Veterinary Medicine - March 2009 - (Page A4)

Veterinary Team Advocate The 5-minute conversation Make the most of your time: Encourage flea and tick control in five minutes flat. queezing one more thing into an appointment often seems impossible. By the time you’ve checked the patient’s vitals, answered client questions, examined the pet, and performed tests, you’re already behind for the next appointment. But don’t forget to discuss flea and tick control with every client. Talking with clients about fleas and ticks doesn’t have to take a ton of time. In a matter of minutes, you can engage clients in the conversation and explain the importance of prevention. S Broach the topic Start discussing flea and tick control at puppy and kitten appointments. Placing client brochures in your waiting room can give you a jump start on the discussion. Some proven methods used by practices to be sure this important topic isn’t overlooked include: Q Using brochures with pictures of fleas and ticks. These visuals help drive home the point that fleas and ticks can be ever-present. No client wants to see these unattractive insects on their pets. Q Giving each client a free dose of FRONTLINE® Plus at the first visit to get them started on the right foot. Explain the importance of prevention and tell clients how and when to apply the product. Q Asking clients what flea and tick control product they’re using during annual examinations. This opens a discussion of over-the-counter products and gives the veterinarian and team members a chance to explain the importance of various professional flea and tick product differences. Q Educating your whole staff— from receptionist to technicians—about basic flea and tick facts, control and prevention, and how to communicate this information to clients. They often have the client’s ear for a longer time than the practitioner and you want to be sure the information presented is current. Instruct the staff that fleas can cause anemia, and ticks can transmit such diseases as Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis They, in turn, can impress on clients the importance of using monthly flea and tick control with products like FRONTLINE Plus. Prevention costs too much. True, flea and tick control has its price. But once an infestation is established, the cost to get rid of it can be substantial. I’m still seeing fleas,even after using a product, so what’s the point? Sometimes clients use this rationale to question using prevention. Explain the flea lifecycle and the fact that it can take several weeks for all developmental stages of a flea infestation to be exhausted. Use every opportunity to spread the message Not every conversation has to take place in the exam room. There are ways to spread the word that take little or none of your time. Consider: Q An on-hold message touting the benefits of flea and tick control. This prepares clients to talk about prevention over the phone or in person. Q Placing informational brochures and posters of the flea lifecycle in your waiting room. Q Have your receptionist routinely ask clients about flea and tick control before the client leaves the clinic. Don’t let flea and tick control go by the wayside. You’re already in the exam room. Go ahead— make the most of your time and ensure that each pet in your practice is well protected against pesky parasites. Overcome objections Of course, some clients need more information than others to get on board. Combat weak excuses with these sturdy responses. My pet has never had fleas or ticks. Explain that they’re probably getting groomed off before the client ever sees them. This is especially true with cats. ®FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of Merial. ©2009 Merial Limited, Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. Cover art by Ryan Kramer. FLE09PBMARVETMED

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - March 2009

Veterinary Medicine - March 2009 Contents Letters Correction Author Guidelines Hot Literature Idea Exchange A Challenging Case Local and Regional Anesthesia Techniques The Latest Scoop on Litter Product Preview CE Form/Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - March 2009

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