Today's Veterinary Practice

NOV-DEC 2015

Today's Veterinary Practice provides comprehensive information to keep every small animal practitioner up to date on companion animal medicine and surgery as well as practice building and management.

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Today's VeTerinary PracTice | november/december 2015 | tvpjournal.com The Back Page: VeTerinary VieWPoinTs 102 What are the major differences between having an offce site and working from clients' homes? One of the main differences is the naturally slower pace of working at kitchen tables or in living rooms. It takes time to adjust to different settings, and it doesn't work for everyone. I am not in control of the environment, but must still stay focused. What helps is that I have known many of my clients for years and, therefore, know what to expect in their homes. I also believe you need to be a true "people person" to do home visits. I love my patients, but I really enjoy seeing their owners as well; most of all, I appreciate the devotion they have to one another. I feel as though I have a front row seat to this connection, which is a real privilege. One of my favorite examples involves a geriatric golden retriever that was receiving acupuncture therapy. I arrived at the owner's home one day to fnd a large, custom-made dog ramp occupying most of the front steps. "I wanted the ramp built by the side door, but it wouldn't ft," she explained. "So I thought, 'Who needs a front door anyways?'" How has becoming a house call veterinarian allowed you to grow your practice in ways you may not have pursued otherwise? Acupuncture has been a wonderful addition to my house call practice. I see patients more often, sometimes weekly, depending upon the situation. I have also become a referral practice, as I have some clients who see me only for acupuncture. Something that I didn't anticipate pursuing is hospice-type work, typically for geriatric patients or those with cancer. I often work very closely with the client, often leading up to the pet's euthanasia. I do a lot of informal grief counseling, whether I know the owners or not. The whole process is often an incredibly moving and intimate experience, and a client recently told me, "What you do is a ministry." Stay tuned for discussions in our Practice Building column on implementing complementary medicine, hospice care, and geriatric services in upcoming issues of Today's Veterinary Practice. Continued from page 104

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