Things Our Clients Say That Would be Weird Anywhere Else

Vet med is full of strange moments…but nothing is stranger than the things clients say with total sincerity. Things that, if uttered in literally any other setting, would earn at least a raised eyebrow (if not a restraining order).

Here are a few real gems that only make sense in a clinic…and why we love it.

 

“Oh, I have Buddy’s stool sample here in my purse, let me get it for you.”

At Target? Weird.
At brunch? Illegal.
At a vet clinic? Typical Tuesday.

Somehow the waiting room becomes a judgement-free zone where people casually whip out baggies of poop like it’s currency. Bonus points if it’s double-bagged. Double bonus-points if it’s in a Tupperware container that you hope isn’t going back into their kitchen cabinet later.

 

“Can I get his anal glands done while we’re here for vaccines?”

At the vet: Totally reasonable request.
At the dentist: Deeply concerning.

 

“The diarrhea only happens on my white carpet.”

Classic. Because pets are contractually obligated to ignore tile, hardwood, or literally any other wipeable surface.

 

“I think my cat’s depressed because I rearranged the living room furniture.”

This is either the most relatable statement ever…or proof that cats are secretly running the housing market.

 

“She only tries to bite people in uniform.”

We’re not saying your dog is anti-authority, but we are saying she’s one protest sign away from joining a rally.

 

“He only vomits when I wear sandals.”

Some dogs bark at the mailman, some dogs chase squirrels and then there’s some dogs whose owner swears that their pet has a personal vendetta against open-toed shoes.

Somehow, the client says this with 100% seriousness, expecting you to jot it down in the medical records:

Vomits exclusively in summer months. Correlation: owner footwear.

 

“Oh don’t mind the smell, that’s just his normal breath.”

“Normal” in this context translates to: “smells like a decomposing fish marinated in garlic.”

 

“I didn’t bring her in sooner because I googled it and it said to wait 3 days.”

Translation: I trusted a forum post from 2009 written by a guy named DogLuvr420.

 

The Takeaway

Vet med is one of the only worlds where these statements make sense. And honestly? We wouldn’t have it any other way. These bizarre little soundbites are the stories that get retold in the treatment area years later, usually while someone’s stress-eating Goldfish crackers at 10pm.

So the next time a client says something that would sound completely unhinged outside the clinic walls – write it down and treasure it. These quotes are the glue holding our collective sanity together.

How to Build a Team That Can Function Without You in the Room

How to Build a Team That Can Function Without You in the RoomBecause being needed for everything is not the same thing as leading well. Practice managers are often the glue holding a clinic together.  They know who to call.Where the form is.How the schedule...

The Cost of Constant Context-Switching in Vet Med

The Cost of Constant Context-Switching in Vet MedWhy doing five things at once can make everything take longer. Veterinary teams are very good at multitasking.  Or at least, they have been forced to become very good at looking like they are multitasking.  A...

What Your Favorite Veterinary Tool Says About You

What Your Favorite Veterinary Tool Says About YouVeterinary professionals can get surprisingly attached to their tools. Not in a normal, healthy, “this is useful for my job” kind of way. More like:“That is MY pair of scissors and I know exactly who took them.” Some...

When Saving Money Actually Costs Your Veterinary Clinic More

When Saving Money Actually Costs Your Veterinary Clinic MoreThe cheapest option on paper is not always the least expensive one in practice. Veterinary practices are businesses.  That means budgets matter.Payroll matters.Supply costs matter.Software costs...

Veterinary Clinic Superlatives Nobody Asked For

Veterinary Clinic Superlatives Nobody Asked ForBecause apparently surviving vet med also qualifies you for a yearbook award. Every veterinary clinic has its unofficial titles. No one hands them out.No one votes.There is no ceremony. And yet somehow, everyone knows...

How to Say No Without Sounding Like You Don’t Care

How to Say No Without Sounding Like You Don’t CareHow veterinary teams can maintain firm client boundaries without losing compassion. Veterinary professionals are helpers by nature. You want to find a solution.Fit in one more appointment.Return one more call.Make one...

Real People. Real Veterinary Experience. Real Support.

Real People. Real Veterinary Experience. Real Support.Because your clients, and your team, deserve more than a generic answering service. For many clients, the phone call is the first step in getting help for a pet they love.  They may be worried about a pet who is...

Things We’d Put in a Veterinary Time Capsule

Things We’d Put in a Veterinary Time CapsuleSo future generations can understand what happened here. Imagine that, hundreds of years from now, archaeologists uncover a sealed box beneath the remains of an old veterinary clinic.  They open it carefully, expecting to...

When One Employee Isn’t Pulling Their Weight: A Guide for Practice Managers

When One Employee Isn’t Pulling Their Weight: A Guide for Practice ManagersBecause ignoring the problem isn't a strategy - and neither is hoping it fixes itself. One of the hardest parts of being a practice manager isn’t managing schedules, budgets, or inventory. ...

Supporting a Grieving Team Member: A Practice Manager’s Guide

Supporting a Grieving Team Member: A Practice Manager’s GuideLeadership isn’t about having all the right words - it’s about showing up in the right ways. Vet med is an emotionally demanding profession, even on the best of days.  When a team member is grieving the loss...

Real People. Real Veterinary Experience. Real Support.

Real People. Real Veterinary Experience. Real Support.Because your clients, and your team, deserve more than a generic answering service. For many clients, the phone call is the first step in getting help for a pet they love.  They may be worried about a pet who is...

Things We’d Put in a Veterinary Time Capsule

Things We’d Put in a Veterinary Time CapsuleSo future generations can understand what happened here. Imagine that, hundreds of years from now, archaeologists uncover a sealed box beneath the remains of an old veterinary clinic.  They open it carefully, expecting to...

Scaling Without Breaking Your Team

Scaling Without Breaking Your TeamHow veterinary clinics can grow without burning out the people who got them there.  Growth is exciting. More appointments.More new clients.A busier schedule.A stronger reputation. For many veterinary clinics, growth feels like proof...

Veterinary Answering Services
You were not leaving your cart just like that, right?

Almost set!

Enter your best email to get assigned a lead to your new account right away.