How to Choose a Vet in India
— 10 Questions to Ask

The vet you choose today will make decisions about your dog's health for the next 10+ years. Choosing wrong costs money, time, and potentially your dog's life. Here's how to choose right.

The 10 questions

1. What are your qualifications?

BVSc (Bachelor of Veterinary Science) is the minimum. MVSc or PhD indicates specialisation. Ask where they studied and how long they've been practising. Don't be shy — you're hiring them.

2. What are your emergency hours?

A clinic that closes at 6 PM with no after-hours protocol is a problem. Ask: "If my dog has an emergency at 11 PM, what do I do?" The answer reveals their care standard.

3. Can I see the facility?

Clean floors, organised supplies, functional equipment. If they won't show you around, that's a red flag. Modern diagnostics (X-ray, ultrasound, blood analyser) matter for anything beyond routine care.

4. How do you handle pain management?

Post-surgical pain management should be standard, not optional. Ask about their anaesthesia protocol. If they can't explain it clearly, they may not have one.

5. Do you explain before you treat?

A good vet explains what they're doing and why before they do it. A great vet gives you options and costs upfront. A bad vet treats first and bills later without explanation.

6. What's your pricing structure?

Transparent pricing = trustworthy clinic. Ask for a price list for common procedures: vaccination, spay/neuter, dental cleaning, blood panel. Compare across 3 clinics. See our Bangalore vaccination costs guide for benchmarks.

7. How do you handle difficult cases?

"I refer to a specialist" is the right answer. A vet who claims to handle everything — surgery, orthopaedics, oncology, dermatology — is either exceptional or overconfident. Most are the latter.

8. Can I talk to other pet parents?

Ask for references. Check Google Reviews (focus on detailed reviews, not star ratings). Join local pet parent WhatsApp groups and ask for recommendations.

9. How do you follow up after treatment?

Post-treatment calls, follow-up schedules, and easy WhatsApp access for questions. A clinic that disappears after billing isn't providing care — it's providing transactions.

10. Do you keep digital records?

Paper-only records get lost (ask Leo about that). A clinic using digital records means your dog's history is always accessible, shareable, and won't disappear in a drawer.

Red flags

• Prescribes treatment without examination
• Won't explain procedures or costs
• Facility is dirty or disorganised
• No after-hours emergency protocol
• Defensive when questioned
• Pushes unnecessary procedures

The one thing to do today

Visit your current vet's clinic when you DON'T have an appointment. Look around. Is it clean? Is the staff helpful? Is there a clear price list? Your casual visit tells you more than any emergency visit ever will.