Show Notes
Dr. Caitlin DeWilde, DVM, founder of The Social DVM, joins me to tackle a big question facing Canadian veterinary practices: How do we talk to pet owners about pharmacy pricing without getting defensive or accidentally starting a Facebook war? With big-box retailers shaking up the veterinary pharmacy landscape, we're digging into proactive veterinary client communication, reputation management, and practical ways to highlight the value of your services while keeping pet owners informed and engaged. From smarter messaging to making prescription refills ridiculously convenient, we're sharing strategies to build client trust and keep your practice ahead of the conversation. Gang, let’s get into this episode!
Caitlin DeWilde, DVM Bio Dr. Caitlin DeWilde is the founder of The Social DVM, a consulting firm devoted to helping veterinary professionals learn how to manage and grow their social media, online reputation and marketing strategies. Working with large industry groups and individual practices alike, Caitlin and her team are passionate about translating the “geek speak” to “veterinary speak,” and helping vets reach more clients and pets. Caitlin is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and a recipient of their Outstanding Young Alumni Award, and also an alum of the AVMA’s Future Leaders Program. She served as medical director for a large AAHA/Fear Free/Cat-Friendly certified hospital in St. Louis before stepping back to focus on her marketing passion. Today, she divides her time between practice, consulting, and writing. She is the author of a new book, “Social Media and Marketing for Veterinary Professionals” and a columnist for Today’s Veterinary Business.
More from Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast (Canada)
Kelsey Beth Carpenter, RVT, is taking over the microphone again, and this time we’re tackling a situation every veterinary professional dreads: an angry client who just discovered their pet's medication costs less somewhere else! With pharmacy competition heating up in Canada, we’re talking about veterinary client communication, why frustration often comes from fear, and how to de-escalate angry pet owners without getting defensive or throwing your team under the bus. From empathy to practical communication strategies, we’re sharing ways to protect client trust, support your veterinary team, and navigate those uncomfortable pricing conversations with confidence. Gang, let’s get into this episode!
Dr. Peter Weinstein, DVM, consultant, and co-author of "The E-Myth Veterinarian," joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a question keeping Canadian practice owners up at night: what happens when Costco and other big-box pharmacies start undercutting your clinic's prices? They dig into what US vets already learned the hard way about pharmacy disruption, the real difference between revenue and net profit, and how to protect client trust and practice profitability while the pharmacy landscape shifts under everyone's feet. Gang, let's get into this episode!
Stephanie Goss, Fractional Practice Manager and CEO of Pride VMC, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a question every Canadian clinic is bracing for: what happens when human pharmacies start selling pharmacy products at a fraction of the markup your team is used to? Andy and Stephanie dig into pharmacy disruption, client communication, and team morale, unpacking why panic and shame are showing up on the clinic floor and how leaders can equip their staff with confident, authentic answers instead of a canned sales script. Listeners will walk away with practical tools for training the team, protecting their people from pricing pressure, and reframing this shift as a leadership challenge rather than a front desk problem. Gang, let's get into this episode!
Dr. Andy Roark, host of The Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast, flips the script and lets Kelsey Beth Carpenter run the show for the launch of a brand new six part miniseries, Cone of Shame Canada. The topic on the table: human pharmacies have entered the veterinary pharmacy business north of the border, and Andy walks through why that regulatory change is rattling Canadian practices, what the US already learned from its own online pharmacy shakeup years ago, and the three things he thinks matter most right now, protecting client trust, talking openly with the team, and evolving the business model in manageable phases rather than panicking. By the end, listeners get a clear-eyed roadmap for navigating pharmacy disruption, plus a sneak peek at the lineup of guests still to come in the series. Gang, lets get into this episode! This episode is brought to you ad-free by Boehringer-Ingelheim Canada! Kelsey Carpenter is a Registered Veterinary Technician with over a decade of experience working in emergency hospitals across California. She currently works as the Social Media Manager for DrAndyRoark.com and a Content Specialist for the Uncharted Veterinary Conference. Some of Kelsey’s passions include the open hospital concept, the power of creativity and humor, the overlap of science and art, and sharing lessons learned from living life with chronic illness. Kelsey is probably most known for two of her favorite hobbies: writing and performing comedic songs about veterinary medicine and acting as a full time stage mom for her Chihuahua mix, Birdie.