Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Our Visit to an AAHA Veterinarian

Isn't this a great quote to be on a vet's walls?

   We recently published a post on  Partners For Healthy Pets and AAHA.  I met their representatives at the BlogPaws conference and was intrigued with their information.  When I began searching for AAHA accredited veterinarians in our city, I was dismayed to find only three existed.  After some research on each of these, I selected the one that was a good fit for Bentley and Pierre.
   Bentley was the first to get to meet the new veterinarian.  I called the University Veterinary Hospital to make an appointment.  It was surprising that they were able to schedule us for the same day.
   The first thing that I noticed when we walked inside was how pleasant and inviting the waiting

Two of the fabulous staff members; 

Jamie Green and Kristi Harlan

room appeared.  Friendly, smiling employees offering bottled water or coffee greeted us.  That was a first; my own doctor doesn’t even offer me these things!  When I glanced around the room, I noticed they had some of my favorite dog and pet quotes on the walls.  As a certified “quotaholic,” I knew that I was going to love this place.
   Bentley did his usual meet and greet with the staff, other patients, and anyone that walked through the door.  He really should get a part-time job as a Walmart greeter.  We didn’t have to wait long before someone escorted us to a room.  It was spacious, chocked full of veterinarian handbooks, and had a table that lowers to the floor and rises to the vet’s level. 

Another beautiful quote adorning the reception area wall.

This is so much easier than having to lift Bentley up on the examining table.  It also features a digital scale that weighed him once he was settled.  Our previous vet had the giant scale on the floor and he would never stand still.  This caused his actual weight to fluctuate by five pounds or more.  That makes a huge difference in a dog.  There was also a window on his level which delighted him.
   After a few minutes Ashley, a vet tech came in and asked all about Bentley.  She was very nice and professional, but didn’t hesitate to get down and give Bentley some love.  His tail never quit wagging.  She got the basic information and assured us the vet would be in to see us in a few more minutes.  As we sat there waiting, my husband and I discussed how impressed we were so far.  If the doctor was just as awesome, we had definitely found our new veterinarian’s clinic.
   Dr. Adam Foret came in and introduced himself.  He shook our hands, then immediately got

Bentley loves Dr. Foret!

down to greet Bentley.  He asked us more in-depth questions about our boy and we gave him the complete history.  Once Bentley stepped up on the table and sat down, the doctor raised it to his height.  What took place then still leaves me in awe.  We watched and listened as Bentley received the most thorough physical exam that we had ever seen.
   I once read on Tails and Tales about their dog’s having an eye exam.  As far as I can recall, no vet has ever done more than look into our dog’s eyes.  Dr. Foret was different.  He actually examined Bentley’s eyes with a light, pulled down his eyelids, checked for diseases, and only found mild conjunctivitis in his right eye.  He gave us the name of an over-the-counter eye drop we could use to clear it.  Once he finished with the eyes, he examined his nose, mouth, teeth (we were complimented on the care we take with his dental hygiene), and his ears.  From that point, I’m sure my mouth was agape.
   We watched in fascination as he preceded to exam his lymph nodes, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, abdomen, and abdominal organs.  He lifted each paw and bent it to check for aches or any popping.  He told us that Bentley was unusual for a Basset Hound because his front feet were properly aligned.  You may have seen many photos of Bassets whose feet turn out a lot.  I was very proud that we didn’t have any problems and Bentley is in excellent health.

"Look!  A Bentley-level window!"

   I mentioned a couple of things on him that was bothering me.  He has a skin tag on his chest, but Dr. Foret assured me that it was fine.  If we ever have to sedate him for a dental cleaning, they can snip it off.  He said that he could do it sooner, but it would strictly be for cosmetic reasons.  We are leaving it alone for now.  The other thing is a small knot that I could feel on his left hind leg.  To be honest, I was scared it would be something serious.  When he diagnosed it as a small follicular cyst, which is an ingrown hair, I gave a sigh of relief.  He applied a little pressure and it emptied.  This didn’t bother Bentley at all.  He did tell us that it was likely to fill again and if it ever became a source of irritation, they could remove it.  Whew!  The two things that I was worried with was nothing I needed to be concerned about after all.
    Before leaving, Bentley had his photograph made and we were handed a six-page Pet Health Report Card.  It listed all of the results of our examination, some great health tips, and a brief history of the Basset Hound.  We were scheduled for free six-week follow-up.
   **We went for that visit yesterday morning. 

"My vet office has treats AND tennis balls!"

Once again, Bentley and I enjoyed the visit.  He even got a chew bone, which is the equivalent to a sucker at the pediatrician. 
   If you are not satisfied with your current family pet doctor or looking for a new one, I strongly suggest you look for the AAHA accreditation seal.  All AAHA clinics must meet stringent regulations and submit to a rigorous review by veterinary experts every three years.  When it comes to pet health care, many states do not routinely inspect hospitals and clinics.  They only go in for an inspection when a pet owner files a complaint.  Accreditation is voluntary, but it is a rigorous and time-consuming process.  Since law doesn’t require it, not every vet wants to go through the lengthy process.  While nearly 60% of pet parents think their veterinary hospital is accredited, the truth is only 12 – 15% have gone through the evaluation process by the American Animal Hospital Association.  I honestly thought the majority of pet clinics were accredited.  Now that I know better, I have done better and found a terrific clinic with a wonderful staff that proudly displays their accreditation by AAHA.
Resources:
AAHA for vets: https://www.aahanet.org/
AAHA for pet parents:  http://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/

It always makes me sad to have to re-introduce a PetSavers pup, because that means they are still homeless.  Beairdsley had been at the shelter since June 18, 2011.  He was only five months old when he arrived.  Please share his information so he can find a forever family.

   It’s Tuesday, so we are joining our pals Dogs N’ Pawz and Talking Dogs for Tuesday’s Tails blog hop.  That means it’s the day to share some wonderful dogs.  Their only fault is they are homeless.  Please remember that sharing is caring.




29 comments :

  1. That's a fabulous vet who has tennis balls too! I will share Beairdsley's ad and I hope a lot of people will call for her... and a lot of people will read this wonderful quote of Mahatma Ghandi.

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    1. The treats were awesome, but the tennis balls were exceptionally cool! The quote is one of my favorites. ☺

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  2. A great vet indeed..we are blessed both vets we have trusted have been excellent clinicians surgeons and friends..very hard to find but not impossible...poor sweet Beairdsley I hope finds a home soon...that is such a long time to wait :( hugs Fozziemum x

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    1. It is just as important to have a great trustworthy vet as it is to have a good human family doctor. Thanks!

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  3. What a great visit, very professional and the place looks great! Every visit should be a great one!

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    1. It was really an awesome clinic and everyone was super sweet. Thanks for dropping by today! ☺

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  4. There is nothing better than finding exactly the right vet. We found ours almost three years ago now, also AHAA. They are totally awesome. Glad you are okay, Bentley. Don't worry about that cyst thingy. I get those 1-2 times a year. The goopy stuff that comes out is gross, but then it heals and I can go on with my normal business. I love that you have correct feet too, that is awesome. That is one difference with GBGV and PBGV dogs, we have straight feet but the PB's tend to have the Bassett turned feet.

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    1. Thanks Emma. Does your mom take care of your cysts? It certainly looked easy enough, but I don't know if I could do it myself.

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  5. I have had such a hard time finding a good vet. Every one we have tried has not provided the level of care we like until the last one...and then he took a teaching position at U of FL and moved away! Now I need to find another new vet. I need to look to see if I can find an AAHA one here. Thanks for this post.

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    1. You can go to the link under Resources for AAHA Pet Parents and type in your zip code. It will give you a list or in my case...three! haha!

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  6. We're satisfied with our vet...he is close by and always available for emergencies. His staff is very friendly and helpful. But I have to say the exams he gives are not nearly as thorough as what Bentley got. Of course I'm not surprised that the closest AAHA vet in our area is 40 miles away. Not so easy when you have 5 pets to take. That's the problem with living in a rural area!
    Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets

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    1. I completely understand. It's probably not easy taking five any where that is close to a vet's office! Our two are a handful!

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  7. Very impressive vet clinic and what a great post! I just feel so badly for Beairdsley and that he has lived so much of his life without a loving home. Sharing.

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    1. Thanks Sue! I feel so sorry for Beairdsley too. He is such a cute and happy dog. Maybe he will get his forever home soon!

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  8. That's what I call a proper vet clinic, sharing.

    Sheba.

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    1. Thanks! We were so excited to find such a treasure. It is a difficult decision to choose a vet that is a great fit.

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  9. What a great vet visit. I think the tennis balls in the jar is the best thing ever. Thanks for letting us hear about your experience.

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    1. It was a first for us! Pierre will go nuts when he gets to visit. He is a major ball fanatic!

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  10. Beairdsley is such a cutie. I hate it that he hasn't found a forever home yet. Thanks for joining the blog hop and tweeting about it! Sharing Beairdsley!

    Visit us at Dogs N Pawz!

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    1. I love Tuesday's Tails and try not to ever miss the opportunity to share all of these great pets that need homes. Thanks for hosting! ♥

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  11. I'm glad you liked hearing about the eye exams. Veterinary ophthalmologists are rare, but definitely worth knowing! And it sounds like you had a fantastic experience with your new vet. I was surprised to see that our current vet isn't on the list, but there's another one much closer to home that is. I will be making some calls and asking some questions in the near future.

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    1. I was so intrigued by your (Mr. TaleTeller) post on Bunny and Kuster's visit to the ophthalmologist. I had never heard of such an exam for dogs. It was stunning to find out that we only have three in a city of our size. *sigh

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  12. It sounds like you found an awesome vet, I didn't realize that most vets aren't AHAA accredited. Theo would go crazy if he saw a whole jar of tennis balls. We have to keep our extras out of sight or he cries.

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    1. Most people, like me, just assume all vets are AAHA accredited. When the representatives at BlogPaws gave me the facts, I was shocked! Poor Theo! It's hard to love tennis balls so much! Haha!

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  13. How great that you found such a caring and thorough vet! I checked, and our vet is AAHA accredited, which is reassuring. Thanks for posting about it.

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    1. Whew! That's a great thing to discover. When I checked, none of the vets that i have ever used are accredited! I was dismayed. I'm so glad that we found Dr. Foret. ☺

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  14. The specialist place we go to is AAHA accredited and we have pretty much the same type of experience. they know their stuff! Beairdsley sure is a sweet looking dog and we will share!

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    1. It's great, isn't it? Thanks for sharing sweet Beairdsley. We are keeping our paws crossed. ☺

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  15. Wow! What an interesting trip!! I am so so glad to hear that your concerns were nothing serious!
    It looks like a great place, super friendly and clean. Nice!
    I will share this post and paws crossed for Beairdsley!
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

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