The “Rule of 7” marketing principle suggests clients must hear a message seven times before they will buy or accept a product or service.1 A 2024 survey of 1,000 pet owners revealed nearly 40 percent of dog and cat owners do not believe their pets are at risk of getting heartworms and nearly 30 percent said their pets are not on heartworm disease prevention.2 A single voice—whether veterinarian or technician—explaining the importance of parasite prevention is not sufficient. Having a consistent and purposeful message about parasite protection with clients will get more pets protected. Here are seven touchpoints to engage pet owners: 1) Mention upcoming refills during scheduling calls When clients call to book appointments, client service representatives (CSRs) should open medical records to identify which services and products are due. Previewing services during scheduling calls prepares clients for care decisions during appointments. Say, “ is due for an exam, vaccines, heartworm/tick test, intestinal parasite screen, and refills of flea/tick protection and heartworm disease preventatives. Does have any health or behavior concerns you want to discuss with the doctor?” “The next available checkups are <date, time 1> or <date, time 2>. Which do you prefer?” 2) Send online forms with appointment confirmations Email and text confirmations can include intake forms based on the reason for the visit. A wellness form will ask about general health, diet, use of parasite control products, elimination habits, behavior, activity level, home dental care, and environment. How you ask history questions matters. “Does your pet get heartworm disease preventatives?” is poorly phrased. The client could say yes but gave the last dose three months ago. Instead, ask, “Which heartworm disease preventative do you give your pet, and when did you give the last dose?” Clients may say a brand that’s a flea/tick product—not a heartworm disease preventative. Because clients will submit forms before appointments, doctors and technicians can review answers and ask follow-up questions, saving 10 to 15 minutes of exam time previously spent asking history questions at the start of appointments. Here is an example of a text confirmation for a wellness appointment sent two days prior (See Figure 1). The confirmation asks the client to complete and submit the wellness form the day before the appointment. When reminding clients to bring pets’ stool samples, use a poop emoji so pre-appointment instructions stand out. Get free emojis you can copy and paste in text and email templates. Photo courtesy Wendy S. Myers 3) Preview services and products when starting appointments In addition to reviewing the completed online form, the technician or assistant will check product purchases before beginning the appointment. Identify: When were preventatives last purchased? How many doses were sold? Is the client sharing a box of preventatives among pets? Do other pets need refills? Say, “Hello, <client name> and <pet name> . I’m <name> , the technician who will assist Dr. <Name>. <Pet name> needs an exam and vaccines for distemper/Parvo, rabies, Bordetella, leptospirosis, and Lyme <tailor to your vaccine protocols>. We will test for intestinal parasites and heartworm/tick diseases. <Pet name> needs refills of flea/tick protection and heartworm disease preventatives. Thanks for completing the online form, which I have reviewed and will ask you follow-up questions. I will also get your pet’s vital signs, and then Dr. <Name> will join us. Does have any health or behavior concerns you want to discuss with the doctor?” Use the action word of “needs” when discussing services and products rather than the wiggle word of “recommend.” 4) Display products in exam room Create a learning environment with nonverbal conversation starters. Because exam rooms are also classrooms, have teaching tools, such as models, slideshows on computers or digital photo frames, posters, bulletin boards, and product displays. To minimize clutter and call attention to products, place your preferred dog and cat brand of preventatives on the counter behind the exam table, wall-mounted floating shelves, or glass or open cabinet shelves. Display empty boxes to avoid theft. Play educational slideshows with captions on exam computers and digital photo frames. Share local prevalence maps for heartworms, intestinal parasites, and tick-borne diseases from the Companion Animal Parasite Council. In Texas, one in 30 dogs have tested positive for heartworm disease YTD 2025.3 In New Jersey, one in 15 dogs have tested positive for Lyme disease YTD 2025.4 5) Have conversations in exam rooms It is not just what you say, it is where you say it. While in exam rooms, veterinarians and technicians need to communicate parasite protection is medically necessary. Do not leave preventative conversations up to CSRs at the checkout desk. When clients exit exam rooms, they have mentally checked out and may dismiss CSRs’ attempts to sell products. Research shows 68 percent of dog owners leave the clinic without heartworm disease preventatives.5 The American Heartworm Society (AHS) reports only five percent of cats are on year-round heartworm disease prevention.6 6) Offer 12 doses first This reinforces your standard of care for year-round protection. If clients cannot meet the expense of 12 doses, offer six today and help the client set up auto shipment of the next refill of six doses through your online pharmacy. If clients can only afford single doses, set up a monthly delivery with free shipping through your online pharmacy. Heartworm disease preventative dispensing went from an average of 5 ½ doses when sold in-clinic to 11 doses when auto-shipped.7 7) Follow up if clients don’t purchase Do not wait months for the next exam to revisit the need for parasite protection. As part of checkout, send texts and emails with the option to pick up products at your hospital or buy through your online pharmacy. Depending on your veterinary distributor, you may be able to put products in clients’ carts and send them emails to login and complete orders in your online pharmacy. Repeating the message will increase clients’ understanding of parasite prevention, protect more pets, and grow your pharmacy income. At a staff meeting, map the client journey for a wellness visit and define when and what to say about parasite protection. Knowing touchpoints and having scripts will ensure your team has confident, consistent conversations. Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, knows the right words will lead clients to accept your medical advice, driving patient and practice health. As founder of Communication Solutions for Veterinarians, she teaches practical skills through online courses, conferences, and onsite consulting. Myers’ experience as a partner in a specialty and emergency hospital helped her understand issues that owners and managers face. Learn how she can train your team at csvetscourses.com. References Duke C, Williston K. Heartworm Education: It Takes a Team. Today’s Veterinary Practice. https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/parasitology/ahs-heartworm-hotlineheartworm-education-takes-team. Accessed Feb. 20, 2025. New Pet Owner Survey Suggests Common Myths Fueling Significant Gap in Prevention of Deadly Parasite for U.S. Dogs and Cats. Banfield Pet Hospital. https://www.banfield.com/about-banfield/newsroom/press-releases/2024/survey-shows-common-myths-fueling-gap-in-dog-parasite-prevention. Accessed Feb. 20, 2025. Parasite Prevalence Maps. Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). https://capcvet.org/maps/#/2025/all-year/heartworm-canine/dog/united-states/texas. Accessed Feb. 20, 2025. Parasite Prevalence Maps. Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). https://capcvet.org/maps/#/2025/all-year/lyme-disease/dog/united-states/new-jersey. Accessed Feb. 20, 2025. Jones S. The Invisible Threat You Can Help Prevent: Heartworm Disease. https://docs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/Heartworm_Flip_Book.pdf. Accessed Feb. 20, 2025. Take 5 on Feline Heartworm Disease. American Heartworm Society. https://d3ft8sckhnqim2.cloudfront.net/images/pdf/FelineHWD_5_Facts.pdf. Accessed Feb. 20, 2025. Garrison G. No Place Like Home (Delivery). VetAdvantage. https://vet-advantage.com/vet_advantage/no-place-like-home-delivery. Accessed Feb. 20, 2025.
