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Don't poo-poo veterinary clients' diarrhea calls

Article

Affected pets might be suffering from more than just upset bowels. For example, they may have a gastrointestinal infection that needs treatment.

Uncomfortable. That word suits the topic of diarrhea in pets for obvious reasons. The word also fits in a few less obvious ways. Let me explain.

One of my hobbies is calling veterinary practices and asking what I should do about a common pet ailment. I tape these calls and play them to educate the staff at some of the clinics I work with.

My most recent phone query: "I don't come to you guys, but my dog has diarrhea. What should I do?" I could almost see the people squirming on the other end of the line. As such, when our team members listened to the tape, they admonished me for making the people feel uncomfortable.

Help them relax

Answers that stink

But the responses I got to the diarrhea question made me uncomfortable. They ranged from an automated, "You have to come in," to, "Try feeding a bland diet of rice and cooked meat," to, "Pick up some Kaopectate." The common denominator in all the calls (I made almost 40 across the country): There was little to no investigation of what was actually going on with my (fictitious) dog. No one I spoke with called me the next day to see how my pet was doing. In fact, no one even bothered to take down my number.

What's so uncomfortable about this? To begin with, there's a real possibility that by dismissing diarrhea, we're dismissing what could be a serious issue. (See "Medical Concerns of Diarrhea.") Team members who handle client calls about diarrhea should be collecting background information and encouraging pet owners to schedule an appointment. (Visit http://dvm360.com/diarrhea to download a triage sheet that walks you through a client call about diarrhea.) That's not the let's-make-more-money manager in me talking. It comes from my long career as a veterinary technician who's seen all kinds of diarrhea and gastrointestinal cases.

Why do so many team members talk clients out of coming in? Is it the money? Are we concerned about the hassle clients endure hauling their pets to our practice? Are we ashamed of the service they'll receive when they arrive? Do we have such little faith in our exam skills and diagnostic equipment?

What gives?

In an effort to find the answer specific to diarrhea calls, I spoke with a veterinarian, Dr. Howard Gittelman, who directs Animal Medical of New City in New City, N.Y. His response: "I think it's important we acknowledge owners' concerns about coming in, but it's equally important that they understand that a visit to the veterinarian can rule out some real and potentially serious problems. At the very least, these patients are uncomfortable and we have many things in our toolbox that can make them feel and live better."

Uncomfortable—there's that word again. And we know clients who call are uncomfortable too. After all, an appreciable amount of concern is welled up behind every pet owner call, otherwise why would the phone ring?

In the end: Solutions

We're all trying to put our best foot forward: show we care, develop protocols, keep an organized facility, and use our continuing education. But if we don't suggest clients come and experience it, we're missing the point. Considering our practices' commitments—one-on-one client education, comprehensive diagnostics, teamwork, and so on—there's a compelling argument for all diarrhea patients to be seen. In fact, I could argue that all "routine" calls should result in a team member encouraging the pet owner to schedule a visit.

So what's next? Raise these questions with your team: At what point is it worth it for pet owners to spend money on our services, and how sick does a pet need to be for value to trump cost? The ensuing discussion will invigorate your team and help educate everyone on the benefits of your practice's services and care. And it may remind you why you committed to the challenging standards that come with working in this profession.

Bash Halow, CVPM, LVT, owns Halow Consulting in New York City and Wyalusing, Penn.

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