Nope, no thanks, not a chance. The exact responses might vary, but when clients don't comply, the result is the same: Pets
don't get the care they need. To improve your practice's client compliance rates and your patients' health, education is key.
When clients understand the reasoning behind these five recommendations, they'll have nothing to say but "Yep, of course,
Roger that."
1 Parasite control
Some pet owners, especially those with indoor cats, just don't believe their pets need parasite control, says Nancy Potter,
a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member and practice manager at Olathe Animal Hospital in Olathe, Kan. "Sometimes they'll say, 'My
dog only goes outside to go potty,' or 'My dog is paper-trained and doesn't go outside,'" Potter says. You can't really blame
them. After all, they're not veterinary professionals like you. So share your knowledge with clients. "We tell them that it
only takes one mosquito bite to get heartworm disease," Potter says. "Then we explain the cost of treating heartworms and
that the injections are painful, as well as the fact that the pet must be confined while we wait for the heartworms to die."
Which clients receive reminders at your practice?
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Another obstacle: Clients may have heard their pets only need parasite control for half the year, says Caitlin Rivers, a veterinary
assistant and the inventory and special projects coordinator at Metzger Animal Hospital in State College, Pa. Some practices
don't suggest yearlong prevention, but if yours does, explain why. Here's what Rivers, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member, tells her clients: "A lot of places only offer heartworm treatment in the summer, but we
recommend treatment year-round. How about you, have you been doing it every six months?"
If the clients worry that they'll forget to give the medication every month, offer reminders. For example, your practice could
send a monthly e-mail that nudges clients to administer the preventive.
If clients still say no, explain that it's cheaper to buy the product 12 months at a time rather than monthly. And if that
fails, follow up later with a letter or phone call to answer any questions and repeat the recommendation.
2 Pain medication
This is the recommendation pet owners are most likely to follow, Potter says. "People want to give their pet relief," she
says. "If the animal is uncomfortable, they want to make it feel better. For surgeries, we include pain medication in treatment
plans and estimates."
Many practices include pain medication in their surgical treatment plans and estimates. In fact, it's more common for practices
to build in pain medication for certain procedures rather than offering it as an option.
How would you rate clients' compliance with your practice's recommendations?*
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If your practice provides the choice and people decline pain medication, it's because they're afraid of the side effects or
cost, Rivers says. And this provides another opportunity for client education. Quell anxious clients' nerves by explaining
just how safe today's medications are as well as the precautions your team will use. "If it's a cost issue, there are a lot
of options," Rivers says. "Help them understand it's not an all or nothing situation." For ways to help clients manage costs,
read "When Money Is the Issue".
3 Weight control and exercise
This is one of the most commonly offered—and disregarded—recommendations. Addressing weight issues requires gentle communication
and education, says Karen Sabatini, a Firstline Editorial Advisory board member and receptionist with Ardmore Animal Hospital in Ardmore, Pa. "Clients seem to associate
food with love, just like many parents," she says. "They don't understand that an animal doesn't rationalize hunger the same
way a person does. The clients don't realize that begging for food is a behavior, rather than an indication that the pet is
hungry."
Since many clients may be overfeeding out of love, draw on the bonds they share with their pet to help them understand the
importance of weight loss. Explain to clients that you want their pet to live a long and healthy life and that obesity can
lead to serious diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
Some clients might be reluctant to confess that their pets are eating too much, and Rivers says many may not even realize
it. "Try to make them feel comfortable so they'll open up and tell you how much the pet's really eating," she says. "And don't
just ask about the food but also the snacks and treats."
It's tough for clients to grasp the amount of food their pets actually need, so it helps to offer specific serving information.
Consider distributing calorie charts for various foods and treats (visit http://dvm360.com/ for examples).
Images often bring home the message more than numbers, so show clients a picture of what pets at ideal weights look like.
Let clients know that you and your practice will play a supporting role by offering to let clients drop in every month without
an appointment to have their pet weighed.
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