Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
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Did you understand your cat's diagnosis and the recommended
solutions?
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If medication was prescribed, did the doctor or staff show you
how to administer it properly?
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Did the doctor spend enough time with you and answer all
your questions?
A good veterinary clinic will have a competent support staff com-
prised of receptionists, technicians and assistants. These staff members
will be able to answer most of your questions or find out the answer if
they are not sure. The veterinarian may not always be available to
answer your questions outside of a scheduled visit, so it is worth asking
a staff member.You might be able to get help right away.
The most highly trained staff member at a clinic, aside from the
doctor, is the licensed animal health technician.These technicians have
been educated in this specialty, have passed a certification exam and are
legally able to perform many procedures.Their knowledge and training
in animal care are comparable to those of registered nurses.
Does Price Matter?
Each veterinary clinic will have different prices for the services they
offer. Veterinarians set their prices based on many factors, including
facility, staff, level of expertise and continuing education, location, anes-
thesia and products used, and competition.
Some clinics try to bring you in the door by quoting a low price
over the phone but then tack on extra costs for ancillary services that
they require. It is important to try to compare costs for the exact same
services, using the same drugs and techniques, if you are shopping
around by phone and trying to decide which clinic has the best prices.
Do You Get What You Pay For?
I may be biased, but I do believe a good veterinarian is a professional
who has to charge a fair price to be able to offer you high-quality serv-
ices. If you want to have a procedure performed on your cat, you need
to decide if price or quality is the most important issue.When low prices
are charged, something has to be sacrificed.When fair prices are charged,
you should be getting the best care. Note that veterinarians will often
try to work out a payment plan for expensive, nonroutine procedures.
