Are you thinking about getting a new pet for your family? Do you perhaps already have a pet and are either about to move or have just moved to a new area? Regardless of exactly why you need one, finding a new veterinarian can seem overwhelming at first. In a single area, there may be dozens of vet practices. So picking the right one can feel like trying to guess the winning lottery numbers. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that difficult. By having a list of questions ready to ask, you can determine whether or not a particular clinic is actually the right one for you and your pet. Some of the first questions you should be asking include: 

1. What type of animals do you see? If you have a pet that is not a cat or a dog, it's essential to ask this question up front. In many instances, a vet clinic will refuse to take in so-called exotic animals that include rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, lizards, and so on. Even if you have an ordinary cat or dog, some clinics will specialize in one or the other. It won't do anyone any good if you take your pet to a clinic and it turns out that it is an animal that they are unable to treat.

2. What services do you provide? In some instances, a vet clinic may only do spays/neuters and vaccinations. If you need anything else, you'd have to find another clinic that provides more services. If all you need is a spay/neuter or vaccinations right now, that's fine. But you should also find a clinic that can see your pet if it's actually sick and in need of some kind of medical assistance. This way, you won't have to spend more time searching when your pet needs to see a veterinarian immediately.

3. Do you have any sort of payment plans? Depending on what services are provided, a vet clinic may only take payment up front for services rendered. You may be able to put the treatment on a credit card, but there are many people who can't or who don't want to get a credit card for any reason. For these people, some clinics will allow you to make payments over a number of months. They'll generally expect you to pay something now as a down payment with the rest due depending on whatever terms the clinic has for owners. Not all clinics do this, and some that do don't advertise so the best way to find out whether or not this is possible is to ask.

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