Community

Meaningful and memorable moments often outshine the end of a long, exhaustive pursuit. So, what are you striving for exactly?

Yesterday, I saw a client who informed me that she wouldn’t follow any of my nutrition advice because of “You know, dog food kickbacks.” Fortunately, she said, she had found the perfect dog food by sending a swab of her dog’s saliva to a company on the internet. Also yesterday: I treated a cat who […]

History shows that we must raise our consciousness and learn to embrace inclusion and the entire spectrum of people in the veterinary profession.

Diversity is no stranger to veterinarians. This profession is composed of people who understand biodiversity and the earth’s self-regulating system that balances the populations and habitats of all species, humans included. In their day-to-day practice, veterinary team members are likely to see all kinds of animals, from snakes to dogs, gerbils to cats, frogs to […]

Hypnotherapy is a versatile tool especially effective at helping people deal with stress, anxiety and depression.

The COVID-19 pandemic took a momentous toll on the mental well-being of millions of people worldwide. It deprived them of many things that provide relief and mental rejuvenation, such as vacations, celebrations and basic social interaction. As a result, essential workers had difficulty finding an outlet for their stresses and worries, and they felt the […]

Veterinary practices are fetching record sales prices, but what about the real estate itself? You have a few choices if you also own the property.

The veterinary profession is seeing record-setting revenues as the percentage of households owning small animals continues to grow. In addition, surging demand for quality veterinary care has pushed practice valuations to record highs. Corporate consolidators and private equity investors realize that now is an excellent time to purchase veterinary clinics and earn solid long-term returns […]

All your marketing doesn’t have to come from within the four walls of your practice. Experienced, knowledgeable service providers are ready for hire.

Doing all your marketing in-house is great if you have the time, personnel and skill, but outsourcing at least part of it can improve efficiency and deliver new ideas and strategies. Here is some guidance. Q: When should I consider outsourcing my marketing work? A: I’m a firm believer that the best marketing content is […]

Recognizing life events should be part of every veterinary marketing plan to engage clients and acknowledge the familial role that pets play.

Dogs star in family photos. Cats bask and play in multilevel towers. Bunnies enjoy fresh-cut snacks while inside custom-built runs. Their smitten human companions wouldn’t have it any other way. Knowing this, veterinary professionals have learned to cater to the “pet parent” mentality. Accordingly, practice teams refer to their patients by first names, talk to […]

Mentorships extend a helping hand to veterinary professionals looking to advance professionally and personally. The payoff is mutual.

Much has been written about the importance of mentorship and its different types. What’s often missed is the human side — how the relationships form and how they enrich the lives of both mentor and mentee. We want to share how the two of us started a mentorship relationship, why it succeeded and how you […]

Ensuring diversity in veterinary medicine requires reframing our thinking and actively helping all children to achieve their dreams.

Did you know that the word “meritocracy” has been used pejoratively? While the root, “merit,” has always meant achievement based on intelligence and performance, “meritocracy” has been used as a satirical critique of an overreliance on selection processes that lack transparency and depend upon inherently biased tools such as standardized testing. Michael Dunlop, a noted […]

An expert adviser can help select the wisest and most rewarding option for practice owners and their employees.

We hear from veterinarians across America — both small and large animal — that recruiting sharp, young clinicians to their practices is difficult. To attract, retain and reward employees, practice owners must offer competitive compensation and an engaging culture as well as a properly designed retirement plan. Further, in an environment where taxes could rise, […]

Let’s find the middle ground in the interest of free speech and mutual respect. Clinic leaders can play a key role.

I’m sure we can agree that the last decade in the United States has been politically polarizing. Despite constant calls for unity, we have seen increased sociopolitical unrest, broken friendships, shattered familial relationships and much, much more. The data bears this out. Ahead of the November presidential election, Pew Research Center studies found that 90% […]