Starting a vet practice

[Anonymous]

My husband is opening a vet practice in the baltimore area and I was hoping some of you could share what you feel is most important in your veterinary experience. Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for asking!
I love our vet practice because it feels so personal. They really get to know our pets. When things went downhill with our 13 yr old dog last year, they were there for us on a very personal level.

Presenting all options when diagnostics are needed is important. Many people feel like vets price gauge.

Everyone there must love animals. REALLY love animals and be patient and understanding with their owners. Also, be up to date on the latest in research about diet, titers etc.

Good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

This sounds pretty dark, but when our pets have passed away at different urgent care facility (after hours situations due to age), our home vet sent a condolence note signed by the staff and also made sure to stop including deceased dog in reminder emails about shots etc.

We are military and have had many vets, and this was the first one who took the time to be thoughtful about our loss.

On a practical note- this vet obviously reviews records from other vets that are sent to him for continuity of care.

I agree with previous comments too.

[Anonymous]

Present all range of treatment options, without assuming that every owner will or can throw thousands and thousands at a pet, especially an older pet. Recognize that, for some owners, there is a balance between cost, age and condition of the animal, when a treatment is worth it, etc. Obviously some owners have unlimited means or are willing to go into thousands and thousands of credit card debt, but not all are. We have put thousands into our dog and love her dearly, but she's 13, and we now weigh various factors in deciding when expensive treatments make sense and when it makes more sense to just make her comfortable. Our vets just seem interested in pitching the most expensive option and assuming you'll do it, as opposed to talking through the various options, which it seems we have to drag out of them sometimes.

[Anonymous]

- providing treatment options from lowest cost to highest cost without passing judgement if I didn't select the costly options

- sending a handwritten note after my dog died

[Anonymous]

1. An excellent lead front-office person

2. An excellent lead LVT

3. Personal attention to euthanasia and serious conditions

4. HOURS. People can't get time off during the work-week to go to a vet. They just can't. Bad hours will shut down a practice.

5. Willingness to prescribe to the full extent allowed by applicable law. Forcing people to bring their pets back in for routine meds, when it isn't strictly required, will send 'em shopping.

6. Perception of real interest in animals. Support a local adoption group, animal advocacy group, etc. Builds trust (and gives a new vet access to an immediate list).

[Anonymous]

If possible, a separate entrance/exit for euthanasia patients. Better for the pet to not be stressed out sitting in the waiting room with all the other animals. And better for the owner, so they don't have to walk through a busy waiting room bawling their eyes out.

[Anonymous]

Here's what the best vet practice I ever used did:

1. If you wanted your pet to die at home, they would send the vet to your house to administer the drugs. The vet would take the pet away after it was over.
2. They made sure to take your pet's name off the list to get yearly reminders for check-ups if your pet had died.
3. They provide kenneling for when you go on trips without your pet, and you can check in (video feed).
4. They're open to different types of "parenting." If you feed bagged food, if you make your own homemade food, if your dog sleeps on your bed or in a crate, etc.
5. High quality answering service during off-hours. I once called because my dog got a bee bite on her mouth on a Saturday evening. The vet called me back less than ten minutes later, and talked me through which OTC medicine to give, and what to watch for and when it would be considered an emergency and to bring her in. Then he called back the next morning to check on her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. An excellent lead front-office person

2. An excellent lead LVT

3. Personal attention to euthanasia and serious conditions

4. HOURS. People can't get time off during the work-week to go to a vet. They just can't. Bad hours will shut down a practice.

5. Willingness to prescribe to the full extent allowed by applicable law. Forcing people to bring their pets back in for routine meds, when it isn't strictly required, will send 'em shopping.

6. Perception of real interest in animals. Support a local adoption group, animal advocacy group, etc. Builds trust (and gives a new vet access to an immediate list).

Agreed! As well as having knowledgeable techs.

We went to a practice were the vet was great but the office staff and techs were really lacking in basic customer service skills and truthfully in basic vet tech skills. Hire experienced staff and make sure they are adults. The practice we left had quite a few high school students but they just didn't have enough experience in customer service and vet tech skills.

[Anonymous]

In home euthanasia is really important.

[Anonymous]

An RV! Tell him to do home visits. We love our mobile vet.

[Anonymous]

How awesome that your husband is going to open a vet practice.

We've had two vets we really loved now (only switched from the first to the second because we moved cities). In both cases, we liked that we could get appointments right away if we needed them.

We also really appreciated the signed card, after our cat died very unexpectedly.

I would say allow online scheduling if it's possible - I've started picking doctors in part based on what they are willing to let me do online. I'd love to be able to schedule a vet appointment, request a refill, ask a question, etc etc etc, without having to wait for someone to pick up a phone, then be ready to talk.

In home euthanasia - yes.

[Anonymous]

OP - thanks everyone.
I agree to the home euthanasia and have been pushing him to take it a step further and do home hospice care for pets. I think it is something needed when our pets are very sick and don't need the stress of going to the vet office.
Appreciate the advice/ideas!

[Anonymous]

We put our dog down last February and the vet's office did her paw print in clay and wrote her name and the year on it. I had no idea they would do that but they gave it to me when I went back to pay for the euthanasia. I made a shadow box with her collar, a photo collage, and the paw print and I am so glad they did that.

[Anonymous]

I didn't choose our vet because of this, but we love the fact they have 2 waiting rooms, 1 for cats, other for dogs. They are in a strip mall and have 2 doors next to each other, and there is a chest high barrier between 2 doors, feeding to one reception desk. This means dogs aren't putting their faces in cat carriers (WHY do dog owners allow their dogs to do this? )

Also agree with giving the choices, clearly lay them out, and I also want to hear "if it were my cat I'd do X because of y". Doesn't mean I'll do that, but I appreciate the info.

Provide high quality, knowledgeable medicine. If you don't know it, look it up, call vet friends, look at the journals, etc.

My current vet will come to the house to euthanize. Makes all the difference in the world. Also, if you do this, get credit card and charge when you make the appointment. Or if you do it at office, have the front office trained to say "let's handle all the paperwork now, before, so you don't need to think about it later. " because when the client is crying nobody wants to grab their arm for payment and nobody wants to stand there signing credit card slips wirh an empty leash/carrier. Don't bill them later at this point in your career. At some point you will know who your good clients are and willl.let them pay later, but that's in a few years.


Be careful to send bills immediately to those who manage to leave without paying for whatever work it is. Call them, work out a payment plan. If they don't respond to you, take the time to go to small claims court. Hire an office manager who will take that time. My mother does this and that vet no longer loses $8,000 to $10,000 in unpaid bills each year.

Also, know your local resources, like animal behaviorists, trainers, vet specialists so toy can give recommendations as necessary. Make sure they know about , too, as it will work both ways. I found our current (and last vet, they are that good) through the feline heart specialist vet... he picked up on something that our vet didn't, I expressed frustration and asked for a recent for a new vet, and found my current ver.

Be out there in your community. Set up a booth at the local town day, or wherever so people know toy. We use our vet because we always have, but we muggy try shovels new for various reasons.

And, yes, finding front office/reception staff is so hard but is critical. They are the face and voice of the practice, they must be good.

Return calls from clients. I don't know how you can do this, perhaps you can set aside 30 minutes twice a day? You can't be taken out of an exam to talk to me, and I'must fine with a call at 7pm, but do please return my call, I'm worried about the test results, or whatever.