October, 2025
What makes for a helpful client? Ask The Vet
A monthly column by daniel h. grove, dvm T
his month, we are going to take a litle turn. I have been asked for a Top 10 list of traits in a perfect client. Some may
find they feel they are lacking in some areas. This list is not to make anyone feel bad, it is more about enlightening you as to what helps make an equine veterinarian’s job easier in my opinion. The list is in no particular order. Let’s get to it!
1. Being organized. Clients that have their animals ready for us,
their questions ready, a list of what they want done and their history ready help us get our job done effi ciently and thoroughly. If we are out trying to help catch animals, do not know what needs to be done or know nothing about the animal, it makes it more challenging for us to do our job well. 2. Be on time and ready to work. This really goes for any service professional.
If we are not working, we are wasting time. Most service professionals are in high demand and want to try to get to everyone that wants their service. 3. Follow directions for aſtercare. Aſtercare is extremely important to a favor-
able outcome aſter many procedures. Changing bandages, hand walking, stall rest, etc. These types of things are not to give you busy work. They are to strive for the best possible outcome, and without them, a good prognosis can turn bad quickly!
4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Client education is part of our job. We know
clients that are seasoned professionals and those who are new to owning horses. It is easy
ROPE SORT
SPIN TURN BEND
D
for us to take for granted that you might not know as much as our last client, so speak up! 5. Clients caring of their animals and environment. When we visit a horse and the horse is brushed, feet are picked out and the stall is clean, it demonstrates good care of your horse. If there is four day’s worth of manure in the stall, the mane is knoted up and there is dirt packed like concrete in your horse’s feet, it may give us pause about how well things will be taken care of aſter we perform a procedure. 6. Minimize the use of Dr. Google. I love educated clients. I love it when they
want to know about the disease process or sur- gical process. When clients go searching every website to fi nd out about an ailment, they receive way to much misinformation. Or some- times, they see the worst case scenario, when there’s is the best case. All of this can lead to unnecessary worry. I see this all of the time. A client thinks their pet is doomed because of what they saw or read on the web—social media is really bad with this—and in the end, it was no big deal. 7. Beware of the add-on. When you have called out your vet to look
at one thing on one horse, and when they get there you ask them to look at six horses, this is not fair. We have schedules and want to pro- vide you the best possible service. If we booked you 30 minutes and it has turned into three hours, it causes undue stress about taking care of your needs and geting to the next two appointments.
8. Respect our personal time. Veterinarians have lives outside of medicine
too. All too oſten a client will contact us on our cell phones at odd hours. I have been sent texts in the middle of the night, called on weekends, holidays, aſter hours, on vacation, you name it. We strive to give you excellent customer ser- vice, but too many people take advantage of our good hearts. Keep it reasonable and keep it to normal business hours. 9. Administer medications as directed. All too oſten, clients get the desired effect
from a medication and then discontinue. If it is an antibiotic for an infection, this can lead to a return of an infection. If the medication is for some other treatment, it can lead to treatment failure. 10. Prepared to pay at time of service. This is a big one. As veterinarians, we did not
get into this profession to be business people. Most of us are here because we want to help animals. There is very litle business training given to us in school. Trying to collect money is very uncomfortable. Clients will also try to tug at our heartstrings to let them pay over time. I do not feel there are too many other ways that are quicker to make a veterinarian not want to help out your situation than to not pay for services rendered. We all get into a bind at one point or another in our lives. But, let’s let the banks be banks and the vets be vets!
Well, hopefully this gives you some good
ideas on how to be a great client. We do not live in a perfect world and no situation is perfect. We can all strive to do beter and make each other’s lives easier!
–Dan
DEVENPORT TRAINING at San Pasqual Valley Ranch RIDING LESSONS, TRAINING & SALES a
R IN BUSINESS FOR 40 YEARS a
BEGINNERS to WINNERS
FROM M ALL AGES
21
BE A PART OF OUR RODEO TEAM! • Training • Lessons
• Sales • Tune Ups
Lynn Devenport a 760-805-5381 a
• Rodeo Horses • Cow Horses
• Barrel Horses • Cattle Available
www.SanPasqualValleyRanch.com a ESCONDIDO, CA
927148-2501A
WEEKLY & DAILY LESSONS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
