If you are happy with his care, I would tell him or the office manager about your concern. You don't have to accuse them of anything, just say what you have observed and see what their reaction is. That should tell you whether you want to continue your relationship with them. You could ask to see the surgery suite and see what that looks like. They should not hesitate to show you anything you want to see. If they board animals, ask to see where they are housed. If the vet is reluctant to let you see anything, that may be your answer. Good luck.

Why don't you write them an annonymous letter? Let them know your concerns regarding the cleanliness. Be nice about it. Just say that you love their facility, but the lack of BASIC cleanliness is of concern to you, and surely to other clients. They should take the hint.

I have known people with the largest messes and the most messiest desks to be clean themselves, and TOP NOTCH in their professions, so don't let the dust fool you. Most people who are into their work don't have the time to clean. In an animal facility,I actually question the other extreme-very clean. They have too much time on their hands, and they try to impress you with "fluff" rather than quality of care. If the examining table is dirty, by all means, speak up on the spot.

My vet is just ok in cleanliness. His facility gets cleaned twice daily. Some things like window sills or the little stuff may not be wiped down on a weekly basis. Some looks dirty even after wiping. It's very difficult to keep an animal facility clean. Within minutes of cleaning it's dirty again. Anywhoo, the cleanliness depends on his kennel staff. Some are better than others. As a vet, he's the best. You couild kill yourself in his office, though-lol. I trust him.

Personally, I prefer the middle of the road cleanliness with top notch help.

You said " The vet was great, very caring and solved a couple of issues" then you write the State Vet Association and lodge a complaint? When push comes to shove, housekeeping doesn't equate with how sanitary the cages or surgical theater are kept. You have to remember that some vets are still the kind who think nothing of performing procedures in a barn. Some vets I've gone to have facilities nicer than human clinics (and prices to match) and other vets have bare-boned offices behind their homes and have no staff but themselves. But I didn't find any correlation between their skill and their office.

I don't believe in anonymous letters. If you feel so strongly about something you think it needs to be said, say it directly, as politely and considerately as you can muster, and without apology.

If it bothered you, I think you should have found a tactful way to mention it directly to the staff. Going through an association of any kind first might be a little extreme.

I like my vet clinic a lot, they are sanitary IMO, but the building shows its wear in such places as flooring, trim, and cabinets. This office is definitely not one of those shiny, always new looking, corporate kind of vet offices. Over the years I've noticed they replace elements, but if you look, you can always find aspects that do look worn- and sometimes worn areas do not look clean, even when they are. Now this may not be the type of thing that bothered you, but a woman I know considered this vet unsanitary for those very reasons and refuses to take her dog there. In this case it's the eye of the beholder, I suppose; this woman wants to take her dogs to an office where everything looks and feels spiffy, new and sterile, whereas I am more concerned about general cleanliness, and finding a vet who genuinely cares for the well being of my animal.

I hope it all works out for you. A great vet can be hard to find!

I did not lodge a complaint, I did not mention the name of the facility, I just asked for advice in what should be done. I feel a vets office as well as any medical office should be spit and polish.If you cannot keep an examining room clean and I don't nean a little dusty I mean dirt on white door frames, I mean baseboards that need to be scrubbed,floors that need to be mopped then you should not be in the medical field.Or better yet hire a cleaning crew.
Doctors offices, Vets offices should be as close to sterile as you can get.

Everyone has their own criteria as to what they feel is important and you're certainly entitled to yours. I'm a retired nurse and I know that cleanliness during procedures is important and I also know that those procedures can be done in a state of the art clinic or on the battlefield in a tent and if the medical crew is cognizant of technique, both can be equally safe and effective.

It sounds to me like you were less about complaining as remedying the situation so you'd feel comfortable about remaining in this vet's patronage. I think that is positive way to proceed. If you feel that strongly about it, and are uncomfortable facing the vet in conversation compose a letter. Thank him/her for attending your dog, and compliment them on their diagnostic skills. Tell him/her that the cleanliness of their office is hurting their customer confidence. Simple as that. I'm a business owner and although I don't enjoy getting complaints, constructive ones are evaluated and if I agree, acted upon. If you are kind about it, I suspect it would be taken seriously. Perhaps this professional has his/her plate full and just doesn't see the forest for the trees. The only possible reason I can see why you'd not want to do that is their reaction when you take your animal back. That tells me you'd like to. Good luck. Yes, I do discuss things like this, and also fees with my vets. They're not so uppity that they feel threatened by it. It even led to mine switching to a better eye protection product for use in their surgery they'd not considered previously.

Dirt would not bother me. I would in all likelihood assume that the office started out clean. Dogs scrabble around baseboards and rub against doors and track in mud. One big ol' hairy dog that walked in the rain to get to the office and the waiting room, hallway and exam room are going to look like they've never been cleaned.

Things that actually help transmit diseases would bother me. A puddle of urine or pile of feces would bother me. Blood splatter would bother me

I wouldn't expect an office to be sterile. I would expect the surgical unit to be sterile. I would expect recovery areas to be clean. If I had doubts, I'd express my concerns PERSONALLY (certainly not an anonymous letter or through some third party) and request to see those areas.

Doctors offices, Vets offices should be as close to sterile as you can get.

Why? Are you in the habit of licking the floors and woodwork? Eating off the chairs?

My vet's waiting area shows the wear from a dozen years of dogs and cats. His surgery isn't the most modern. But his OR aseptic technique is impeccable.

It is possible in this economic climate that they had to lay off some of their support staff.
While it is important to have a vets office be clean, it is hard to determine how dirty things were without seeing it.
I would suggest sending an anonymous letter to the vet. If the rest of the buildings cleanliness is of concern, ask to see where the dog will be operated on. Hopefully it is a sterile environment. If they refuse to let you see the place where they will be doing the surgery, then go elsewhere. HOWEVER - the demeanor of the vet sounds wonderful, and that is a big part of feeling comfortable with your pets care. Good luck, hope everything comes out okay

Michael, sounds like you are taking your time and being tactful and thoughtful in your approach.

I didn't say it very well in my first post, but this is one of those things that is very personal. Your gut knows what you are and aren't comfortable with. If the situation doesn't get resolved to where you are comfortable with the office, then you will know it is not the right vet for you. Your description of a floor that needs obvious cleaning is very different from a worn floor that just looks aesthetically unappealing.

Since you liked the vet otherwise, I think you are doing a good thing to find a gentle way to bring your concerns to their attention. This reminds me of a few years back when DH and I had to put our household belongings in storage for the better part of a year. When we finally got situated and began to unpack our belongings, we were shocked at how dirty some of the items were (the toaster comes to mind for some reason). DH commented that we must get very accustomed to our own grime. I think it is very true that sometimes we miss what is right under our nose everyday, and that may be what is going on with this new vet. That's not to say it's okay, that's just to say that they may be focused on cleanliness in other areas and not realize that certain aspects of the clinic are offensive to new eyes. Hopefully this vet will take your criticism constructively and use it to improve the practice. Best of luck deciding how best to approach it.

Doesn't cost much to get a cleaning crew in there. I agree with the poster. I would go elsewhere.