you to tour this back area on the spur of the moment, i.e., without having to yell, ”Heads up, pet owner incoming.”

BASIC EQUIPMENT.

Again, of the office, not the vets. Things such as onsite x-ray equipment, laboratory, and pharmacy mean your dog can get diagnosed and treated expeditiously, and you don't have to run around or phone a lot of different facilities.

NUMBER AND QUALITY OF PARTIc.i.p.aTING VETS.

If you have an emergency and your ”primary” isn't available, it's comforting to know that other trustworthy docs have immediate access to your dog's records. You don't have to like the other vets as much as you do your own, but it's desirable for you to consider them competent. Ideally, a practice should be diverse, including a fresh-out-of-school newbie versed in the latest equipment and techniques as well as a senior person with lots of surgical experience. If there's a clinic in your city affiliated with a university department of veterinary science or college of veterinary medicine, you've hit the jackpot.

COST.

The fees for basic procedures such as exams and vaccinations should be in the same ballpark as those of other vets in your town; phone around and ask. Don't consider a practice that makes you feel guilty or cheap for inquiring; it'll only get worse down the road if you're faced with deciding whether you can afford an expensive life-saving procedure (but see question 28). Nix any vet who tries to minimize your financial concerns.

Be suspicious of cutesy names like Paws or The Pet Center. They tend to signify either superficial glitz-soft music, Earth tones, the latest issues of Dog Fancy Dog Fancy instead of three-year-old copies of the instead of three-year-old copies of the Economist, Economist, all which will cost you-or bare bones facilities that need a gimmick to draw patients in. all which will cost you-or bare bones facilities that need a gimmick to draw patients in.

STAFF.

Quant.i.ty-enough people in the office to ensure efficiency in a large practice-and quality are both important. Staff members should be able to answer basic questions about medical procedures as well as about payment plans, and they should be welcoming to canine patients, no matter how smelly and drooly. If your dog isn't as cute as, say, my Frankie, the receptionist should at least comment on her sweetness, perhaps, or his friendliness. Note: Note: The flattery requirement is waived for dogs who make the staff cower behind their desks. The flattery requirement is waived for dogs who make the staff cower behind their desks.

Things to look for in a vet include the following traits.

ACCREDITATION.

While your dog is being weighed, take a peek at the diploma on the wall. You want someone with at least a DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) or equivalent degree (for example, a BVMS or Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, offered in the United Kingdom), preferably from a country you've heard of where they don't eat small domestic animals.

DOGSIDE MANNER.

Not all vets are equally kind to their pet patients; I've encountered some who are downright brusque. No pup likes to be probed and prodded but the best vets are skilled in minimizing doggie discomfort with gentle handling, soothing tones-and a well-paced plying of treats. (People doctors should consider adopting this last technique; I'd bet a few G.o.diva chocolates would go a long way toward mitigating the stress of a gynecological exam.) PEOPLE SKILLS.

Sure, the vet's att.i.tude toward your dog is foremost, but you need to be able to provide follow-up care, so instructions need to be clear. And there's no excuse for a vet to be patronizing; remember, a good part of her day is spent inserting thermometers into small animal b.u.t.ts. Finally, as with the members of his staff, a vet should say flattering things about your dog-or at least should avoid insults. One vet told me that Frankie was ”weird” and a ”bad patient” because he wouldn't pee for the techs who walked him during an all-day diagnostic stay. Frankie is an extremely skilled urinater when he so desires, thank you very much, but he's not a pee-on-demand pup.

25. HOW SOON DO I NEED TO BRING MY DOG TO THE VET?.

Very soon. If you get a dog who hasn't had a verified health exam or thorough temperament evaluation, don't even take her home; head straight for the vet. Sad but true: If something is seriously wrong you need to know before you bond with the pup and spend vast quant.i.ties of money and emotional energy on her.

If you get a dog with a clean preliminary bill of health, see the vet within the first few weeks of her homecoming. Puppies need a series of vaccinations (see question 30) and healthy older dogs need a ”wellness” exam to serve as a baseline for future diagnoses. You'll also want to get some guidelines for what's normal-in addition to those sketched in question 33 -as soon as possible.

26. HOW CAN I MAKE THE MOST OUT OF A VET VISIT?.

By observing a few basic rules of vet-iquette.

GET A NEW ATt.i.tUDE.

Avoid sending stress signals to your dog about an upcoming visit. Puppies don't have any negative preconceptions about doctors, and an adult dog who's new to you might pick up on your positive cues. Try pretending that you're going to a sedate dog park where pups and their people get to spend some quiet quality time together.

BE NICE TO THE SUPPORT STAFF.

They're the ones who put you on hold-or not-when you phone, put the messages on the vet's desk-or not-and generally oil the office wheels. Just as staff members need to say nice things about your dog, you in turn are well advised to compliment staff hairstyles, jewelry, virility-whatever works.

BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR.

By which I mean, make sure your dog is on his. He may not be fully trained yet but, in the case of a large dog, work on ”sit” and ”down” commands before you come in, the better to avoid disturbing other patients and their accompanying people. Small pups should be kept in your lap if they're excitable; it's also a good way to keep them from picking up germs from the floor.

BRING ALONG A LIST OF QUESTIONS.

Especially early on, you'll have plenty of things to ask about what to expect. Try to remember to commit these questions to paper-and to take the paper along with you.

TELL THE TRUTH, NO MATTER HOW EMBARRa.s.sING.

If you bring your dog in with stomach distress, don't pretend you didn't see him scarfing down the discarded condoms near your bed. You don't have to say what you were doing-or with whom-while those condoms were being consumed, or even what size they were. Sure, your vet might laugh about it at the bar with his friends later but at least your dog will get the correct treatment.

EXPRESS YOURSELF.

Although it's the vet's responsibility to try to be clear, she's not a mind reader, so follow up on anything you don't understand. And voice your concerns, no matter how peculiar (p.o.o.p eating) or petty (nail clipping) they may seem. As it happens, feces feasting is not all that uncommon, and clipping a dog's nails may help prevent painful infections.

DON'T SECOND-GUESS YOUR VET Reading up on medical issues on the Internet or elsewhere has its limits. It's good to be an informed consumer, the better to ask educated questions, but not useful to argue when your vet expresses an opinion that's based on education and experience-and thus a far greater ability to interpret data. And remember that your vet is looking at your actual dog, not a theoretical on-line case. If you have serious doubts about a diagnosis, it's fine to inquire how the vet arrived at it or ask for clarification. Just don't start your sentence with, ”But I read on the Internet ...” It's perfectly fine, on the other hand, to ask your vet if she can recommend some helpful websites.

TAKE NOTES-AND MAKE A PLAN Dogs are notoriously bad at remembering details and even worse at writing things down; you'll be expected to do both if you want to remember what was said during the exam. Perhaps one of the most important things to jot down is the blueprint for what comes next: ”So we come back in six months for a follow-up exam?” Or, ”I'll make an appointment for a teeth cleaning as soon as that gum infection is cleared up?”

27. SHOULD I GET HEALTH INSURANCE FOR MY DOG?.

h.e.l.l, yes-and the sooner the better. The younger and the healthier your dog, the more insurable she will be and the lower the premiums you'll pay. Pet insurance isn't yet as popular as it's bound to become, which is why it didn't occur to me to get it. Now I kick myself for not having thought to insure Frankie, who, without any predictors, developed diabetes. This chronic, preexisting condition pretty much eliminates my sugar-sweet pup from the pool of insurable pooches. And I can't even claim him as a dependent on my tax returns.

Yes, insurance is an additional monthly expense, but it's an antic.i.p.ated one that you can budget for. Premiums are fairly reasonable and not having to factor in cost when facing the decision of whether to provide treatment-priceless. Why join the ranks of the estimated 73 percent of people willing to go into debt for their pets?

Another reason to get in on pet insurance now: because it's set up so that you pay for treatment up front and fill out the forms for reimburs.e.m.e.nt, vets don't have to deal with a bureaucracy. And pet insurance companies don't dictate conventional treatment choices-yet.

That's not to say you don't have to do research to get the best deal. Things to consider for comprehensive insurance plans-which are different from discount plans where you pay an annual fee in return for lower prices on vet services-are similar to what you'd look for in human plans. Just be sure to read the fine print. In some cases, for example, claims have to be submitted within 60 days to be accepted.

Take the following items into account when deciding on pet health insurance.

CHOICE OF VETERINARIAN.

Most plans let you see anyone you like; others are similar to HMOs, limiting you to certain health-care providers.

WAITING PERIOD.

There's usually at least a 10-day wait so that people don't sign up immediately after their dog leaps off a precipice. Check and see when a policy will take effect-and watch your pup like a hawk until then.

RATE GUARANTEE.

Some companies adjust their premiums on a quarterly basis; that means if they pay a claim they can raise your rates in the next period. Make sure the company you choose offers contracts for at least one year, with no fee-rise adjustments if you submit a claim.