Q. Our doctors and technicians struggle with how to respond when we ask history questions and clients say they still have preventives, but our records show they do not. How can we have honest discussions instead of confrontational conversations?

Although most clients are honest, some may lie or provide incomplete answers for many reasons. They may fear being judged, want to please their veterinarians, have an aversion to being lectured, or desire to be seen as good pet owners. To avoid the embarrassment of not knowing how often they give preventives, clients may invent answers. Embarrassment also is an extension of guilt, causing them to claim they gave doses as instructed.

Don’t call out clients for lying because you may trigger defensive attitudes and shut down communication. Criticizing pet owners will break trust in the veterinary-client-patient relationship. You risk losing clients and opportunities to treat patients.

Here's how to encourage honest discussions:

 Review the patient’s medical record and identify gaps in adherence to care plans. You may see that a dental treatment was recommended last year but was never scheduled. When checking product purchase history, you may find the client bought 6 doses of preventives 12 months ago but didn’t refill the remaining 6 doses. Knowing adherence gaps upfront will help technicians and veterinarians fix them during today’s appointment. Sending online wellness appointment forms with confirmations also allows clients to answer history questions in advance. Your medical team can read answers before appointments, letting you zero in on follow-up questions and saving 10 to 15 minutes of history taking.

“Prep work is one of those simple things that often gets lost in the chaos of a busy day,” Ryane E. Englar, DVM, DABVP, associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine in Oro Valley, wrote in her book 

A Guide to Oral Communication in Veterinary Medicine

 “We can set ourselves up for success before we even enter the consultation room if we take the time to prepare. You would not sit for a test, cold. You would study first. Each consult is a test that can either make or break a client’s relationship with the practice. ”

Establish trust at the beginning of appointments. 

Introduce yourself, shake hands, maintain eye contact, make personal connections, and keep notes about clients’ hobbies, careers, and families—details that make you relatable and a valued advisor.

Small talk—even for just one minute—builds rapport and creates a comfortable and trusting environment. This leads to better communication, improved understanding of concerns, and may improve patient care. Casual conversations let you connect with clients on a personal level, whether a shared sports team or hobby.

Relationship-centered interactions let veterinarians engage clients in a partnership of care, improving client adherence to recommendations and increasing positive patient outcomes, advises April A. Kedrowicz, PhD, an associate professor of communication at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh, advised in an interview with 

 She advocates 4 communication skills to promote trust: open-ended inquiry, reflective listening, nonverbal cues, and empathy.

The close-ended question of, “Do you give your pet heartworm disease preventives?” may provide incomplete answers. Instead, ask, “Which heartworm disease preventive do you give your pet, and when did you give the last dose?”

Pet owners who consistently give doses will immediately tell you: “I use <brand> and give it on the 15th of each month.” If clients hesitate before answering, this may indicate inconsistent dosing, another caregiver administers medications, or they may assume a flea/tick product also protects from heartworm disease. “Tell me more about…” is a nonconfrontational way to get them talking.

Approach the situation with empathy and kindness. 

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Gently question inconsistencies while emphasizing the importance of honesty for pets’ well-being. Say, 

“We both want <pet name> to be protected from heartworm disease and parasites. <Pet name>’s medical record shows that you purchased 12 doses of <brand> 18 months ago, which indicates there may have been six months without protection. We know clients sometimes miss or forget a dose occasionally. It’s easy to forget—I’ve done it myself. Did you buy preventives elsewhere or miss doses?”

If the client explains he is buying preventives from an outside pharmacy, you have an opportunity to win back the business and the client’s loyalty. Share benefits of buying medications from your practice. Say, 

“Our hospital offers competitive prices and has safe, guaranteed drugs that we buy directly from pharmaceutical companies. <Drug name> has a $__ instant rebate when you buy 12 doses from us. We can refill the medication today, or if you prefer home delivery, we can help you place your first order through our online pharmacy. Which do you prefer?”

In another scenario, the client shares that he is giving preventives left over from a deceased pet. Express empathy for the loss of the pet and then ask about the medication. Say, 

“We were honored to have cared for <deceased pet’s name> and know you loved and cared for him/her. Let me check the medical record to confirm the dose is the correct size for <current pet name> and the expiration date of the medication. We both want <current pet name> to be protected from heartworm disease.”

Don’t trust “guilty” body language. 

Clients may avoid eye contact, fidget, and nod dutifully in agreement. Nonverbal clues are unreliable, Jeffrey Knuppel, MD, a psychiatrist in Lancaster, Wisconsin, said in an interview with 

 “Lying comes naturally for some people. The truth may cause them more anxiety.”

It's easier to read clients if you’ve treated their pets for years. It may be harder to interpret expressions or tone of voice in conversations with new clients or those who you’ve only seen a few times.

 If your standard of care is to perform an annual heartworm/tick test, you can assess patients’ health and reinforce the medical necessity of testing and preventatives. Say,

 “It’s OK to share if you are unsure whether you missed a monthly dose. We will perform a heartworm/tick test today. If the test is negative for heartworm disease, we will renew the prescription so you can safely restart medication. We also will help you remember to give the dose every month with a text/email reminder. We want to be your partner in protecting <pet name>."

Fix compliance breaks with proactive reminders and callbacks.

 Relying on clients to remember to refill medications is unreliable. Just as your practice sends vaccine reminders, send refill reminders.

Set up dosing reminders in your practice information management software or third-party reminder service. Include action buttons, which increase click-through rates by 15 percent over hyperlinks.

) Lead clients’ actions with positive choices of dose given, remind me later, and change reminder date. If clients choose “remind me later,” set up an automation so another text is sent the next day.

If clients fail to refill preventives, call them. As part of morning tasks, client service representatives will run a report of patients whose preventives were empty or expired as of today. Because the daily callback report is short, it will be manageable and easy to consistently complete.

In this scenario, the client bought 6 doses of preventives and is eligible for a refill of the remaining 6 doses. If you talk to the client, say, 

“Dr. <Name> asked me to call you because <pet name>’s prescription for <brand> for flea/tick, heartworm, and intestinal parasite prevention is now overdue. We don’t want <pet name> to be at risk for parasites. Dr. <Name> has approved your refill. Do you want us to refill the medication for pickup at our hospital, or shall I text you a link to order through our online pharmacy with home delivery?”

Use the veterinarian’s name to bring credibility and authority to the conversation. Reinforce the medical necessity of parasite protection. Rather than ask, “Do you want a refill?” lead pet owners with the yes-or-yes technique, asking if they want to get medications at your hospital or through your online pharmacy.

If you get voicemail, leave this message: 

“Dr. <Name> asked me to call you because <pet name>’s prescription for <brand> for flea/tick, heartworm, and intestinal parasite prevention is now overdue. We don’t want <pet name> to be at risk for parasites. Dr. <Name> has approved your refill. I am sending you a text now. Let us know if we should refill the medication, and you will pick it up at our hospital. The text will include a link to our online pharmacy if you prefer home delivery. If you have questions, text or call us at 555-555-5555.”

When your team talks with clients about use of parasite preventives, remember that you both want the same result—the best medical care for their pets. Honest discussions will help you achieve that goal together.

Need a script for a client conversation? 

Submit your scenario to info@csvets.com for consideration in future columns.

is best known as the “Queen of Scripts.” She knows the right words will lead clients to accept your medical advice, driving patient and practice health. As founder of Communication Solutions for Veterinarians, she teaches practical skills through online courses, conferences, and onsite consulting. Wendy’s experience as a partner in a specialty and emergency hospital helped her understand issues that owners and managers face. Learn how Myers can train your team at 

A Guide to Oral Communication in Veterinary Medicine. 

Kedrowicz A. Enhancing veterinarian-client relationships with competent communication. 

. December 8, 2023. Accessed April 1, 2025. 

https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/personal-professional-development/enhancing-veterinarian-client-relationships-with-competent-communication/#

. August 23, 2010. Accessed April 1, 2025. 

https://www.physicianspractice.com/view/when-patients-lie-you

Data on file. Otto. Accessed April 1, 2025. 

Articles

Communications expert Wendy S. Myers provides scripts for confident client conversations 

How Do I Say…?: When clients lie about preventive dosing

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has received a $100,000 grant from Petco Love—a nonprofit organization focused on animal welfare—in support of the school’s Oncology Service at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in California-Davis, California. The grant will help fund treatment for patients with cancer, raise awareness about early cancer detection in pets, and help advance cancer research for domestic companion animals.

The Veterinary Center for Clinical Trials at UC Davis offers clinical trials in oncology, neurology/neurosurgery, ophthalmology, and cardiology in efforts to advance medical care for animal patients.

 The center conducts more than 50 research studies at any given moment, including numerous clinical trials focused on cancer. These studies aim to develop new, safe, and effective treatment options for companion animals.

“Pets are love. They are family. Unfortunately, access to veterinary care is often a financial decision,” Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love, said in a news report.

 “We are proud to support pet cancer research that improves treatment options and help families get the needed care for their pets to give them longer, healthier lives together.”

How a nonprofit is bridging the gap in access to pet vaccines

One of the animal patients being supported by Petco Love’s funding is Diamond, a 12-year-old Pitbull terrier undergoing continuous cancer treatments at UC Davis. Diamond was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive cancer of blood vessels that most commonly affects large-breed dogs’ spleens or hearts.

 In Diamond’s case, the cancer involved the formation of a mast cell tumor in her right cheek with metastatic disease to her mandibular lymph nodes. She has received 7 rounds of palliative radiation treatments and, according to a news report, the therapy has slowed the tumor’s growth and discomfort.

Prognosis for hemangiosarcoma is poor, but surgery and chemotherapy can slow the cancer’s progression.

 According to UC Davis, palliative radiation can support a good quality of life for 3 to 6 months. More than a year later, Diamond continues to persevere in her battle with cancer.

“Diamond did really well after her treatments,” said owner Terri Raiford in the report.

 “It was a blessing to be awarded the grant to help me pay for her care, which I otherwise would not have been able to afford.”

Petco Love’s funding involved an initial grant of $350,000 in 2016, a second grant of $225,000 in 2018, and a third grant of $75,000 in 2020. With the most recent $100,000 grant, Petco Love has donated a total of $750,000 to UC Davis. According to the school, the project forms part of a larger country-wide program initiated by Petco Love in collaboration with Blue Buffalo to help fund cancer treatment and research projects in the US.

“These funds have been invaluable in helping clients who wish to pursue treatment for their pet’s cancer, but who don’t have the financial means to do so,” Kathrine Skorupski, DVM, professor of clinical medical oncology at UC Davis said in the report.

“Cancer treatment consisting of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy can be expensive, and this grant helps reduce that source of stress for our clients. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide the best possible cancer care for clients with limited financial means.”

Warren R. Continued philanthropic support helps UC Davis provide highest quality cancer care. UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine. March 31, 2025. Accessed April 1, 2025. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/continued-philanthropic-support-helps-uc-davis-provide-highest-quality-cancer-care

About the VCCT. UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed April 1, 2025. 

https://clinicaltrials.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/about

Hemangiosarcoma in dogs. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Accessed April 1, 2025. 

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/riney-canine-health-center/canine-health-information/hemangiosarcoma-dogs#:~:text=Hemangiosarcoma%20(HSA)%20is%20a%20highly,a%20sudden%20episode%20of%20collapse

Petco Love’s donations to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine are helping patients like Diamond, a 12-year-old Pitbull terrier with hemangiosarcoma

UC Davis receives $100,000 grant to advance pet cancer research and treatment

Erica Brandt, CVT, VTS (ECC), provides her most valuable piece of advice for fellow veterinary technicians.

What every veterinary technician should know

Erica Brandt, CVT, VTS (ECC), hospital director at WestVet in Meridian, Idaho, recently led several continuing education (CE) sessions at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her CE sessions included 

, which highlighted the importance of recognizing a true emergency and immediate interventions. In a 

 interview, Brandt provides her most valued piece of advice for technician peers.

The following is a transcript of the video:

: You are a very important part of the team—whether you're just starting on your vet tech journey, or whether you're a VTS and wondering ‘is this still for me?’ Because I know, at times, depending on where we're at in our journey, we feel that way. And you are important in taking care of these pets. You are important in developing your skills. The doctors rely on us. The team relies on us, and so just remember how important you are. Keep building your skills, and if you haven't found that place that really helps you celebrate that and celebrate how important you are, and you feel good about those patients that you're taking care of, it might be time to look for another space. But you are important, and keep fighting the good fight and doing the great things that you're doing.

Videos

Erica Brandt, CVT, VTS (ECC), provides her most valued piece of advice for technician peers, in a dvm360 interview.

The Purina Institute—a research organization that is part of Nestle Purina Petcare—recently announced its Purina Institute Global Summit 2025. The event, which will take place April 30 to May 1, 2025, will include talks from 20 global experts on the future of pet nutrition and veterinary care.

The summit, called "Technologically Empowered Veterinary Care," will explore the combination of nutrition science and pet health care to help veterinary professionals use and integrate technology in a way that will work to give patients more personalized care.

 The event will be free, “product-agnostic,” and will be live streamed on Purina Institute’s virtual platform. 

Among the topics being presented at the summit are

The application of informatics, big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to better pet nutrition and health

The application of omics and biomarkers as powerful tools for health monitoring

The effect of connected tools and services on the future of pet care and veterinary clinical practice

Litter box monitoring devices for feline patients’ urinary health and disease

Smart devices that can improve weight loss programs for patients

"The rapid expansion of technology provides great opportunities to improve pet nutrition, pet care and veterinary medicine, while bringing its own challenges," Natalia Wagemans, PhD, MD, global head of the Purina Institute, said in an organizational release.

 "Our goal at the Purina Institute is to foster collaboration and innovation that will drive the future of pet health and nutrition. The Purina Institute Global Summit 2025 brings together some of the brightest minds in the field, offering invaluable foresight for veterinary professionals to be at the cutting edge of pet health innovation."

, chief scientific officer for Microsoft Health & Life Sciences and adjunct professor at Stanford University in California. In prior roles, Lungren was a clinical interventional radiologist leading the Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging. He has more than 200 published works in the areas of AI applications in medical imaging, natural language processing, and public health. Additionally, his work has appeared in 

, senior scientist and scientific advisor in the Jean Mayer USDA Human and Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Promislow has 3 decades of research on aging, during which he has published more than 175 scientific papers on fruit flies, mice, marmosets, dogs, yeast, and humans. A co-founder of the Dog Aging Project, Promislow has received various awards, including the Ellison Senior Scholar Award, the Glenn Breakthroughs in Gerontology Award, and the Bennett J. Cohen Award in aging research.

, professor and vice chair of research and the Ohio State University. Quimby is a renowned expert on chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats. Her areas of research include the study of renal aging, telomere length and cellular senescence, novel treatment strategies, and evidence-based supportive care strategies. Additionally, she holds an interest in clinical trials and feline clinical pharmacology aimed at improving supportive care and quality of life in cats with CKD. A recipient of the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) Award and the AVMF/Winn Feline Foundation Research Award, Quimby was chosen to serve on the IRIS board in 2021.

Registration for the 2025 summit is now open. Veterinary professionals who join the livestream will be eligible to earn continuing education credits in areas that accept RACE.

Purina Institute announces the Purina Institute Global Summit 2025. News release. Nestle Purina Petcare. March 28, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purina-institute-announces-the-purina-institute-global-summit-2025-302413819.html

Explore the future of pet nutrition and health care empowered by advanced technologies. Purina Institute. Accessed March 31, 2025. 

https://globalsummit2025.purinainstitute.com/?utm_campaign=pin-events2025&utm_medium=offline&utm_source=press_release&utm_content=cr-purina_institute_global_summit_2025_invitation_pt-na&utm_term=

The Purina Institute Summit 2025 will highlight the intersection of technology, pet nutrition, and veterinary care

Upcoming global summit to explore the future of pet health and nutrition

Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA, and Jonathan Wainberg, MBA, shares their top 2 tips on how to confidently talk to client about paying for their pets treatment

Video interview with Dr Courtney Campbell and Jonathan Wainberg

During the 2025 WVC Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jonathan Wainberg, MBA, senior vice president and general manager, Pet, Synchrony and Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA, sat down with 

 to discuss different strategies veterinary teams can utilize in their clinic when talking to clients about the cost of their pets care. Throughout the interview, the duo discusses how to bring up the topic with sensitivity, offer alternatives if available, and more to make teams more confident in these important conversations. 

: Yeah, I think strategies going forward to approach that cost conversation first, I believe you have to approach it with sensitivity. There's a there's a complexity to providing care, and those resources for pet care that a lot of pet parents have to navigate on a daily basis, whenever they're that's good at the veterinary hospital, and navigating that can be difficult, it can be scary, and it can be anxiety ridden, and so approaching that with a certain empathy, I think that's the first step. 

The second step is to provide... alternatives. I feel like pet parents genuinely feel valued when they're provided opportunities and options, and the reality is, at least my reality, that I see on an everyday basis is navigating those options. It's like a maze. It can be complex, and so that's why I'm happy we're chatting about Pets Best, because I think it streamlines that maze and takes the complexity out of it.

Yeah, I think there's 2 things that come to mind. We've done a lot of research, and in one of the studies that we conducted, a vast majority of pet parents said that they want to know about financial options. It's one tool amongst the other. So while there might be some hesitation or some reluctance by the staff at the animal hospital or the clinic to do it, you need to understand your customers asking for it. So...don't be afraid. ...They're looking for solutions, right? 

The second thing I would say is that credit is becoming a more and more important part of our market and our industry, right? We see where the cost of animal care is going, and it's something that is a great tool to help people get that great standard of care and the best compliance of care possible. So give them those tools.

Jonathan Wainberg, MBA, and Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA, discuss how to have productive conversations about the cost of care with clients

Conversations about cost with clients

Victor, a 12-year-old rare leucistic alligator, began to concern caretakers at the Audubon Zoo when they noticed he was not able to see his dinner when it was dangled before him. Robert Maclean, DVM, and his colleague Hilary Householder, DVM, called Renee Carter, DVM, DACVO, at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU Vet Med) to see if she would examine Victor’s eyes. 

Carte confirmed after the examination that Victor had an advanced cataract in his left eye with evidence of inflammation. Victor is now also the first alligator known to have cataract surgery which, and based on Carters research for preparation, was never performed in the United States.

Victor, the 12-year-old white alligator (Image courtesy of LSU Vet Med)

White alligators are extremely rare, and it is hard to determine how many there are because of the color of their skin, they cannot camouflage like others, making them easy for predators to see and attack.

Beginning in February, the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital Services, such as the Zoological, ophthalmology, and anesthesia teams, collaborated to help create a plan to treat Victor. After discussions, Victor was sedated and transported by Audubon Zoo clinicians to LSU Vet Med where Javier Nevarez, DVM, PhD, Patricia Queiroz-Williams, DVM, MS, and Householder who were then faced with the issue of how to safely transfer him from his carrier cage for anesthesia. Victor remained sedated until he was fully anesthetized, which gave Carter and the LSU Vet Med team the time to perform the procedure. 

To start, the team needed to determine if he was even a good candidate for the surgery. The team performed multiple tests and determined that the retina was functional and still attached, which gave the team the confidence they needed to move forward with the procedure.

 For alligators, because their eyes are on the top part of their skulls, it made it tricky for the team to get him into a good position for surgery.

“While cataract surgery is typically straightforward in dogs, Victor’s case required us to adapt to the differences in his anatomy and response to medications. There were significant challenges we had to overcome,” Hannah Gafen, DVM, LSU ophthalmology resident, said in the release.

Victor's eye prepped and ready for surgery

To perform the surgery, the cataract needed to be removed through phacoemulsification. He also able to remain stable and safely under anesthesia during the operation, which took almost 2 hours to complete. The surgery was a success, and the team was able to also place a temporary fluid port to administer post-operation eye drops to Victor. He had a 2-week recovery in the zoo’s animal hospital before returning to his enclosure with restored vision. Now that he has returned home, his caretakers reported he is returning to his normal behaviors, once again snapping up at his food.

The clinical team at LSU plans to publish their findings in the future

Victor's Vision: Rare white alligator's vision restored in groundbreaking surgery at LSU Vet Med. News release. Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. March 26, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/blog/2025/victor_vision.php

Audubon Zoo: White Alligator. Audubon Nature Institute. Audubonnatureinstitute.org. https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/white-alligator

The veterinary team at LSU performed the first alligator cataract surgery on this leucistic alligator