Bond clients with surgery stories

Ever wonder what surgery is like from the pet's perspective? Your clients do. That's why Seaside Animal Care in Calabash, N.C., offers "My Big Day" handouts—stories that explain what the surgery was like from the dog or cat's point of view. Each story outlines the kind of care the pet received—from the equipment used to the tests the pet underwent—and offers advice on follow-up care. The handout also includes the pet's photo.

My big day

"When I offer the handout to pet owners, I go over the most important facts with them, like limiting the pet's activity and suture removal," says Gina Toman, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member and a veterinary assistant. "The fact that the story comes from their pets makes clients more likely to read it."

Toman knows firsthand the value of these surgery stories—she received one for her cat, Tiger, when she first visited the practice five years ago as a client. "Reading the story really strengthened my bond with Tiger," Toman says. "She was no longer a stray cat who lived outside my house. She was my cat."