Case Study: Thorough Arthritis Program Reaps Rewards

CASE STUDY: THOROUGH ARTHRITIS PROGRAM REAPS REWARDS

At Seaside Animal Care in Calabash, N.C., Dr. Ernest E. Ward Jr. knows that 20 percent of his canine patients will develop osteoarthritis at some point. To combat this statistic, Dr. Ward conducts a comprehensive senior arthritis program designed to lengthen the lives of his patients and improve their quality of life, strengthen the bond at his practice, and bolster his bottom line.

Dr. Ward starts by giving all clients with dogs over the age of 7 questionnaires that target osteoarthritis. Pinpointing early tale-tell arthritis signs, the survey asks simple questions such as:

• Does your dog play as enthusiastically as he did at 3 and 4 years old?

• Is your dog running and jumping, or does he think twice about climbing the stairs?

• Does your dog's reaction time seem slower or energy level seem lower?

All of these questions open up a dialogue between veterinarian and owner, and help clients realize that Fluffy's stiffness isn't normal, Dr. Ward says.

Too often clients assume that because the dog isn't crying out in pain, there's nothing seriously wrong. "But that's a mistake, of course, because dogs naturally hide pain," says Dr. Ward. "Clients don't realize that when a dog cries out, it's signaling pain on the level of childbirth or kidney stones."

Seaside veterinarians also use a checklist when examining each senior dog. "Many practices check for arthritis, but they don't do it consistently," says Dr. Ward. "And it's consistency that makes this program work." If a dog does display signs of arthritis, the veterinarian recommends radiographs to make a full diagnosis; a weight reduction diet, which can include dietary supplements for such at-risk breeds as Labrador and golden retrievers; and low-impact exercise, such as walking at a moderate pace and swimming.

The best part about starting a senior arthritis program is that you don't need to invest in new equipment or launch a major staff training program, Dr. Ward says. "And no matter what, the program will give the practice a boost by generating pharmacy, radiology, laboratory, surgery, blood testing, exam, and nutritional product revenue. Simply initiating the dialogue will spur growth in all these sectors."

In fact, the revenue growth that Dr. Ward has seen since comprehensively targeting osteoarthritis six years ago is so embedded in all sectors of his practice that he can't quantify the gain. "I could try to make up a figure to show the impact this program has made, but it'd be no more than a wild guess," he says. "Let's just call the positive return 'priceless.'"

The bottom line: Dr. Ward says the key to an arthritis program that protects both the pets' health and leads to practice success is communication. "We're interpreters for pets," he says. "And we need to be interpreting all the time."