As veterinary professionals, we are compassionate. We empathize when pets are sick, and we try our best to comfort clients. However, we’re only human. Sometimes we say the wrong thing, and some seriously awkward silence in the exam room follows. @Jenedupuis shared a story on the @DrAndyRoark Instagram that will definitely make you think before rattling off common sayings to clients.
“A client brings in a sick cat. It had either gotten into something it shouldn’t have or got injured snooping around outside.”
“(The) client asks why cats tend to get into things like that…”
“I said, ‘Well, as the saying goes, curiosity kills the cat.’ I was mortified.”
Have you accidentally said something less-than-perfect to a pet owner?
Admit your awkward moment in the comments below. Thanks to @Jenedupuis for sharing this faux pas.
Danielle is a former veterinary practice manager and the founder of SnoutSchool.com, a website dedicated to teaching veterinary hospitals to use social media effectively. You can get her 5 favorite social media tools here, or follow her on social media to see excessive photos of her Brussels Griffon. She’s @DanielleSnout on Snapchat, Instagram & Twitter.
