The Biggest Red Flags to Watch Before Accepting a Job at a Veterinary Clinic

Summary

The Veterinary Roundtable

Episode Title: The Biggest Red Flags to Watch Before Accepting a Job at a Veterinary Clinic
Release Date: July 21, 2026
Hosts: Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall, Dr. Emily King, Courtney Allan

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Episode Overview

This episode is a candid, practical discussion hosted by Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall and Courtney Allan (Dr. Emily King is absent), delving into the major red flags to look out for when considering a job at a veterinary clinic. Geared toward new graduates and job seekers in the veterinary field, the conversation covers pet peeves, warning signs, and positive indicators within clinic environments, all presented with humor and relatable anecdotes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Notice Red Flags? ([08:24–08:52])

• Discussion Origin: The idea for this episode came during an everyday frustration: dead clippers before an ultrasound.
• “This is one of my pet peeves. This is one of the things that makes me crazy because I feel like it’s so time occupying to have things in the clinic that don’t work that then you have to go find something else that works.” — Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall ([07:59])
• The hosts stress that these small issues are windows into bigger systemic problems at a clinic.

2. Cleanliness and First Impressions

A. Smelly or Cluttered Lobbies ([09:06–10:07])

• Bad-smelling, dirty, or cluttered waiting rooms are a major red flag.
• “If it smells like animal when you walk in, it’s probably not a clean place.” — Courtney Allan ([10:07])
• Clutter contributes to disorganization and workplace anxiety.
• Host tip: Check the bathrooms too—if they’re gross, it’s a bad sign about overall hygiene and management.

B. Lack of Warm Welcome ([11:03–12:10])

• Not being greeted upon entry or the absence of helpful staff at the door is a red flag.
• “If no one picks their head up and greets you… it’s like, hello, hello, hello.” — Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall ([11:03])
• Reception layout matters: high, closed-off desks inhibit hospitality.
• The hosts praise clinics that have dedicated greeters who open doors, especially for clients with pets in carriers.

3. High Turnover & Nepotism ([15:05–16:13])

• High staff turnover indicates problems with clinic culture, management, or working conditions.
• “If no one’s been there for longer than three years…” — Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall
• Conversely, if the only long-term employees are family members of the owner, that’s also worrisome.
• “If you go there and someone has been there for 30 years and they’re a family member, you should leave.” — Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall ([15:19])

4. Communication Breakdowns ([16:18–17:22])

• Poor communication, both internally and with clients, is a huge red flag.
• “If you don’t have communication, you can’t have a good business anywhere.” — Courtney Allan ([16:39])
• Failure to communicate leads to errors, dissatisfied clients, and staff confusion.

5. Customer Service Experience ([17:32–19:02])

• Being consistently put on hold, especially for long stretches, shows lack of organization and respect for clients’ time.
• The hosts share a story: competitor clinics left a mystery shopper on hold for over 7 minutes.
• Tip: Call the clinic before your interview to gauge their phone etiquette and friendliness.

6. Facility Design & Species-Specific Considerations

A. Cat-Friendly Features ([20:05–23:38])

• No designated quiet area for cats is a red flag—cats require separate, calming spaces during treatments and hospitalization.
• “If there’s a stressed cat, the whole appointment is just blown.” — Courtney Allan ([20:16])
• Clinics with good cat areas prevent stress and future behavior problems for feline patients.

B. Thoughtful Workflow ([21:53–22:31])

• Smooth clinic flow—minimizing time in lobbies, direct exam-room checkouts, and avoiding crowded public areas—is ideal for pet and owner comfort.

7. Social Media Presence ([23:40–24:33])

• A clinic lacking any social media presence is likely behind on client engagement and education.
• “You have a chance to educate. You have a chance for people to know you.” — Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall ([24:08])
• Social channels boost morale and connection to the community.

8. Surgical Practices and Techniques ([24:40–25:25])

• Still using staples to close surgical incisions is cited as a pet peeve and a possible red flag for outdated or impatient surgical technique.
• “Staples… seem to form a more intense tissue reaction. They make the suture site look really, really angry.” — Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall ([25:02])

9. Clinical Communication Gaps ([25:39–26:08])

• Clients coming for second opinions and not having been told about common diagnoses at another clinic (like allergies for itching) reflect communication failures.
• “When you talk to them and you say, has anyone talked to you about allergies and they say no. That is one of my biggest…” — Dr. Ashlyn Duckwall ([25:49])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “When your space is messy, your head’s messy, and it’s a good way to work in it.” — Courtney Allan ([09:57])
• On high turnover: “Not every tech that’s there has been there for like six months to a year. And that’s it.” — Courtney Allan ([16:10])
• On phone etiquette: “I don’t want that client to sit there and just wait. We’d rather say, I don’t know the answer, let me call you back… you’re both not wasting time.” — Courtney Allan ([18:18])
• On client perception: “It starts at reception. The client’s outlook on the clinic.” — Courtney Allan ([19:49])
• On outdated practices: “Taking [staples] out is the worst because then you pretty much reopen a whole incision.” — Courtney Allan ([25:14])

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• Red Flag Introduction and Rant — [07:22–08:52]
• Client Experience: Lobbies & Greetings — [09:06–12:10]
• Staff Turnover & Nepotism — [15:05–16:13]
• Communication Concerns — [16:18–17:22]
• Testing the Phones — [17:32–19:02]
• Cat-Specific Areas & Workflow — [20:05–23:38]
• Social Media & Modern Connection — [23:40–24:33]
• Old School Surgery Methods — [24:40–25:25]
• Missed Diagnoses & Client Education — [25:39–26:08]

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Practical Takeaways for Job Seekers

• First Impressions Matter: Trust your senses and intuition when you visit a clinic. Clean, organized environments with friendly greetings signal pride and professionalism.
• Watch for Turnover: Talk to the staff—long-term, non-family employees indicate a healthy culture.
• Quiz Their Communication: Both internal (staff-staff) and external (staff-client) communication are clinic lifelines.
• Test Their Phones: Call ahead to see how you’re treated as a potential client.
• Check Cat (and Other Species) Provisions: Proper facilities for different patients show deep care.
• Look Them Up Online: Active clinics with educational, fun, or community-driven social accounts are likely more engaged and up to date.
• Observe Surgical & Medical Practices: Outdated or “shortcut” techniques may signal other old-fashioned standards.

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Conclusion

This episode is a treasure trove of real-world wisdom for veterinary professionals entering the job market. Ashlyn and Courtney’s approachable, frank manner makes their advice feel like sitting down with experienced friends who want you to thrive. Their checklist of red flags, from the scent of a lobby to the tone of a phone call, equips listeners with the practical tools to find clinics rooted in respect, organization, and client care.

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Have pet peeves or red flags to share? The hosts encourage listeners to send in their own for future discussion, keeping the conversation lively and collaborative.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

And welcome to a very special episode of the Veterinary Roundtable, the podcast where we answer your veterinary related questions while having some fun along the way. If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to leave us a review on your podcast provider of choice. And if you have any feedback to offer to improve the Veterinary Roundtable, make sure you let us know.

[A]

Wow. Reviews are getting up there. We're almost at 4:50. I wonder how long it's going to take us to hit 450. I feel like we've been riding in the 440s for a little bit.

[B]

I know, but this is kind of exciting because it's pretty close to 500.

[A]

You think it'll happen before the end of the year?

[B]

Oh, gosh, yeah. Yeah, I really do. I do.

[A]

We have literally haven't thought about.

[B]

We need to. Well, we've been so focused on the live show, so it's taken a back seat. But don't you worry. Don't fret. We will have it figured out.

[A]

Yeah. Speaking of, if you haven't heard, the vert is doing another live show.

[B]

Yes. WBC Nashville.

[A]

Yeah. Live show number two.

[B]

Yeah. It is gonna be so much fun.

[A]

I know.

[B]

I'm so sorry you can't be there.

[A]

I'm so sad.

[B]

But you're gonna have.

[A]

I'll be there in spirit.

[B]

The wonderful baby.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And I'll be in the newborn bubble. That's right. You're still going to be loving your life at that point.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So that's pretty awesome.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But we're going to have some. So we had to find some special guests to fill in because we not

[A]

going to have you and Ally fill some big shoes.

[B]

Both having babies at the same time. So we're like. We had to go out there and we had to filter through all of veterinary medicine.

[A]

We really racked our brains to find the best, most fun people to have

[B]

that would fit in.

[A]

Yes. That would fit with the round table vibe.

[B]

And so we came up with Walter

[A]

Brown and Sarah Parsons. So those are the two hosts. Our MC is Adam Christman.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So he seems like a funny guy. I'm kind of sad. I want to meet him.

[B]

It's going to be so fun.

[A]

He seems like a good time.

[B]

Yeah, he's. He's just got such a great personality. He'll be able to connect with the audience. You know, this whole event is really about celebrating everybody in veterinary medicine. And he has a great way of connecting to people, with people. So he's perfect for the job. Yep.

[A]

Good.

[B]

It'll be a lot of fun. And then we're going to get a lot of laughs with Walter and Sarah.

[A]

Yeah. Oh, for sure.

[B]

So we have that going for us.

[A]

Yeah, it'll be really fun. And tickets are $5.99.

[B]

Tickets are 5.99.

[A]

Like for that good of a time.

[B]

Yeah. And it's. We're two thirds of the way sold. Sold out. I mean, that's already. At this point. We were pretty excited about that. You get free drinks, free food, prices, prizes, which we made the list the other day. Harrison shared, which we're not sharing because it's surprises. But the list is pretty good.

[A]

Yeah. For the giveaways and all the brands that are giving us stuff to give

[B]

away and the dollar bills, there's going

[A]

to be just prizes or. That is a prize.

[B]

That is a prize.

[A]

But yeah, themed cocktails, which are a fun surprise, too.

[B]

I'm so excited for the theme.

[A]

All that for $5.99. You can't beat that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You really can't.

[B]

At a conference. It's a great. It's a great way of getting together, hanging out with people and having a good time.

[A]

Yeah. And especially if you're going to the conference for ce, then you can, like, turn your worrying off and just have a good time.

[B]

Have a good time. And you still might learn something, though.

[A]

You're right. You're right.

[B]

So there's that. All right.

[A]

Okay. We also have social media channels. We have Instagram and Tick Tock. They're both at the Veterinary Roundtable. And we also have a YouTube channel where you can watch our video podcast. And that is the Veterinary Roundtable on YouTube.

[B]

So you might notice that the studio looks really weird today.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because we move.

[A]

We have a new studio. This is our third move.

[B]

This is our third wave. Yeah, that's right.

[A]

Well, third studio, second move.

[B]

I guess that's true. Yeah. So we're in a new location and you're going to notice you can see things that you normally couldn't see.

[A]

You can see our beautiful producer, Harrison.

[B]

You are now privy to what is happening behind the scenes. This is so exciting. I'm not sure Harrison is excited. I'm thinking for updates I can come in here.

[A]

Go.

[B]

Go buy tickets. I don't have to use my microphone.

[A]

Breaking news.

[B]

Go buy tickets. There's cyclospora. Don't get diarrhea. Make sure you don't get diarrhea before you come to the show.

[A]

Yeah. Don't eat produce right now.

[B]

Oh, my God. I can't keep Myself from eating produce.

[A]

I know that's my biggest craving right now is fruit. Tell me how you're supposed to keep pregnant lady away from fruit.

[B]

All right, so that's probably. We're just. I'm just going ahead and getting into my pit because that was my pit.

[A]

Yes. Yeah. But like Jacob sent me the article and it says stay away from all produce. Excuse me, all produce. What do you want me to eat the whole week?

[B]

And they even say like if you clean it, it doesn't matter. I think you can cook stuff. But who's cooking? Who's cooking?

[A]

I'm not going to cook. My strawberries can make jam in. My watermelon can make jam.

[B]

Okay, wait a minute. Ok, watermelon. Like how does the crypto whatever get into watermelon? Like watermelon should be safe.

[A]

I just, I don't get it. But like that edges I don't understand. Like the, like stay away from everything.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That's wild. And for how long?

[B]

I don't know. And the CDC says that you can't really like clean the stuff well enough. Like they give you some options to clean, but they don't. They say, well it may work, it may not work. So up to you. And then the diarrhea can last 24 hours, four weeks.

[A]

Yeah. It's just insane. That like it's not like. Cuz usually there's like a recall in like lettuce or something in particular. But it's everything.

[B]

It's everything.

[A]

How does that happen?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

But I said like, how does one thing infect that? How everything.

[B]

I'm just going to take some Ivermectin.

[A]

If I get it right, we have access to it. Ivermectin fixes everything. It does.

[B]

So that's my pit. Yeah, that's pretty stupid. It is very.

[A]

I think that's my pit too because I went to the grocery store this morning because I was really craving muffins that my mom used to make. Like it's just like a package. You just mix it up, put in the oven, whatever. Right. And then I went in the fruit section. I was gonna buy fruit and I was like, probably shouldn't.

[B]

You know what though? None of the stores have signs up.

[A]

No, they don't. So like is it even in Indiana?

[B]

I don't know. I haven't looked at the map recently. I just remember like looking at the map initially when we were talking about this a couple weeks ago and I was like, oh, wow, that's a lot of states.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I don't think Indiana was one of them at that time. But it probably is now.

[A]

Yeah. I think that's my pit, too. That's just stupid.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like, come on, get it together.

[B]

Okay. Those darn parasites.

[A]

Yeah. They're everywhere.

[B]

They're everywhere. My peak is that we moved to the new studio and that we no longer have to pay rent at the other studio.

[A]

Yeah. Saving dollar bills.

[B]

But what else? I really like the hot weather. I am. I just love it. I love being able to sit outside when you're swimming and you're not cold at all. I love swe when you exercise. I love all of it. I feel like I'm, like, detoxifying.

[A]

I think I would enjoy it more

[B]

if I had a pool and if you weren't pregnant.

[A]

Right. 38 weeks pregnant, to be exact.

[B]

I had Calvin and Holden both in August.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I just spent all. I feel like all of my pregnancy in the pool.

[A]

Yeah, that sounds nice. I have a swim once this pregnancy and I feel like I would feel as light as a feather. I just don't have the motivation to, like, get up and go to the pool because it's too hot to be outside.

[B]

Oh, my God. That sounds funny. All right, well, angel noticed that it's just Courtney and I for this podcast.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So we wanted to do us.

[A]

We're doing a special episode.

[B]

That's right. Because we were working together the other day and we started talking and I don't know what I was doing. What was I doing?

[A]

And we were about to do an ultrasound. And you didn't have the supplies you needed?

[B]

I didn't have the supplies I needed. And I turned around to the shelf and I grabbed what I thought I needed, and I was like, what the. And it didn't work. And so I grabbed the clippers and I put the battery in the clippers and I was like. And no, didn't come on. Then there happened to be a second battery. And battery. Nope, didn't work either. And I was like, this is one of my pet peeves.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

This is one of the things that makes me crazy because I feel like it's so time occupying to have things in the clinic that don't work that then you have to go find something else that works.

[A]

Yeah. Because then you have to go walk through the entire clinic to find something.

[B]

Oh, my. And then it.

[A]

Waste time and the patient's ready and

[B]

it makes me want something. Yeah. There's very few things that I feel that way about, but that is one of them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So then we were like, you know what? Let's do a podcast.

[A]

Yeah. Let's talk about some pet peeves, some red flag flags within veterinary clinics.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And see if people agree with us.

[B]

Okay. So share. If you hear this and you're like, oh, yeah, tell us your red flags.

[A]

Like, we have so many new graduates. When you're applying for clinics, what do you look for?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Or these can be some helpful red flags to look for when applying to clinics and to avoid those clinics.

[B]

You know what if you.

[A]

If they have these.

[B]

Exactly. And you know what you can do? Go find their clippers and see if you can turn on. And that's a red flag if they don't turn on. Okay. That's all I'm saying.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Okay. You go first with your list or with one thing or whatever you want to do.

[A]

Okay. My first one that I have on here. Oh, no, I think this is from like a client aspect or perspective.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

A bad smelling lobby.

[B]

Oh, really? I know in today's world that's still a thing.

[A]

I can't believe it. I just think, like, if you walk in, I mean, I know it's a building full of animals and gross things all the time, but I think that's why you should be even more diligent on cleaning or just like, grossness when you first walk in the building. Like, I feel like we get that comment a lot from clients is how good our lobby smells.

[B]

I agree. And I think the other thing you will notice about our lobby is that it's not cluttered.

[A]

Yes. It's not like, chaotic when you first walk in.

[B]

Because I think that I'm just a big believer that your workspace should not be cluttered. Because I think that it creates, like, whether you know it or not, like, disorganization anxiety. Like you feel like you don't know where things are.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, like when your space is

[A]

messy, your head's messy, and it's a good way to work in it.

[B]

Yeah, Yeah, I agree with that. That's a great one.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

For sure. Yeah. Turn around and go right back out.

[A]

If it smells like animal when you walk in, it's probably not a clean place.

[B]

It's probably not.

[A]

And you don't want to work in a dirty place.

[B]

One of my friends was talking the other day at workout and she was like, we were talking about restaurants for some reason, but then she started talking about, oh, she went. My other friend said, oh, I ate at this one restaurant and I ordered a skinny margarita and it Wasn't skinny at all. And she was so upset that the service and everything or whatever. And then my other friend said, oh, you know what? I look at the bathrooms to know whether or not I'm going to be able to sit in here and eat or enjoy my service or whatever. And so maybe you should check out the bathrooms.

[A]

That probably wouldn't be a bad idea.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think if people aren't willing to take care of their bathrooms.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

No matter where what service industry you're in.

[A]

Right. Yeah.

[B]

Probably not good.

[A]

Nobody wants a gross bathroom.

[B]

No.

[A]

It's disgusting.

[B]

It is really gross.

[A]

I mean, bathrooms are already, like, you just go in there to do gross things, but then keep them clean.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Okay, let me see here. My first one, if you walk into a clinic and no one picks their head up and greets you.

[A]

My second one was no greeters opening the door.

[B]

Yes. If nobody greets you, it's like you're like, hello, Hello, Hello. Yeah.

[A]

When I walk in somewhere and I don't see anybody, I'm like, am I supposed to be in here?

[B]

Yeah. Especially if you have an appointment. I think it's even more dramatic if you're thinking they're expecting you.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And you walk in and you're like, yeah, is nobody here? Like, nobody expecting me? And that feels really, like, boom, right off the bat. That experience and that transaction you're on,

[A]

it's like, kind of ruined. Yeah.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Yeah. Because they don't feel important and. Yeah. They just feel out of place.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like they're. Or they're bothering somebody.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Right. If somebody has to come from somewhere, you feel like you've interrupted them or bothered them or whatever. So that's a good point.

[A]

Yeah. I like that our greeters open the door. Especially if you have, like, a cat carrier or you have a dog pulling you, it's just easier for someone to just grab the door for you and then help you get situated. Help you get you in a room and then go from there.

[B]

Yes. I think that, you know, there's not enough clinics that have. I. I'm still amazed that people still answer the phones in the front lobby. I still find that very interesting.

[A]

I don't know how.

[B]

And that they have these big desks, like, really tall desks.

[A]

Like, you're shut off to the world, and it's not welcoming.

[B]

And so then they're, like, peering over.

[A]

Can we help you?

[B]

Like, you know, like, it's just such a barrier to relationship building, and it's so easy to answer phone someplace else. You don't have to do it there.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And we've said this time and time again on this podcast that is just. You are setting the receptionist up for failure. Like they have to choose who they're going to disappoint.

[A]

Stay with us, we'll be right back.

[B]

Tickets are on sale now for the Veterinary Roundtable Live at WVC Nashville 2026 where we're having the ultimate western themed night out for veterinary professionals. Join us on Sunday, August 16 for a night of absolute chaos in the best way possible.

[A]

Hosted by Dr. Adam Christman alongside special guests Sarah Parsons and Walter Brown, this one of a kind live experience is more than just a show. It's a full on celebration of the veterinary profession and the incredible people who make it what it is.

[B]

Expect an unforgettable evening featuring a special

[A]

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[B]

Dust off your boots, grab your cowboy hat and get ready for a night of connection, celebration and pure veterinary chaos. Tickets are limited and they will sell out. So grab your friends, grab your co workers and grab your tickets now through the link in the show notes. We'll see you at Canary hall for the Veterinary Roundtable live at WVC Nashville 2026.

[A]

Yeah, well, and plus, if you have like in your lobby, if you have reception in there and you don't have a designated person to like greet clients and bring them in and bring their pets in, then I feel like you're also at risk for more dog fights or something because then the lobby gets jam jammed up and then there's dogs everywhere and then they're going crazy and then that just creates chaos and it's just too much. Then dogs are barking and so I like that we swiftly get them in a room.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And that's like literally their only job is to greet the client, bring them in, put them in a room.

[B]

Yeah. And I've said before, like, I think it's funny, people would never realize the amount of work we do in that practice. Looking at the lobby.

[A]

Yeah. Oh, 100.

[B]

You know what I'm saying? If you.

[A]

And like it's like a tornado happening in treatment in the front. Yeah.

[B]

Like it is quiet and there's nobody up there. There's no dogs running around. There's nobody trying to be checked out. There's nobody like, you know what I mean?

[A]

Like, and then you walk back to Treatment is.

[B]

Yes, exactly. Exactly. It's like, oh, wow. Okay. Yeah, it is busy here. You know, I think people think it's dead there. It's not.

[A]

No, it's not. We just have a really good system.

[B]

Okay, what have you got?

[A]

What's the next one? A high turnover rate.

[B]

Ooh, yeah.

[A]

You're applying.

[B]

Yeah, I put in there. I was gonna write if no one's been there. Like tenure. Right. If no one's been there for longer than three years or something.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But then I reversed it and I said, if you go there and someone has been there for 30 years and they're a family member, you should leave. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Like somebody working there.

[B]

Yes. Is a family member of the owner.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Like, that's probably gonna be an issue.

[A]

Yeah. I would agree.

[B]

And especially if it's like the aunt, the whoever, like, typically they're just not able to fire them.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

You know, because it's family.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it makes it really hard.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So to. To. To the opposite side of what you're saying is you need to walk into a clinic if you're interviewing or whatnot, and see some longevity.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

See some staying power.

[A]

Yeah. Not every tech that's there has been there for like six months to a year. And that's it.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think that's really important.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. What else you got?

[A]

Poor communication.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Like if everybody just like if you're doing a job shadow or something, and everybody just seems like they're on different pages throughout the entire day and it's just like. Or between departments or even poor communication with clients. And clients seem dissatisfied because they don't know what's happening with their pets. Things like that. Just not keeping anybody in the loop.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Because if you don't have communication, you can have a good business anywhere. It doesn't matter where you work.

[B]

No. And I think communication is one of the biggest things that everybody goes back to when they say there's a problem. Oh, it's poor communication. Like, it's one of the talked about, most talked about topics because of so many issues. It really does.

[A]

And balls can be dropped and things can go really south really quickly.

[B]

I think people think they don't have time to communicate. And when you. When you don't take the time to communicate, people fill in the stories themselves.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

You know, because their brains don't stop working. They're still thinking about it, and so they just fill in the blank spots. And so without communication, that happens. And then that creates a lot of issues.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Across the board.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

That's a good one. You call the clinic and you get put on hold right away.

[A]

I like that one.

[B]

We did a. With Vet Practice Pro, we did a market analysis for one of our clients, and it. We called seven other clinics and around them, their competitors, and somebody put Kayla on hold for literally seven minutes. They answered and said, hello, and then put them on. And then she said, hi, I'm moving to the area. And then they said, can you hold? And then didn't come back for seven minutes.

[A]

That's. I say that to Jacob all the time, anytime I call any business. Because you can't talk to a real person anymore. Like, the phone trees and the automatic system, whatever. But I'm like. I wish everybody was, like, all still. Like, I'm not trying to toot our own horn, but I think it's a really awesome thing that we do our whole time. So if you put a client on hold, it'll ring back after a minute, and then if you don't pick it up, it hangs up on the client. Because we don't want that client to sit there and just wait. Because we'd rather say, I don't know the answer. Let me call you back. And so you're both not wasting time. And so, like, I just. Yeah. For. I get put on hold, like, when I call their clinics or I'll call referral practices to get records or something. And I'm on hold for, like, 15 minutes sometimes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I'm like, that's such a waste of my time.

[B]

Such a waste of time. And it's. Yeah. And she was like, I would have hung up if I didn't need to get some data.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Like, I sat there waiting because I knew I had to ask some questions. But, like, that is, like, killer. A relationship killer.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, it's annoying.

[A]

And then it just makes you mad. And you're like, I don't even want to talk to you anymore.

[B]

Yes. So if you're interviewing at a place, call them and ask for directions. Maybe you already know where you're going, but call and talk to somebody there. Tell them you're moving there. Does every. Does anybody. One out of the seven people, when they said. When she said, hey, I'm moving to this location, only one person said, we're so excited to have you in city.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You're gonna love it here.

[A]

Oh, that's nice.

[B]

Everybody else was. Didn't bad and didn't say anything, didn't welcome. You know, I'm like, oh, my gosh. You Know, wow, that's the service. And so, like, you know, call. If you're interviewing someplace, call and get directions. Call and. And see what it feels like. It's a good idea because your clients that you're going to be working for at said practice will be experiencing that.

[A]

It starts at reception. It starts in reception. The client's like, outlook on the clinic.

[B]

Yep, absolutely. That's.

[A]

They have a big job. They have a big responsibility and a big job.

[B]

I know, Absolutely.

[A]

Yeah. Wait times on the phone is really annoying.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Um, I said another one is no designated cat treatment area. Because I've seen how important it is for cats to have their own quiet space.

[B]

I didn't even think of that one, but you're exactly right.

[A]

Like having a quiet area to take a cat. Because if there's a stressed cat, it's. I mean, the whole appointment is just blown because. Yeah, they're too stressed.

[B]

You know, we ended up starting with just the cat hospitalization, like where the cats are kept separate then from the

[A]

dogs, which, like where the cages are

[B]

and which is great. I mean, that's also equally as well. Like when they're waking up from surgery or you have a sick patient. It's great because we have a whole separate area for them. And then we end. Because I'm sure people are sitting there listening, going, well, we don't have space, you know, and then we just transitioned an office. It's literally an office.

[A]

Yeah. So we have two cat rooms. So we have one for hospitalized patients mainly, and then one for treatments for, like, rooms.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Which. Yeah.

[B]

And it's great because all the supplies for cats are in there. You just. You take your cat from. And one of our cat designated exam rooms is like, right there.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

It's literally maybe 30ft. Yeah, something like that. So you're not walking the cats very far at all, you know, but everything's in there that you need. It's quiet. You can shut the door. They can't get away from you.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I mean.

[A]

Yeah. I will say too, one thing I love about our cat room, because it was an office that was transitioned into a treatment area. Is that because our other cat room has cage banks, but there's. Cats get under the cages. So one thing I do like about our cat treatment room is that there's nowhere for a cat to hide. That is so, like, because if you have a really fractious cat, you have to let go of them. Like, sometimes you just have to let go because they're just losing their mind. And so in this cat room, I can let a cat go, and there's nowhere it can hide from me. Unless they got on the ceiling. But that's only happened once, and it wasn't even in that room.

[B]

We'll save that story for another day. Okay.

[A]

But, yeah, I just like it.

[B]

That's a great. Yeah, I didn't even think of that. I think that also goes back to our lobby and not keeping people in the lobby, like, right. Cats, you know, not having them wait there for an exam, so moving them out, you know, then I think the way that our flow works does work, because the checkout occurs in the exam room. So, again, owners aren't holding pets just out in free space where they can come in contact with other animals.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, we have a separate single door that people can go out of and stuff. They had to go through the double door if another pet's coming through. So there are certain things about the flow that just make it less traumatic, I feel like, for the owners and the pets.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. And I will say, the other day, I had a client who they. It was an older couple, and they couldn't drive themselves. They used, like, public transportation, and they were in. Well, they got done with their appointment. They had a kitten. They think the kitten was. It was older. It's probably like, five, six months old. But I kept walking through the front, and I kept noticing they were there. And so I asked. I'm like, does anybody know what these clients are doing? Then they told me they had to take public transportation, so they're waiting on the bus. Whatever. Well, they had their kitten just sitting on the ground in the carrier. And after, like, five minutes past or like 10 minutes, I'm like, okay, they're still here. And then we just had the cat sitting on the ground. And so I was like, this is very stressful. Like, there's dogs coming in and out, blah, blah, blah. So I ended up taking the cat back to our cat room and put it in a cage, like, in its carrier, and just let it sit. And actually, it calmed down a lot because every time I walked past, the cat was just, like, up and moving in the carrier. And I was like, oh, my God, this cat's gonna hate coming here for the rest of its life. And so I put it in our cat room, and that's where the cat room came in handy, because then it just hung out in there. And they ended up waiting an hour for the bus.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

And the cat would have just been sitting in the lobby, stressed.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And it's a baby.

[B]

Oh, my word.

[A]

Wow. So good job. Yeah.

[B]

Way to go. My last one is social media. If the clinic is not. Doesn't have any presence on social media. You know, I think that they are doing a disservice. That might be. I don't know what the right word is to their clients. Do. What would you call it a disservice,

[A]

Harrison,

[B]

or just like, I call it a disservice because I'm thinking, like, you have a chance to educate. You have a chance to have.

[A]

Goes back to communication.

[B]

Yes. You have a chance for people to know you. You know what I mean? So they're comfortable with you when they come in, like. And I'm just talking about. For your community.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, I think that you're. The majority of your pet owners are finding information that way, so making sure that they have accurate information.

[A]

Yeah, that's a good one.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It takes some time, but it's worth it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Get your name out there, too, and you can boost morale and have fun with it.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

And make fun videos. Okay.

[B]

Do you have any more?

[A]

Not really. No.

[B]

That's it.

[A]

I think. I don't know if this is more of a pet peeve or a red flag.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Still using staples to close surgical incisions.

[B]

A lot of people use staples.

[A]

I think staples are not good. I think staples I've seen are bad.

[B]

You know, I don't like staples because they are. For whatever reason, they seem to form a more intense tissue reaction.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like they make. They make the suture site look really, really angry. Yeah. They're very Frankenstein ish. I know why people probably use them from a speed perspective.

[A]

Yeah. I was going to say yes, but

[B]

then they get twisted. I know how they get twisted.

[A]

And yes. And then taking them out is the worst because then you, like, pretty much reopen it in a whole incision.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because you make it so mad.

[B]

Yeah. It is annoying.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yep. I'll give you that. Okay. That's a good pet peeve.

[A]

Yeah. All right.

[B]

Harrison, do you have any before we close that you would like to share? No, he talk. Oh, okay. That's unusual for him.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. I'm just going to look through my list and make sure. Okay. The last one I have is when a client comes in for a second opinion.

[A]

Mm.

[B]

And no one. And say they're here for bilateral otitis or for. They're itching all four of their feet. Licking all four of their feet. And no one. And when you talk to them and you say, has anyone talked to you about allergies and they say no. That is one of my biggest.

[A]

That's crazy.

[B]

Yeah. And you'd be surprised how often it happens.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Back to again, communication. Okay. Yeah, it's crazy.

[A]

I have so many pet peeves I

[B]

could talk about, but yeah, we won't go.

[A]

I think I'll just get mad. My pregnancy rage is really bad.

[B]

Oh, gosh. All right, well, if our topic today generated any ideas for you guys, make sure you share them, because we always like to get a good laugh and commiserate. So make sure you send them in. You can either voice text them, which we like. We do voicemail them, whatever, or email them to us.

[A]

Yeah. Okay. Thank you so much for tuning into another episode of the Veterinary Roundtable. Remember, send in those questions and leave us a review. If you enjoyed this episode or previous one, we'll see you next week for another episode of the Veterinary Roundtable.