Enter your zip code & find info on local vets in your area. Search now
www.LocalVets.com
The Merck Vet Manual covers Emergency animal care in depth.
www.merckbooks.com
Find California Veterinary Clinics California's Online Local Search.
California.local.com
Veterinary hospitals that provide pet healthcare, including vaccinations and emergency surgery.
www.abcvet.com
Clinic provides special services, including phone consultations and acupuncture.
www.aholisticvet.com
Provider of vaccinations and online forms for patient information and emergency release.
www.allcreaturesvet.com
Provider of traditional medicine and surgery and alternative therapies, including chiropractic and herbal medicine.
www.alternativevet.com
Provider of free access to veterinary facilities and referrals to humane services and breeders.
www.apapets.com
Small animal alternative care practice with focus on acupuncture and Chinese herbs.
www.apvet.com
Provider of holistic animal services, including herbs and flower essences. Site features American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association Directory.
home.earthlink.net
Provider of small animal veterinary services, including homeopathy and complementary medicine.
www.glanzbergvet.com
Provider of holistic services, including herbal and massage therapies as well as traditional medicine and surgery.
www.holisticvets.com
Web site provides an online hospital tour. Services include medical and surgical care and pet lodging.
www.lamesavet.com
Site provides details on holistic care for animals, including homeopathy, acupuncture and referrals.
www.naturalholistic.com
Provider of a holistic veterinary directory to create awareness in Canada's provinces and holistic nutritional products and pet food.
www.pets4life.com
Provider of veterinary hospital services, a boarding kennel and veterinary consulting.
www.vetdoc.com
Warm hearts for cold noses since 1963. Helping 3 generations of pet lovers in North Palm Beach & Palm Beach Gardens. Daycare & cat & dog boarding.
www.villageac.com
Online provider of veterinary search and referral services with hospitals and clinics in the United States, Canada and Europe.
www.vin.com
Enter your zip code & find info on local vets in your area. Search now
www.LocalVets.com
Guide to Starting Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals
Establish your vet clinic to meet your clients' needs
Before you start comparing your establishment to other animal clinics, however, answer the following questions to prioritize your clients' animal health care needs:
1. Demographics: are your potential clients well-educated and affluent, working-class or middle-to-low-income consumers?
2. What do they value most in vet hospitals: experience, or cutting-edge technology and techniques?
3. Do you forsee a need for discounted or free services in your area?
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Earn AAHA and APHIS accreditation to get listed on each veterinary search engine
Veterinary hospitals must meet stringent professional regulations and are subject to regular inspections of their property and records. Vet clinics that go one step further will also maintain professional accreditations that are not legally required, but give clients a greater sense of the clinic's commitment to excellent patient care.
I recommend:
Pet people can visit HealthyPet.com to find vet clinics accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. Veterinary hospitals aligned with the USDA Animal Health Inspection Service are listed with the Animal Health Channel. Just a little extra work from the start can earn you positive results and referrals for the life of your business.
Join a local animal emergency clinic cooperative
Your potential clients won't think about needing a 24-hour animal hospital until that dog fight or poisoning incident at 2.00 a.m. You may offer emergency service, but most vets are either going to regional emergency service cooperatives staffed by local vets, or they're leaving the emergencies to 24-hour emergency clinics. If you do offer emergency service, buy a listing in both the print and online versions of the local yellow pages under 'Veterinary Hospitals - Emergency.'
I recommend:
Make your clinic easy to find for the sleep-deprived, frightened pet owner. Register with the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society's clinic search engine, and with VetLocator.com.
Partner with free pet clinics and offer pet insurance information to clients
Most veterinarians will offer low-cost or free pet clinics at least once a year in conjunction with a local animal shelter or other worthy cause. While these clinics are usually just small-animal vaccination opportunities, take it one step further as staffing allows and offer free spay and neuter clinics and programs for low-income families or victims of disaster. If animal rescue groups ask you for a discount program, do it. Most of the rescue group's members will also come to you with their own pets. Accept others experiencing financial hardship on a case-by-case basis, or enlist the help of an outside firm to handle insurance or credit issues.
I recommend:
Provide brochures in your lobby and link your website to (VPI) Veterinary Pet Insurance. Enroll your practice in CareCredit and avoid the hassle of allowing client charge accounts, while still providing the convenience of payment options.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide- Offer a discount to CareCredit members to encourage participation and avoid client nonpayment.
- Most shelters require and provide free sterilization, vaccination and flea treatment and prevention, with the aid of volunteer animal hospitals. Contact your local shelters and city officials to volunteer your veterinary clinic services and get on the city's provider list.
