In 2018, veterinary cardiologists began to observe and report an increased incidence of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in breeds not normally predisposed to that condition.
On July 12, 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release stating that they were formally investigating a connection between “pet foods containing peas, lentils, other legume seeds, or potatoes as main ingredients” and dilated cardiomyopathy DCM in dogs.1
Topics: Diet, Dilate Cardiomyopathy, Vet Student
Pet food labels can provide a lot of helpful information, if you know where to look! Unfortunately, the information that first catches your eye (and the eyes of your clients) is often the least helpful.
Labels often contain extensive marketing claims that are relatively devoid of meaning. It’s important for you and your clients to look past this information, in order to determine what’s actually relevant on the label.
There are two required pieces of information on a pet food label: the principal display panel and the information panel. Each of these panels is required to contain specific information about the pet food.
Topics: Pet Food Label
As a veterinarian, you will frequently find yourself helping clients through difficult decisions.
These are just a few examples, but you will likely see many others.
Clients faced with difficult decisions will often ask for your help and support. Even though the decision is fundamentally theirs, your words and actions can help them arrive at a decision that they can be at peace with.
Topics: Client Situations, Veterinary Clients, Clients, Client Communications
At its heart, veterinary medicine is a customer-focused business. Animals can’t drive themselves to the veterinary clinic for care; therefore, we must appeal to their owners to ensure that our patients receive the level of care that they need.
In the name of client service, all members of the veterinary team are expected to tolerate a wide variety of client requests and behaviors. Sometimes, however, these requests or behaviors cross the line from merely annoying to downright hostile or abusive.
What options does a veterinarian have in that case? Is it actually possible to fire a client?
Fortunately, it is!
Firing a client is a very rare occurrence, but it is an option in extreme cases.
Topics: Fire Client, Client Situations, Veterinary Clients, Clients, Client Communications
You know what surprised me most when I first became a practicing veterinarian? The number of challenging client interactions I experienced.
I had this idea in my mind that I would be helping people’s pets and they would appreciate my efforts. Unfortunately, as I soon learned, that isn’t always the case!
Veterinary clinics are emotional places. Even seemingly mild medical issues, like a torn toenail or a cat’s diarrhea, can trigger significant emotional responses in clients. Add in the additional stress caused by unanticipated expenses and this can create a recipe for challenging, confrontational interactions.
Ultimately, your ability to handle these difficult interactions is just as valuable as your medical knowledge. Here are some tips that will help!
Topics: Client Situations, Veterinary Clients, Clients, Client Communications
