Are you aware that there are many different types of veterinary practices available to use pet-parents?  While all veterinarians are trained and licensed by the same set of governed programs and requirements, there are many options for a veterinarian to expand into learning additional kinds of medicine such as herbal medicines, homeopathy, nutrition, and Chinese medicine and more!   

There are also now many different types of veterinary practices, the days of your local veterinarian being the person who owned and operated the vet clinic in your town are becoming quickly a thing of the past, and these changes towards a more corporate veterinary paradigm unfortunately is most of the time, not the best option for you and your new kitten/puppy?

To help illustrate your options I have complied this reference list to help you identify which veterinarian is the right choice for you and your pet.  

1. At the top of the list is a Holistic Vet.  These vets have been further credentialed in other fields of medicine beyond what they are trained and tuaght in the conventional veterinary model.  These veterinarians have the unique ability to combine both the conventional medical world, and the natural medical world which is often of great benefit to you and your pet.  Find the list of credentialed holistic vets in tour area at https://www.ahvma.org/

2. Second best option is to see a cat-only-vet clinic (if you have a cat obviously!).  The vets at a cat-only clinic obviously have a particular interest and affinity for cats and have dedicated an increased amount of time specializing and familiarizing themselves in everything our feline companions need, and they are in many ways different than other pets typically seen in general vet clinics.  

3.  Third best option is to visit a A local private owned vet clinic.  The smaller the clinic and one privately owned the better.  These clinics have less over-head and can focus more on treating the patient versus pushing extras to up-charge, to pay large bills at large facilities and pay for large staff.

4.  Last option is a chain vet clinic like Banfield or VCA. The vets at these facilities do not own these clinics, they are owned by large pet food manufacturers, who are very much focused on profits not your pets best health. The vets working here often do not have liberty to treat how they see fit, but they are given a pre-determined set of protocols they must follow, medications they must push, along with over-vaccinating.