another piece to check off the list: we have a new vet
We knew there was a veterinary clinic in our area, the North Island Veterinary Hospital. But I was a bit concerned. This is a bias a mine, perhaps unfounded, but in my experience, people in rural areas may be less vigilant about the health of their dogs and cats, leaving things more to nature than to modern medicine. I wondered, would we find a vet who "got" us, who would understand and support the place our dogs hold in our lives? Would it be a problem to order Diego's special food? Would they be up to date on the latest treatment options?
Earlier this week, we learned the answers are yes, yes, and yes. This is a great relief!
We are still treating Diego for a skin infection, likely caused by allergies. We're running out of meds, so this was an excuse to meet a new vet and check out the clinic. As soon as we walked in, I knew we would be all right. It's a large, bright, modern facility, with all the prescription foods for sale, and friendly, professional staff.
The vet we saw is here on a temporary gig. He's from Saskatoon, and he's working in month-long rotations at various west coast towns. He was super nice, and very knowledgeable and competent -- which speaks well of the principal vet who hired him.
He was great with Diego. We've had only bad experiences with male vets and uniformly good experiences with female vets, so I wanted to see his bedside manner, so to speak. He was perfect. Another relief. (This post reveals two of my main biases! In 30 years of dogs, I've had a lot of time to form them.)
There are normally three doctors at this clinic. They are open seven days a week, and have a satellite office in nearby Port McNeill (home to another of "my" libraries).
We even learned something new. Dogs in this area need flea and tick protection all year, something our old vet thought we might find. What we didn't know is that there's now an oral treatment that's good for three months. Nice!
I was much more concerned about finding a good vet than about finding a good family doctor. My experience with medical professionals in Canada has been very positive, that I'm expecting a positive experience when we check out the Port Hardy Primary Health Care Centre. I'll keep you posted.
Earlier this week, we learned the answers are yes, yes, and yes. This is a great relief!
We are still treating Diego for a skin infection, likely caused by allergies. We're running out of meds, so this was an excuse to meet a new vet and check out the clinic. As soon as we walked in, I knew we would be all right. It's a large, bright, modern facility, with all the prescription foods for sale, and friendly, professional staff.
The vet we saw is here on a temporary gig. He's from Saskatoon, and he's working in month-long rotations at various west coast towns. He was super nice, and very knowledgeable and competent -- which speaks well of the principal vet who hired him.
He was great with Diego. We've had only bad experiences with male vets and uniformly good experiences with female vets, so I wanted to see his bedside manner, so to speak. He was perfect. Another relief. (This post reveals two of my main biases! In 30 years of dogs, I've had a lot of time to form them.)
There are normally three doctors at this clinic. They are open seven days a week, and have a satellite office in nearby Port McNeill (home to another of "my" libraries).
We even learned something new. Dogs in this area need flea and tick protection all year, something our old vet thought we might find. What we didn't know is that there's now an oral treatment that's good for three months. Nice!
I was much more concerned about finding a good vet than about finding a good family doctor. My experience with medical professionals in Canada has been very positive, that I'm expecting a positive experience when we check out the Port Hardy Primary Health Care Centre. I'll keep you posted.
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