Veterinarian in Pearland/Friendswood area (Murphy: credit card, costs, law)

[monghate]

I need recommendations for vet for my toy poodle in Pearland/Friendswood area. Thank you for your help

[ChocolateBabz]

I use Claws & Paws in Pearland (2556 Broadway) for my 2 cats and have been very pleased with the service I have received so far - routine vaccinations etc as well as 1 emergency visit when 1 cat fell from our balcony. Costs seem reasonable and we even got a discount as they were rescue cats.

[friendswoodian]

Dr. Joanne Murphy at Friendswood Animal Clinic on 518 is awesome.

[U136035]

Parkwood Animal Hospital - Dr. Helen Stehouwer[/b][/b]. Incredible Doctor and gorgeous Hospital. Very reasonable prices

[smither]

The best way to find a vet that suits your needs is to actually stop by and visit a few vet offices. See for yourself how the staff treats their clients, and talk to some of the pet owners in the waiting room about their experiences with the vet. Ask them why they choose that office. Is it because of low cost, due to location, or because the vet seems friendly? Have they only had experiences with getting the routine vaccines or annual comp exams or have they actually had an unfortunate experience of having their pet come down with some kind of illness? In those cases, ask if the vet was competent enough to diagnose and treat their pet properly? Make arrangements to interview the vet personally also. That way you will be able to get an understanding on how knowledgeable they may be and if their services will be adequate for your pets needs. Keep in mind that it doesn't matter how long the vet has been in practice, because a lot of them have kept their office running by doing only the basics (vaccines, routine exams, blood work, and pushing crappy pet food. (remember vets have very little knowledge of proper pet diets)Avoid vets that: Hesitate to write you a prescription for your pet (they are suppose to profit from their services, not from meds, and by law are suppose to write one if asked).Want to take your pet "in the back" for simple things like a comp exam or blood work. Those things should always be done in your presence. Don't leave your pet baby with a stranger.I write all this because I disagree with the last poster. Our experience with Stehouwer was not a pleasant one. Although she is not a recent grad, and works at VCA as well, her knowledge in diagnosing and treating is not up to par. Don't let new facilities or friendly faces fool you. Make sure the vet is knowledgable with more than just doing vaccines. Oh, and pay with a credit card. That way you can dispute any unreasonable charges.