Why do Binga and I look so concerned? Well, for one thing, we are at the vet clinic, and for another thing, we are wondering if it is AAHA accredited! When we must go to the vet, whether it’s for a check up or for something more serious, we want to make sure we are getting great care. There are lots of excellent veterinary hospitals out there, and not all of them have AAHA accreditation — but when one does feature the AAHA plaque and logo, you know that it has met very high standards for patient care.
What is AAHA, and why does it matter?
The American Animal Hospital Association evaluates veterinary hospitals on about 900 standards of excellence. These range from contagious disease control to surgical protocols and a host of other areas that make for a great practice — pharmacy, exam facilities, cleanliness and more. When a veterinary hospital applies for AAHA accreditation, all the humans working there often prepare for weeks to make sure everything is ready to meet the AAHA’s high standards. And once they achieve accreditation, they will be re-evaluated every three years to make sure they are keeping up the quality expected of them as an AAHA practice, and to see if they have kept up with any updates in the standards that make up AAHA’s criteria.
Human hospitals that see Medicare or Medicaid patients are required to be accredited by an outside organization. There is no such requirement for veterinary hospitals, so to be in compliance with AAHA’s standards of excellence is completely voluntary. To find out more about AAHA, you can visit their website.
At the moment, only between 12 and 15% of North American veterinary hospitals are AAHA accredited. Is the veterinary hospital you go to one of them? You can find out with AAHA’s accredited hospital locator. If they’re not, ask them why! I checked and found out that our emergency veterinary clinic is AAHA — I was kind of relieved to know that, considering that when any of us cats get sick it always seems to be at night or on the weekend.
If you do have an AAHA accredited veterinary hospital in your area, I’ve got great news for you: the AAHA humans are offering a $50 credit at an accredited hospital to one of my lucky readers! The organization accredits veterinary hospitals in the U.S. or Canada, so the giveaway is good for both countries. All you have to do it leave a comment on this blog post (like so many of you usually do), then say you did on the Rafflecopter widget below! You get extra points for visiting my Facebook page, or the AAHA Facebook page, and even more points if you can name an AAHA veterinary hospital in your area! Good luck — I know lots of you can put that $50 to good use!
Disclosure: AAHA has generously provided the $50 credit for my blogging about them.
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Definitely trust the AAHA standards for my pets!
We need to check out the credentials at the old and the new office…we didn’t know about this. Thanks!
Aw, you two DO look a bit concerned. Don’t worry … it will be okay.
Our vet is AAHA certified, for sure!
Our vet is AAHA accredited and Brulee has an annual checkup coming soon, so the 50 sure would be a big help!
The closest Vets. on the list are over an hour away. Hmm… I will enter the contest to offer it to our local shelter though if you don’t mind. Thank you!
I hope all went well for your Vet. visit. Maybe there were some exra treats! *hugs to you both*
Love,
Lily
What a great giveaway! Just checked and our vet is on the list.
Darn darn darn I have NONE in my area at all. 🙁
I never knew about AAHA accreditation. Thanks, Summer!
My vet- Hill’s Veterinary Hospital in Castro Valley, CA is on the list! They are the best!
Only one clinic near us is on the list but we stopped going because there were too many dogs. Thanks for all your support re: Merlin.
My vet is accredited!
I believe my vet is on the list. That’s good. My guys need a check up.
wow. we are not surprised the practice in our local community isn’t AAHA accredited but we are that the practice we DO go to isn’t! The practice our mom takes Wriggley to for his cardiologist is, though 🙂
We didn’t know about this, Summer. Thank you for posting!
Pip, Smidgen, Minnie, Hollie
Yay, our’s is accredited! We were a little worried so thank Cod it was! Thanks for letting us know!
I’m glad that AAHA offers certification for veterinarians. Even though it is no a legal requirement, it does help people to know what they are getting into when they go to a veterinarian. Thank you for sharing this, Summer!
We go to a VCA and they are accredited. Poor Binga needing a dental, but I am sure she will feel better after it.
Gosh – I’d better look into that. My vet is fabulous so I hope he’s got the accreditation.
Hugs, Sammy
None of our local vets are on the list. The closest is about 22 miles away, which doesn’t sound like that much, but here, with our slow, windy roads, that’s about a 40 minute drive.
Our vet is on the list!!! Hooray!
Our’s is AAHA accredited!
I’d LOVE to win $50 towards WAFFLE’s next visit.
heh, heh…
Katie
My AAHA vet moved from being 5 minutes away to being too far from the house. Now we have to find a new vet! Of course, the new one will be AAHA accredited, too!
our vet isn’t listed, but there is a local 24/7 hospital that is – and our rescue uses them all the time (so hey – we could donate the money)
Didn’t realize there is such a thing.
Summer you know how gorgeous you are sweetie, but our mom is insanely head over heels with Binga. She thinks she needs a tortie to complete our household but we say just keep on looking at Binga and no need to bring a tortie home 🙂
WE’re gonna go see if our Vet is on this list!
Our specialty hospital is listed the they really are the best!
We never heard of a similar system in Switzerland, it’s very interesting. Purrs
Wow, our vet isn’t on the list Interesting.
Where I live it seems just about every animal hospital/clinic is AAHA accredited. There are closer AAHA accredited vets but we drive miles out of our way to use the VCA Alexandria Animal Hospital, which is AAHA accredited, – we were there just last week – they’re the best. With a little luck we won’t be visiting them for another year (BB and Frankie had amazing check-ups according to Dr. Cohen) so I won’t be entering the give-away.
Our local vets is not on the list, but they are the greatest! My special vet in Calgary is!
Kisses
Nellie
Our vet is not listed. But this is good information.
I checked our primary vet and they are not on the list. Looks like they provide a link to AAHA, though. Our 2nd vet is on the list. Good to know. Thank you for the information!
Mom knew our regular Vet (Vinton Veterinary Hospital) was AAHA accredited but had never checked on the Emergency Vet Hospital. They saved Lily’s life 12 years ago! She was surprised to find that they are not accredited, but she would still use them as the doctor who saved Lily still works there. Others of us have also had to go there and have always had the best of care. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Brandywine Hospital for Pets
1384 Brandywine Boulevard
Zanesville, OH 43701
This is my vet’s place (AAHA Accredited!) and they are WONDERFUL! They take care of Lizzy and Zelda as if they were their own. I would love to win the $50 credit there as I’m on disability and Lizzy was recently diagnosed with diabetes (Nov. 2014). I am struggling to make her vet bills, but she is my priority always.
I did the Rafflecopter widget too!
Hummm … our vet is NOT on the list! We are greatly surprised and will ask him when we next pay them a visit. I can’t think why they would not be – they are the most awesomest vets EVER!
Purrz!
Selina
I’m highly disturbed that my Veterinary Hospital is not AAHA accredited…I’m taking your advice and asking them why not. They are fantastic and treat my kitties, and myself with nothing but respect and dignity. I have yet to find another Veterinarian Hospital that is as great as they are…and I looked A LOT, before finding them.
Our humom is very much for AAHA clinics/hospitals. She has worked in both AAHA and non AAHA hospitals. Our vet is not a part of AAHA. It’s a small practice, just him, his wife and a assistant. We love and trust him. Thanks for sharing this information. It’s important for our care takers to be pet educated. You take care of Binga, she needs you. Purrs
Poor Binga.
Hope everything else was OK.
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure and JJ
Ours is!
Our vet isn’t listed 🙁
Oh no! Our vet is not on the list.
great information and yay, the boyz’s hospital is accredited.
Summer, I just assumed that all vet hospitals were AAHA accredited. Thank you for teaching me that they aren’t! I looked up the accredited hospitals in our area, and thankfully, there are a bunch! 🙂
We checked and our vet is not on the list. We’ll have to ask them about it.
OH DEAR SUMMER WE DON’T KNOW BUT MOM SAID SHE WOULD SURE CHECK ON MY CLINIC’S INFO
YOU AND BINGA LOOK VERY CUTE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER AT THE VET
HUGS MADI YOUR BFFF
Our vet is only a ten minute drive away from where we live in the UK.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
And no, of course our vet is not on that list.
We think the AAHA accreditation system is especially useful for people who are moving to a new are and don’t know anyone to recommend a vet. We’ve suggested it already to a few people.
Aww… look at your faces!
Hope everything went OK 🙂
Purrs xx
Athena and Marie
Oh wow! We hope our vet is on the list!
That is very interesting. We don’t think there is a similar system in France.
Purrs,
The Chans