Date: 13 May 2017. Finding a
Veterinarian.
© janice142
I use my daughter's house address
as a Home Port when cruising. Recently she received notice that
Skipper was due for her shots. Because my last vet moved, I had to
locate someone new. When underway finding a veterinarian can be
problematic. No one at the waterfront could offer advice so I was on
my own. This is what I did.
First I visited the neighbors and
asked for recommendations.
Relaxing with a glass of iced tea while chatting was
fun. It did not result in vet names though.
"Everyone" used the recently retired vet, so we are all lost in the
woods so to speak.
I am fortunate to have a friend here with transportation. Mr. Uber takes me places. We drove down the main causeway and spotted
two vet offices close by. I went into both seeking policies and a
pricing schedule.
The business I first entered did
not feel like a good fit for me. The gal at the reception desk was
on the phone. She did not make eye contact when I came in. Though
the call was not long first impressions count. I was provided with
prices and left, hoping the next place would be better.
It was much nicer. Affordable Animal
Hospital was clean and Desiree charming. I was greeted with a smile
and an offer of assistance. The whole place felt friendly. It was
the end of the day (quitting time!) and Skipper and I were made to feel welcome.
Skipper snuggled right up with Desiree.
This is a place I could like, if the prices were good. They were.
Dr. Callahan had a couple of specials we could take advantage of. I
was able to get an appointment for Skipper the following day.
Affordable Animal Hospital
16701 Gulf Boulevard,
North Redington
Beach, FL 33708
Dr. Tom Callahan, DVM
Phone: 727-317-0099
Website:
http://affordablebeachvet.com
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My girl had a thorough exam along with her yearly shots. She's got
some clouding in one eye. I had seen that before. Dr. Callahan is the
first vet who mentioned it. He examined her ears, felt everything
(poor baby!) and pronounced her a fine dog. He also mentioned that
Skipper's teeth needed cleaning.
Edwin, Skipper and her pal Sid.
Edwin navigates well and is an awesome mechanic too.
Skipper likes Edwin.
Small dogs have a tendency toward bad teeth and my girl is no
exception. That I allow her to have table scraps (chicken is a
favorite) does not help. Her teeth needed cleaning.
Dr. Callahan and his assistant
Chantelle took care of my baby. I was provided with four pictures,
before, after, a tooth of concern to monitor plus one other
photograph. It was nice to see what was done and how bad those teeth
were. Eek!
Meet Chantelle.
↓ Chantelle is Dr. Callahan's
assistant. She is real nice too.
When my girl came back to me she was beautiful. Her
smile is white again.
Skipper and I left with a boatload
of medicine. She has pain medication, a mouth swab and antibiotics.
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Several things stand out about the
Affordable Animal Hospital.
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There was no hassle getting copies
of what was done. As a cruiser I want a hard copy for Skip's Records
folder.
My notes from the previous vet confirmed that Skipper received a
3-year rabies inoculation last year. Thus I did not have that expense
for this year.
-
Appointment times were respected.
I did not have to wait.
-
The exam was thorough. I did not
feel like I was "hurried" to make room for the next patient.
-
Dr. Callahan did everything. Some
vets pass off shots on the office staff. Dr. Callahan administered
her vaccines.
-
Prices were actually affordable.
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I keep Skipper's records in a plastic folder from the
Dollar Tree. This allows me to easily keep track of her stuff
without the frantic "where did I put?" issues that some have. Heck,
I have that problem too. It is amazingly easy to lose stuff inside a
23' boat.
As for me, I am glad I chose
Affordable Animal Hospital. Having the freedom to check out a couple
places first allowed me to find the right fit. This place is not
large. It feels cozy. I do not want my Skipper to be one of thousands. An
experienced vet with a good staff is worth patronizing.
This is Dr. Tom Callahan, Skipper's vet:
You should visit Dr. Callahan too
if you're in the Madeira Beach area. He is a hop skip and a jump via
the beach trolley.
When underway and your pet needs to see a vet, how do
you find a reliable one?
Do you carry with you a copy of your First Mate's medical records?
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