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Do veterinarians and staff members constantly trip over each other's feet at your practice? Or maybe you round corners with caution to avoid taking out unsuspecting clients. Even remodeling or expanding your facility may not fix the problem if you don't develop an efficient floor plan.

You're finally ready to build your dream hospital or expand your existing facility. For years, you've read design articles in Veterinary Economics and carefully studied every floor plan. You've also planned to hire an award-winning veterinary architect. But one of your clients is an architect, and you like her work.

If you come to work every day, park in back, and hurry in the staff entrance, you may be missing out on the little things that detract from clients' impressions of your facility. To identify areas where your practice falls short, look at your hospital the way pet owners do. Here's a guide:

Your new computer is humming on your desk. So what do you do with the old one collecting dust in the corner?

Consulting with clients over a picnic table, housing patients in the restroom, and stacking portable cages to the ceiling may sound like a bad dream to most veterinarians. Dr. Neil Shaw and his team endured this daily reality for more than two years at Florida Veterinary Specialists, a 1,500-square-foot leasehold hospital in Tampa, Fla.

Q. I'm shopping for a new radiograph machine. Which offers greater tax advantages, buying or leasing?

Q. I want to move my veterinary practice from a strip-mall leasehold to an adjacent property that the mall owner recently bought to expand the shopping center. I can either rent a larger leasehold in the new shopping center or lease part of the land. Is it wise for me to lease the land while owning the freestanding building on it?

How often does a knock on the door make your dream come true? Once was enough for Drs. James McGill and Linda Miller, two veterinarians who worked in separate practices north of Seattle. Despite a virtually invisible location, Dr. McGill's 2,300-square-foot leasehold was growing 30 percent each year. And Dr. Miller wanted to offer 24-hour care, but a surgical hospital rented the facility during the day. Both doctors wanted new hospitals, but the cost held them back.

When you mention Colorado, most people picture spectacular views. But from their tiny strip-mall leasehold, staff members at Centennial Valley Animal Hospital in Louisville, Colo., could barely see the parking lot, much less the Rocky Mountains beyond.

Drivers passing East Lake Veterinary Hospital in Dallas do a doubletake when they see dogs running across the roof of the facility. To offer obedience training in her new practice, owner Dr. Karen Ann Fling added a 2,500-square-foot roof deck. This amenity garners plenty of attention, especially when training classes are in full swing.

You know the benefits of offering a complete in-house lab. You--and anxious pet owners--can get quick answers on complex cases, and you can begin treatment immediately rather than hospitalizing the patient until you receive test results the next morning. In addition, owning high-tech gadgets lets you practice high-quality medicine.

Q. When designing my practice, should I create separate entrances for grooming, boarding, and retail areas or have all clients enter through the main door?

When one McDonald's restaurant faced a space dilemma, the owner tore down a wall--and made the building smaller. This may seem like the wrong approach, but the squeeze forced employees to examine traffic flow and suggest improvements. With less space to work, the owner knew everyone would become more efficient.

Whether you're building a new facility or updating your hospital, don't overlook wall finishes. Wayne Usiak, AIA, a Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member and principal of BDA Architecture PC in Albuquerque, N.M., suggests you consider these options for your practice:

Your dog has dominance aggression, a behavior disorder that can be corrected with time and patience.

Keep money in your hospital by adopting this subtle marketing strategy--and give clients the service they expect and pets the care they need.

Q. In a residential neighborhood or commercial leasehold, how can I design my facility so barking dogs don't disturb neighbors?

When you dream about new equipment, also consider replacing existing units that no longer meet your needs. As you compose your wish list, ask these questions to determine whether an item is still efficient:

You've spent a year researching the benefits of laser surgery, and you think this new service will enhance your practice's surgical options. You've even selected the unit and considered financing options. But have you done all your homework? Before you buy expensive equipment, take time to calculate the financial benefits--and hidden costs.

These proven strategies will help your practice make more money--and offer better client and patient care

Every practice loses some clients. Here's how to find out if your client losses add up to a drop in the bucket or a hemorrhaging wound to your client base--and how to staunch the flow of pet owners leaving your hospital.

At age 10, my friends and I thought we'd be driving flying cars by 2000. We never envisioned laptop computers, the Internet, or virtual reality. Now the flying car seems absurd, and computers are commonplace. There's a lesson here: When predicting the future, practicality always wins.

Q. I plan to build a new hospital, but I worry about devoting adequate time to the project without neglecting my practice. Does a building project affect revenue, and how can I best handle this time commitment?

Q. I plan to build a new hospital, but I worry about devoting adequate time to the project without neglecting my practice. Does a building project affect revenue, and how can I best handle this time commitment?

Designing an animal hospital means compromising between the practical and prophetic. It's easy to criticize early floor plans or older hospitals. But how could these architects have foreseen future treatment and service options? Veterinary hospitals are built to serve medical technology, and technology constantly evolves.

Practice success depends on lavishing your valuable customers with royal treatment. Here's how to offer first-class service.

Q. In my practice's kennel and grooming areas, staff members can encounter noise levels OSHA calls damaging. To keep noise from invading other areas, I've contained it in these sections. Short of a major redesign, how can I reduce exposure?

You'll never avoid client conflicts completely, but you can face confrontations with less stress if you focus on finding the treasure in the tribulation.

Q. I'm preparing to sign my first building lease but worry I might miss important details. What should I know before committing?

Rodents are unique pets because of their small size, and they require special care. Here are some tips on how to house and feed your pet rodent to keep it healthy and happy.