Veterinary Care for Your Pet
If your pet is sick or injured, as an owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have your pet examined by a licensed veterinarian. Regular visits to a veterinarian are also important to keep your pet happy and healthy. Find out more about choosing the right vet, where to seek emergency care, and a list of some of the clinics in Ottawa currently accepting clients.
Finding a Veterinarian
Establishing a relationship with a veterinarian is the most important step you can take as a pet owner.
While the OHS cannot recommend any veterinarian, you can search for local veterinarians through the College of Veterinarians of Ontario.
Here are a few tips to choose the right veterinarian for you:
- Ask your friends. They can offer feedback about the veterinary clinic they use.
- Consider hours of operation. If you work week days, it may be more convenient to select a clinic that has early morning, evening or weekend hours.
- If you can walk or take a quick drive to your veterinarian, it may reduce your pet’s stress when traveling to their clinic. City transit also accepts animals.
- Do you need specialty services? Not all vets have expertise with rabbits, and fearful cats may do better with a cats-only vet. Some animals are very sensitive about handling, and some vets specialize in fear-free handling. Some vets will even make house calls.