Business

For more than a decade, the rule of thumb for setting fees in veterinary medicine was simple: Raise 'em! The corollary to this rule of thumb was: don't worry about clients not wanting to pay; if you communicate the value of the procedure, they will gladly open their pocketbooks.

Regardless of your position in the veterinary hospital, in this day and age you encounter resistance from clients in some way, shape or form almost every day (if not every hour). As a practice manager or owner veterinarian you may not feel that as directly as your veterinary technicians, receptionists or associate doctors do on a daily basis, however.

Today veterinary practices are facing more challenges then they ever have in the past. The economy has forced pet owners to scrutinize every dollar of their discretionary income and often times the money that was previously spent on the family pet is now being spent on food and rent for the family.

Budgets should an integral part of your overall financial plan. With budgets in place you are more likely to control the financial destiny of the practice.

For a veterinary clinic to deliver a successful and sustainable service certain things have to be in balance: People, Profit and Practice

How often do you sit back and really think about what amazing things you do every day as a veterinary technician? How frequently do you pat yourself on the back acknowledging your education, training, and skills? Do you ever reflect at the end of the day on what you accomplished during that day?

You all know the feeling of walking into an exam room, proud of your skills as a veterinary technician, confident that you know what is best for the patient, happy to be greeted by that wagging tail, and excited to work together with the client to keep their family member at his healthiest.

Do you divide your staff responsibilities? By dividing responsibilities you reduce the opportunity of potential stealing from your hospital. Basically you should never have one person handle all aspects of a task. For example, the receptionist who handles money directly shouldn't be the person who prepares and makes the bank deposit.

Disease caused by parvovirus in dogs (destruction of intestinal crypt epithelium, lymphocyte depletion, neutropenia) is generally more severe than that caused by coronavirus (destruction of intestinal villi). Coronavirus enteritis is often characterized by mild and self-limiting clinical signs.

Chronic diarrhea (i.e., that which persists > 2-3 weeks) usually necessitates a systematic diagnostic approach (which may mean classic tests and/or therapeutic trials). The first question in the patient with chronic diarrhea is whether the patient has an obvious problem such as parasites or an obviously inadequate or poor quality diet.

Part of the reason technicians, doctors and other team members choose to work in the veterinary field is because they care about pets and want to see them get the care they deserve.

The effects of criticism are dependent on who is giving it – and your relationship to that person. Our world view and understanding is filtered through words. Of all the strategies which handle criticism effectively, the most important is to figure out accurately what the problem is. Be prepared to ask questions to clarify what is wanted or expected.

Is there such a thing as a bad employee? Or are these issues just down to bad management?

One of the many unhappy lessons veterinarians and their teams have had to learn from the recession is that clients don't have bottomless wallets filled with cash to spend on veterinary care.

Understanding profitability in a veterinary hospital can be like understanding a Chinese puzzle. Defining profitability can be confusing based upon the entity type.

There are many different types of leaders and different styles a re required for different people and situations. The idea of a one size fits all is outdated. A good leader must have the ability to recognize what style of leadership best suits the situations that occur in day to ay practice. Learning this skill will enhance your effectiveness and value as a team leader.

This informational presentation is intended to familiarize accredited veterinarians with animal health regulatory concepts and activities. Information presented here does not supersede the regulations. For the most up-to-date regulations and standards, please refer to the Code of Federal Regulations and your local VS Area Office.

The estrous cycle of the bitch consists of proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus. Proestrus is the first stage of heat, when the bitch first shows swelling of the vulva and exudation of serosanguinous vulvar discharge. Male dogs are interested but she does not allow mounting. Estrus, or standing heat, is characterized by softening of the vulva, a change from serosanguinous to a more tan-colored discharge, and flagging and standing by the bitch.

Time and time again veterinarians rate high in the most trusted professions. People trust us!

Charles Figley, PhD, who did the seminal research in the diagnosis and treatment of Compassion Fatigue, defined it in 1995 as: "A state of exhaustion and dysfunction (biologically, psychologically, and socially) as a result of prolonged exposure to compassion stress" (giving of yourself without a way of replenishing your energies and resources).

This session will be particularly good for those who struggle with managing people. By the end of the session, delegates will be understand how the creation of clear and linked objectives for all team members will boost performance and take the ambiguity and certainty out of managing the veterinary team.

Individualized drug therapy increasingly is being recognized as an important aspect of health care for both human and veterinary medicine. Consequently, veterinarians must reach beyond FDA-approved veterinary products to provide the current standard of veterinary care to their patients.

Exotic animal medicine is an exciting and rapidly growing part of companion animal practice. Exotics represent roughly 25-30% of the companion animal market for veterinary services. Pet owners readily seek out veterinary care for birds, small exotic mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

It has been stated that: Systemic hypertension associated with kidney disease is a very real problem, and has been diagnosed in over 60% of cats with chronic renal disease.

Seeing more senior pets? That's great. But it's important to teach clients to be on the lookout for signs of aging and corresponding behavioral changes.

Our correspondent wraps up her time with Dr. Marty Becker's Big Bus Tour by catching up with the folks who make it all work.

Can you hear the jazz music? Catch up with Dr. Becker and his bus on the Bayou.

Dr. Marty Becker's Big Bus tour gets off to a rousing start in Houston.

Catch up with our correspondent as she tags along with Dr. Becker on the first leg of his nationwide tour.