Kevin Toman, DVMFounder, Helping Pets Live Longer · Veterinary Longevity Specialist

How A Veterinarian Chooses A Veterinarian. #petlongevity #yourpet #dog #cat

11 Dec 2025 · 3 min

Watch on YouTube

3:01

In this short monologue, Dr. Kevin (a practicing veterinarian) explains the criteria he would use to select a veterinary clinic for his golden retriever, Annabelle. He advises against corporate‑owned practices because they prioritize profit, often employ less experienced staff, and restrict drug choices. He recommends seeking an AAHA‑certified clinic as a marker of high standards, while noting the certification process is rigorous. The most critical factor for him is continuity of care—seeing the same veterinarian at every visit to ensure personalized attention and thorough communication. He states that price is not a primary consideration; the focus should be on trust and quality of care. Dr. Kevin concludes with a call‑to‑action, inviting viewers to comment or sign up for a free 10‑minute longevity strategy session via his website, helpingpetslivelonger.com.

Chapters

How would a veterinarian choose a veterinarian? Listen, I'm asked that question all the time because I help pets from one end of the country to the other, and so here's a short video on how I, as a veterinarian, would choose a veterinary clinic to help me with my spoiled little golden retriever Annabelle, who's sleeping over here in the sun. First off, that veterinary clinic would not be a corporate practice, and here's why. You should understand that about 20 to 30% of veterinary clinics here in the United States are owned not by veterinarians like me, but rather by huge corporations whose primary goal is making money. And the way they do that is many times by hiring less experienced veterinarians and often dictating what those veterinarians can and cannot use in the way of drugs. And neither one of those bode well for the care of loved puppies like my girl Annabelle. Instead, I would find a practice that had been certified by the American Animal Hospital Association, or AAHA. Listen, I want to make one thing clear. I'm not in any way compensated for mentioning this by AAHA, but I would tell you that when I was in daily practice, I had my veterinary clinic certified by AAHA, and it was a pain in the ass because they look at all the small stuff, the records, the protocols, etc. That separate a good veterinary practice from a great veterinary practice. Now, you may not be able to find an AAHA-certified practice in your area, but if you can, it's one assurance that you're getting really good care for that spoiled pet of yours. Perhaps the single most important criterion for me, however, is I want to see the same veterinarian each and every time I take my pet in. If every time you take your pet to the veterinary clinic you are seeing a different doctor One thing is sure, you're not receiving the best veterinary care. And I want that one veterinarian that I see to have the time to sit and answer questions or a chat with me. If instead they're looking at their watch, scheduling their next appointment, that's no place for me. The final thing I will say is, you know, one thing is missing, any discussion of price. Listen, there are great veterinarians who charge very low prices, although they are rare. And there are great veterinarians who charge very, very high prices. That is simply not a criterion for me. I want the very best veterinary care for me. Somebody that I can trust with the care of my loved pet. Listen, I'm Dr. Kevin. I run www.helpingpetslivelonger.com, and this stuff matters to me. If it resonates with you too, and it should, drop me a message into the comments below, or Use the, the link that I put in the comments below to sign up for a free 10-minute longevity strategy session on Zoom. Let's get started today. We're all in this together, and I will help you if I can.