Why Whole Health Pet Center?
Why Whole Health Pet Center?
Important Dates for your attention:
Canine Massage Therapy, March 21 and June 2. Please call 816-331-1868 to get your dog scheduled for a half-hour of gentle massage to loosen sore muscles and remove toxins
Dr Leonard will be out of the office on the following Fridays: April 21, 28 and May 26. Please plan ahead if you tend to prefer Friday appointments.
Feature article: Our staff viewpoints on “Why WHPC?” This month, Doc Sandi asked Pam and Debbie to write up their points of view about what sets Whole Health Pet Center apart, and why they enjoy working here.
From Office Manager/Vet assistant Debbie: Our clients, in my opinion, are the best. They want what is best for their family member and will do what it takes. I love working at WHPC with Dr Sandi and getting to know all of our clients and their pets, and being able to help them with more than the traditional routes of medicine. I think the most rewarding part about being in this veterinary clinic family is knowing we are doing good things for our patients, making them feel better, living longer healthier lives. Seeing the new patient come in and relax and become comfortable in our exam room after the client has made the comment the pet does not like the vet and is hard to handle when the appointment was made. Seeing clients leave smiling because we did what we do best here—working at our patient’s pace, not our own. We believe in educating our clients on what the alternatives are and their pros and cons so they can make an informed decision on how they want to treat their pets. When that 12-year-old dog comes in walking like a 90-year-old and leaves jumping and wanting to tug, it makes us smile. WOW, what a difference a chiropractic exam can make. We are doing something right since we have return clients driving two or more hours to come see us for visits. Some can be done by any veterinarian’s office, but they choose to make the drive because their pet likes to come here and they love the way our staff makes them feel. All of this makes me feel good about working where I do and look forward to coming into the office every day.
From Veterinary Technician Pam: From my perspective, what makes WHPC different than other vet clinics I have been in is our focus on the total well-being of each pet that comes through our door. Every pet is an individual and we treat them that way. This process begins with the design of our clinic and is interwoven throughout the experience of each visit. We don’t approach these visits as something that a pet must tolerate or “live through”. We hope that our patients will enjoy their visits so much they will look forward to returning. This may sound a little far-fetched, but when I see a dog enter our front door and trot toward the exam room on their own to see Dr. Sandi, I know we have accomplished our goal! As a Vet Tech, it is my job to prepare for the animal’s arrival and assist with exams, tests, and treatments. In a traditional office, setup would focus mainly on cleaning the exam room, getting the file ready, and setting up supplies or equipment. At WHPC, however, my main focus is trying to determine the pet’s physical and emotional needs and be prepared to meet them. Before a pet arrives, I review its needs and develop a plan. Is the pet shy, aggressive, old, young, large, or small? Is it new? Is it injured, ill, or coming for a wellness check? Are there notes in the file suggesting things that have been helpful previously? Does anyone on the team have input on the pet’s needs? How can we make this visit pleasant? All these factors are important in preparing. Once the pet arrives, I focus on the pet’s needs and adjust my behavior accordingly. One of the most important parts of my job is to be prepared for anything while remaining calm and attentive to the pet. This includes patience and allowing the pet time to relax, using calming behaviors to lower stress, and minimizing restraint during exams and procedures. Our policy of providing plenty of time for each visit makes this possible. We don’t need to rush, which allows us to let the pet set the pace. This is a very important part of a pet staying calm and enjoying their visit. Rewards are essential as well. Most pets get lots of treats and rewards. Additionally, we use positive reinforcement throughout the visit to encourage them to relax. As a vet tech, this is one of my favorite parts of the job. Seeing an animal respond positively to treats and low-stress handling techniques is very rewarding for me as well! If your pet views vet visits as a negative event, give WHPC a try. We can show you firsthand how our clinic is different.
Other tidbits:
Unfortunately, Pam has accepted another (better-paying) job elsewhere so will only be with us a short time more. We are happy for her opportunity to get back into a field she enjoys, working for her mentor, but will definitely miss all her help around here and the great rapport she has with our patients, especially the cats! If you know of a veterinary technician interested in a part-time job at a fear-free holistic vet clinic, have them get in touch. They MUST have the technical skills of a licensed tech, although we’re not picky if they are officially certified. This part-time position could develop into full-time eventually depending on clinic growth. Hours are negotiable. Our selection of candidates is based a great deal on inter-personal and communication skills. Even if they can only work a couple days a week, we’re interested in talking to them.
