
Good vets are a rare breed, as I've found to my horror since moving to the West country. I've found some doozies and am fast running out of 'alternatives'. I had a super lady vet back up East (she's now retired so I'd not be much better of had we not moved West). Likewise with the last vet we had out in Canada before coming home. If I could have packed him in our effects, I would have. My 'must' with a vet, apart from having one I can work with, is one that can DIAGNOSE without it costing a fortune to get to the bottom of what's wrong. Something all too few vets these days seem able to do. Or won't because they can charge more for wheeling out the equipment! My relationship with my Canadian vet was one of 'mutual respect'. I obviously respected him for his knowledge generally, and he me for my specific knowledge of my chosen breed. He was a vet who'd let me be in with him when he was operating, as much as possible. I went in once to pay a bill, and he was doing an entropian surgery on another dog - a Golden. He invited me to watch.... fascinating. His was an independent Practice, as was the one back East here. All too often with multiple Practices, with many vets too, you don't see the same vet twice - unless over time you get to know the individual vets, and make sure it's them you see each time. Yes they keep a medical history online, but that doesn't equal the hands-on knowledge with an individual animal.
So good for you with your 'freeby'. Best I get here is a reduction in the consultation charge for a 'repeat' one - same problem.