Choosing a Ferret Friendly Vet
Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.
Choosing a veterinarian that is right for you and your ferret is not always easy. You want to find a veterinarian with whom you and your pet can feel comfortable and can build a trusting relationship. And you want to find that veterinarian before you get a ferret – the veterinarian can advise you on what to look for in a healthy ferret. If you have moved or for some other reason need to change veterinarians, find a new veterinarian before your ferret becomes ill.
Types of veterinary practices...
Different types of veterinary practices exist. Those that provide care to companion animals include the following:
Small animal practice: These veterinarians work mainly with dogs and cats. Many also care for ferrets, pocket pets, reptiles, and birds.
Mixed animal practice: These veterinarians are commonly found in more rural areas as they work with pets as well as horses, cattle, and other farm animals.
Emergency clinics: These clinics are very helpful in the event an emergency occurs outside of your veterinarian's regular office hours. They do not typically handle routine check-ups, vaccinations, or spays/neuters. Emergency clinics may also see patients who need 24-hour care or exams with specialized equipment to perform procedures such as ultrasonography or endoscopy that the veterinarians in the surrounding area do not have at their facilities.
Exotics clinics: These veterinarians specialize in caring for pocket pets, reptiles, birds, ferrets, and species other than dogs and cats.
Avian clinics: These veterinarians specialize in companion bird health.
Cat only clinics: These veterinarians limit their practice to cats only.
Mobile practices: Some veterinarians will travel to your house to treat your pet, just like some travel to farms to treat farm animals.
The veterinarians that limit the species of patients to which they provide care, such as 'cat-only,' are able to devote more time to learning about that particular species. This allows for more in-depth knowledge of disease processes in that species. In many multi-doctor practices, the doctors have individual interests which they pursue. They are available to consult with other doctors in the clinic on those subjects.
Where to find a veterinarian...
Ask friends, family members, and co-workers that have pets:
Where do they take their pets, and why?
Do they like the location?
Is the staff friendly, and do they seem knowledgeable?
Does the doctor fully explain the diagnosis, treatment plan, and expected outcome of a disease?
Are they comfortable asking the doctor questions?
Ferret clubs: Ferret clubs may be a good source of information when looking for a veterinarian.
Local directories: The yellow pages or business pages of a phone book normally will provide information on local veterinarians' names, addresses, and phone numbers.
Things to look for when visiting a veterinary clinic...
Office hours and emergencies:
What are the regular office hours?
What hours are the doctors available for appointments?
How are emergencies handled during business hours?
How are emergencies handled after hours and on holidays?
How long does it take to get an appointment for a wellness exam versus a 'sick pet' appointment?
Veterinarian and staff:
How are questions over the phone handled?
Are the staff knowledgeable and courteous?
Are phone calls answered quickly?
Are you put on 'hold' for long periods of time?
Can you see a specific doctor if you are at a multi-doctor practice?
Do you feel comfortable with the receptionist, technician, and doctor?
Continued on the Choosing a Ferret Friendly Vet part 2
