If you’re like most vet students, your list probably looks something like this:
While all of these things are certainly important, I’d like to encourage you to broaden your definition a bit.
In most cases, your vet techs will review all of the above items with your clients and hopefully gain authorization to perform these tests/treatments before you even enter the room.
In some cases, you may need to put in some more time, educating the owner about the value of these items… but, in many cases, the patient’s preventative care has already been authorized and you may be tempted to just enter the room, check the requested items off the list, and send the client on their way.
Resist this temptation!
What preventive care recommendations should you discuss with veterinary clients?
While you may not have time to touch on every single one of these topics at every visit, focus on the following topics when speaking with your clients:
Dentistry: This should be an important topic at every single veterinary visit. Whether you are talking to clients about home care, recommending a thorough dental cleaning, or addressing a particular problem that you observe on your exam, dentistry should play a role in every client conversation. Even young puppies and kittens with completely healthy teeth should receive information on dental hygiene and preventative care, so clients can keep those teeth healthy.
Nutrition: As you are surely aware, clients are bombarded with nutritional misinformation on a daily basis. As veterinarians, it’s our responsibility to help them sift through this misinformation and understand how to distinguish fact from fiction. Ask your clients what they are feeding their pets and address any potential concerns associated with those diets.
Body Condition: Obesity is a common condition in pets, affecting 59.5% of cats and 55.8% of dogs.1 Therefore, weight management is a topic that should be discussed in the majority of your wellness appointments. Whether you’re providing weight loss information or helping to prevent unintended weight gain, this is a valuable component of preventive care.
Behavioral Issues: Every wellness visit should include at least a brief discussion of the pet’s behavior. Behavioral concerns are a common cause of stress to pet owners, they disrupt the human-animal bond, and they can potentially lead to pet relinquishment or euthanasia. When asking about behavioral issues, don’t just ask an offhand “any behavioral issues today?” Take a minute or two to ask your client whether their cat is using the litter box appropriately, or how their dog is doing with their new baby. The earlier you can get involved in managing potential behavioral issues, the better the likelihood of a positive outcome.
In a perfect world, all of our clients would listen to all of our recommendations and do exactly what we recommend. Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect world! Use these tips to help improve your client compliance.
Preventive care is more than simply presenting a treatment plan and checking items off a list. Partner with your clients to discuss the pet’s well-being and make decisions that will help improve the pet’s health and welfare over the long haul. By taking time to explain your recommendations and have a true discussion with your patient’s owner, you can improve your patient’s veterinary care and the quality of their life.
References