06/03/2023
If you have your Equine Veterinarian’s Cell Phone, let’s go over some sensitive but expected etiquette…Before, here is a little background info not everyone realizes:
Equine Vets have their phone on them at high volume settings 24/7 so we don’t miss an emergency call. Every time it rings, pings, vibrates or flashes a light it triggers our heart that we may need to drop everything we’re doing and run… And our entire family and friends live that constant concern too… We are happy to jump up and rush out to help a horse in need, we chose that and in my case I love my job so helping horses is never an inconvenience. But, the degree of alertness and frequent checking of our phones is a mental and emotional stressor that wears on us over the years. Even when on vacation and miles away from our work it goes on as we are always worried about our patients…
If you have that direct access privilege versus having to go through a secretary or answering service here is our expectation:
1) realize and appreciate that having your vets cell phone number is a PRIVILEGE and means your vet cares about you and your horse. Our time responding, knowledge shared, advice given, time away from our family, are not being charged for. This ends up being a free service offered to help and bring emotional n mental comfort to our beloved clients. Please appreciate that gift.
2) During non-business hours it is ONLY and I repeat only for urgent or emergency matters. If it doesn’t fall in that category PLEASE restrain yourself and control your urge to call or text us. It maybe an “AHA” moment for you, a quiet time you had to think over all your questions n concerns, you just read something super cool somewhere, your husband/trainer/farrier/chiropractor/friend/psychic/groom/kids just gave you some great advice or had an interesting question, you are at the store n the seller is giving you different advice from what we had discussed, etc… if it’s not urgent or an emergency don’t use your access to our phone privilege. Send us an email or wait until the next businesses hour to call or text.
3) When texting please take the time to organize your ideas and send a short and to the point message. If it seems too much work to type the message versus speak it, consider that it may be unnecessarily long and also take much effort to read it on the other end. The longer, wordier and with irrelevant details the message the most likely it will get partially read then left to read/answer later. In general: “Quick texts get quick answers”
4) If the answer to a phone or text can be a YES or a NO just expect that and not a long back and forth chit chat. The longer we are held on the phone the longer other people are waiting for their responses, and the longer our personal life is waiting for us…
5) If your vet is not answering and you have already made contact more than once it means: a) we are truly busy and with our hands tied-up
b) there are others with bigger priorities ahead of you in line that we are giving them attention at that moment
c) your issue is not a big medical deal. We would be answering or calling you back asap if what’s being reported or on the photos/videos a serious problem. Try to control your anxiety meanwhile by relying on other strategies.
d) your message was during an inappropriate time of the week/day for a non-urgent and not an emergency issue.
e) you may be one of the over contacting people, which means you call/text for too many small issues too often. Many of the times we talk to clients it is regarding things they could have found the answer in our notes or have already been discussed, are general horse questions with plenty of answers online, or are unrelated to our role as a professional veterinarian such as barn/personnel/logistic issues with the facility boarding the horse, issues that should be resolved with the farrier, trainer, husbands, etc… or other personal issues that we are not equipped to resolve.
e) you need to schedule an appointment. Your questions are too much or you require a more in-depth response than what is the over the phone/texting category kind.
The vets are busy with many professional and family/personal commitments. The messages/people that fall in some of the categories above unfortunately end up lower in our long list of to do’s and the short period of time we have in our day, especially when we are tired and having long days and nights. Don’t take it personally, adjust your expectations and how you are utilizing this privilege and be prepared to schedule and pay for an appointment and the time out of our day you are in need of.
Help your veterinarian with the excess emotional and physical fatigue, high burnout, high divorce rates, high changing career choice a few years out of school, and very sad high su***de statistics this profession is reaching.
Taking care of the animals is such a beautiful, rewarding and special career, there is nothing else I rather be doing… 💗Let’s keep it that way🥰
Have you been waiting longer than usual for an open appointment with your veterinarian or been unable to access after-hours services for your horse? The shortage of equine veterinarians in the U.S. is likely the cause. Many veterinary practices have too few horse doctors to service all their clients.
Why? Only about 6% of new veterinary graduates annually enter equine practice. After five years, 50% of these young veterinarians leave for small animal practice or quit veterinary medicine altogether. The primary reasons are the personal demands of the profession and equine practice’s lower starting salaries. Many new veterinarians begin their career with more than $200,000 in student loan debt, making an equine position with lower compensation often unthinkable. When financial concerns are combined with the always present demands of emergency coverage, many equine veterinarians choose to leave for a healthier way of life.
The good news is that the AAEP along with private veterinary practices and veterinary schools are addressing the pain points which have led to the current crisis. But the solution is complex and will require the support and collaboration of every person in the equine industry — including horse owners. As we work to improve the profession for current and future veterinarians, you have a huge role to play in the much-needed transformation of equine practice. Horse doctors look forward to working together with you for the good of the horse and the sustainability of veterinary care!
