Technicians

Tired of the usual performance rewards, Margaret Fasnacht, business manager at Animal Critical Care and Specialty Group in Malvern, Pa., decided to try a different approach. She presented reception team members with a unique gift certificate-good for one extra paid vacation day and Fasnacht's personal commitment to cover the shift on the team member's day off.

AVMA data shows 56,092 practicing veterinarians in the United States at 27,123 practices. That's about two doctors in each practice. And in two-doctor companion animal practices, the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI) reports a staff-to-doctor ratio of 2.99. That's six team members and two doctors in the average companion animal practice.

Unfortunately, you can't read clients' minds and predict the information, products, and services they want. But you can take a good guess through a revolutionary process called listening.

You can probably look down the street and see someone you know doing a job similar to the one you do every day. The only difference: The patients at your practice are pets, and theirs are people.

Seventy percent of Firstline readers say they need in-house training to take the next step in their career, according to the 2007 Firstline Career Path Study. And about 68 percent say they also require formal training to grow in their jobs.

What's the difference between a job and a career, and which would you use to describe the work you do? While some team members deliberately take the veterinary path, others just stumble across it by accident. Regardless of how or why, let's see what the label you've chosen means.

Are you informal about informing, easygoing about educating, casual about coaching clients about their animals? See how more structure benefits your practice, pet owners, and patients.

Yes, but it takes practice. Firstline readers who are 46 to 55 years old are most likely to work more than three hours of overtime, while those who are 56 or older report they're most likely to work no overtime.

It's probably more than you think. For example, a typical dog owner spends $219 a year on routine veterinary care, while a cat owner spends $175, according to the 2007-2008 APPMA National Pet Owners Survey (see Figure 1).

Yes. But oddly enough, few pet owners take the right steps to protect their pets, their families, and themselves from infestations (see Figure 1)

Working at a practice is like growing up in a big family: no matter how huge the habitat, you're never alone. With such little personal space, conflicts can heat up fast. But a little effort can take the work out of working together well.

The dogs, cats, birds, fish, gerbils, and hamsters you see today might look like the same animals that walked into your practice 10 years ago, but they're different. A sign of their status change might be the number of companies that cater to four-legged consumers, including Old Navy, Harley-Davidson, Origins, and Paul Mitchell, just to name a few. You can also look to what their human companions are spending on these and other products-an estimated $40.8 billion in 2007.

In this video, Dr. Dennis Cloud shares the advice he gives his associates to help them get clients on board with recommendations for care.

A breakdown of communications step by step at a clinic.

How can we overcome communication problems when shifts change? Our team members in the front and in the back of the hospital seem to have trouble keeping up with each other when the morning shift changes to the afternoon shift.

Feeling your blood start to boil? Avoid scalding yourself and others when you're faced with fiery flare-ups from clients or co-workers.

National Report - Money isn't everything. Especially when it comes to consumer attitudes about rising veterinary fees.

Concerned about the threat of feline heartworm infection, team members at Valley Animal Hospital in Roanoke, Va., decided to launch a campaign to educate clients.

My idea to help abused families blossomed into a program that shelters pets while their families get the help they need to escape dangerous situations and rebuild their lives.

Clients are waiting, dogs are barking, and phones are ringing. Sometimes you've got to tune out the static to offer clients the attention they crave and send them away happy.

Q A lot of negative tension flows through our practice, and it's undermining our work. How can I help our staff members come together as a team and stop criticizing each other?

Q How do I inspire others on my team to take advantage of lulls in the day to perform maintenance tasks?

My lovely wife Mary recently threw me a giant 50th birthday party. While the gag gifts were entertaining, the conversations were enlightening.

Tantrums, crying, shouting-who can get any work done when your team is in a constant state of conflict? Emotional intelligence is your gateway to self-management. And when you manage yourself, you choose the path to a happier, more successful work life.

Nervous pets are often problem pets during office visits. Here's help.

Call it goofy.

Sheila Grosdidier discusses the importance of explaining pets' treatment options to clients.

Shawn McVey explains why your practice's appearance really matters.

There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but it only takes one of these missteps to send clients packing.

This surprise visitor taught one girl-and future veterinarian-that sorrow and sympathy aren't just human emotions.