Client Relations & Marketing

Many clients really don't realize just what a bit of plaque can do, says Sara L. Sharp, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), secretary of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians. And it often falls to you to discuss the danger of a dirty mouth. The best approach is a little honesty-with a mix of tact, of course.

More owners are taking advantage of herbs, nutritional supplements, chiropractic medicine, and acupuncture for their pets, but few are telling their veterinarians.

I recently discovered that patients were vaccinated with expired vaccines. We pulled the vaccines out of use immediately and called clients, but what can I do to calm the commotion?

You don't need to work very hard to make clients feel uncomfortable, dissatisfied, or irritated. Here's a look at 10 ways to chase off clients.

Clean up with 12 monthly resolutions for your best year yet! Plus! Three more must-do's from the experts!

Q: At the clinic where I work we have several clients who own more animals than they can care for properly. What is the best way to approach an animal collector?

What's a pet worth? It may be more than you think. Consider the case of Fluffy.

Competing on price is the biggest slip-up you can make. Here's why.

No beer at Dogtoberfest, but lots of chasing balls.

Think you're immune to lawsuits because you don't own the practice? Think again. Protect your hospital--and yourself--from the legal pitfalls in your path with this advice from savvy doctors and lawyers.

You don't need to be high on Halloween candy or tipsy on eggnog to enjoy the end-of-year madness. Try these tips to spread the holiday cheer.

If you could see into the future of each kitten and puppy, you'd know exactly how to protect them from the health issues they'll face over the next 10-or even 20-years. And that's the true benefit of senior wellness screenings: They offer a small window into a pet's health and help you identify and treat disease early.

How do I make a dental recommendation to clients who've refused this care before?

Q: How do you implement major changes, such as mandatory preanesthetic blood work, without alienating long-term clients?

Dogs can't wait to get through the front door of Chanhassen Veterinary Clinic in Chanhassen, Minn. For 12 years, the clinic has been throwing free puppy parties in its reception area.

Sometimes you just can't anticipate all of the potholes in your path. But these four recommendations will guide you over the rocky road ahead and help you steer clear of dangerous legal ground.

Do you see the faces of your elderly or disabled clients as often as you'd like? When the team at Millsap Veterinary Clinic in Millsap, Texas, noticed some older clients were missing their pets' checkups, they started asking questions-and uncovered a transportation problem. Their solution: a pet taxi.

You know the routine all too well: Mr. Smith visits with his rambunctious English springer spaniel, Burt, and all goes well until you mention Burt's oral health. Enter the blank stare. Or the anxious shifting from foot to foot. Or even the hasty, "Oh, he's fine!"

The next time clients refuse care, use this advice from Caitlin Rivers, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member and technician supervisor at Metzger Animal Hospital in State College, Pa.: Don't take it personally.

We might think pets have it easy. No calorie counting. No comparing their thighs with supermodels on television or perusing the latest issue of Vogue and wondering how the pouty face on the cover got so thin. Nope. For pets someone measures out their food daily and with just a meow or a faithful wag of the tail, they're adored no matter how rotund they become. What a life!

My boss often fails to call pet owners after he performs surgeries to give them updates on their pets. These clients get worried and frustrated, and I feel sorry for them. How can I convince him to spend a little time to reassure these clients?

The key to convincing clients to schedule dental appointments for their pets might just have everything to do with your pen, says Louise Dunn, a practice management consultant with Snowgoose Veterinary Management Consultants in Greensboro, N.C. She offers this tip to market your dental program:

Most clients would be pretty grossed out to find a flea or tick on their pets. But they don't always take all the steps to protect their pets from infestations. That's where you come in. You want to start pet owners off on the right paw, so begin discussing parasite control the first day clients visit with their new pets.

An estimated 45 percent of all U.S. pets are obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Teach your clients about their pets' ideal weight with this obesity handout.

Download these tools highlighted in the November/December Firstline supplement to improve client compliance in your practice.

You hope you never see that "specializes in bad news" TV reporter at your door. But you could. And then you need this advice.

Just like this doctor, you may find the letters, photos, and mementos you receive from clients provide a critical pick-me-up when the tough days seem to outweigh the joys of practice.

Improve pet dental care with a client brochure.