Veterinary services

[denniswthomas]

I am a veterinarian living in the states and I am interested in re-locating to BC. There used to be a veterinary clinic in Fernie but I think I read that it has closed. Who is providing veterinary care for small animals in the Fernie area? Thanks.

[admin]

Fernie residients are presently driving to Blairmore, Pincher Creek and Cranbrook for vet services.

You would be very welcome in Fernie!!

[ptl]

We definetly need regular vet service here in Fernie. You would be a very wlecome new member to our community. Presently we have a vet who comes in every 2 weeks who does a great job. BUT we are in great need for a ful time vet, we have a lot of dogs, cats and whatever else to keep you busy…..PLEASE COME

[mtnrat]

Yes we could really use a vet here. Fernie has a huge pet population, and many owners who really care about the health of their pets.

[tazjames]

Yep, we could do with a Vet in town. currently traveling an hour with the pooch if something happens. Come on over, we would be happy to have you

[supermom]

I’d love to add to this post.
For all of my animals larger procedures (neuter, spay, cherry eye, dental etc) I travel to Kalispell to have my animals cared for. It would be a blessing to have a great local vet. We once had an awesome vet in town (Dr. Janisz sp?) but he was killed while on duty.
What we need is a compassionate veterinarian. One not afraid of dogs. One not going to charge you a whole paycheque for standard procedures. If this is you then you will do very well in Fernie. It could be a slow start as many people have formed great relationships with out of town vets, but as stated previously, there are NO vets in the elk valley. We have a WONDERFUL traveling holistic veterinarian who is here every two weeks, but traveling vets cannot do surgeries. You would definitely be a welcome addition to this community!

[freshsnow]

The vets in the surrounding areas (Cranbrook, Crowsnest Pass, Eureka) are wonderful, as is Diane Skoberg who comes to Fernie very two weeks. However, I would like to add that it would be amazing to have a great vet in town! Particularly for emergencies, and also to not have to drive 2hrs+ for the more minor ailments. You would be very welcome!!!

[mountainmom]

We would love a Veterinarian in town. If you love mountain living we pretty much have it all at our doorstep.

A mention to a previous comment: If you are travelling to the US for veterinary service I know you are paying quite a bit less than seeking services in our area. Which includes Cranbrook who has several good, modern clinics with very competent up to date and specialized veterinarians. We have to remember that Veterinary service costs reflect the cost of living in our area and our economy. The US is not included in this and therefor can charge less for services. Fernie veterinary care has always been comparative to the surrounding area(realisticly, not incuding the US). There may be small differences in fees between clinics but we need to remember that animal and human healthcare is a costly business and that modern up to date services cost money. If you believe a clinic can open its doors in Fernie and expect to compete with US prices…that is just a dream. Hopefully we can see someone come into our community, be competetive with the local areas pricing and show us passion and dedication for the care of our animals. Our family is always looking to support local businesses. We need a Veterinarian. Be willing to support local business.

[supermom]

I wasn’t implying that a Fernie vet should compete with US prices. I WAS implying that our last vet in Fernie was unaffordable.
I go to the US for surgeries and specialties that Canada cannot do. Kalispell is closer than Edmonton for me!

[bombchucker]

Really glad you’re thinking of relocating here. I was going to Cranbrook, but I’m currently using Dr. Marion in Eureka. He’s a good vet and his prices are a lot more reasonable than the Canadian vets. He said he was looking into relocating here too, but just the licensing alone was a deterrent, not too mention tax issues and cost of space for the office. Good luck and keep us posted on your arrival!

[oompaloompa]

Please come to Fernie- we desperately need a vet!! Not everyone has a car!

[cs86]

We absolutely need a vet here, but with regard to the discussion about prices, I find some prices in the states are not cheaper. For example, the vet in Fernie charged me about $175 to have my dog’s teeth cleaned, and i just got a quote from a vet in montana for $300+

I think we need a good vet who is reasonably priced, is available (I don’t want to have to book appointments 3 weeks in advance), and who is pleasant to deal with. I have had an experience with the "travelling" vet that comes to Fernie, and she was incredibly rude to me and I will NEVER see her again for my dogs. I have also had a few bad experiences with the attitude of the most recent Fernie vet.

I think if you are reasonably priced, available, and are good with people too, you shouldn’t have any problem at all with opening a veterinarian clinic in Fernie.

[mountainmom]

Services in Cranbrook (aprox 1 hour west of Fernie) offer a full range of Veterinary services. Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Neurology, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Orthopedic surgery, Oncology, Endocrinology, Dental services, Radiology and general health care. As well as providing routine and common proceedures such as neuters & spays.
It would be nice just to have a Veterinarian we can count on to provide services such as available emergency care when we need it. That is definatly a big one! Routine surgery closer to home would be nice as well as being able to just make a vaccination appointment that doesn’t take up our whole day. There would probably be good support for you in Cranbrook colleague wise. I believe they are equipped with ultrasound there and possibly other pieces of equipment you may not be able to acquire immediatly. I think they also provide a good supportive Veterinary community. I believe in the past, Cranbrook Veterinarians and surrounding veterinarians met regularly for educational purposes and support. If you were able to contact Dr. Jamie lavine at Cranbrook Veterinary Hospital I think he would be happy to speak with you. We have such a large community of pets here in Fernie. I think you would keep a steady pace here.

I appologize for any offending remarks on my last post. I think we have just needed a suitable Veterinarian in our community for a long time and I think pet owners have been forced to scatter away from the community. It has been a concerning subject for a number of years and I think it can also make people a little edgy and judgmental about who sees who and who is better, nicer, cheaper. I Just believe if we stay in the East Kootenays and Canada we are still supporting our local economy. I donot know what sort of specialized procedures you needed on your pet that were only available in Edmonton or the US. I was just assuming you thought you could not get procedures such as cherry eyes, dentals, spays and neuters done locally within our area. I appologize.

[funnygirl]

we need a vet here, my dog gets car sick and well its hard to get her care without causing her distress. We need someone who is compassionate and understands animals.

[Author]

Posts