Compassionate Conversations about Cost

When a pet owner looked a veterinarian in the eye and said, “I wish you’d told me what this would cost before we got this far,” the message was clear: financial communication is just as important as medical care.

Moments like this—uncomfortable yet honest—have echoed through exam rooms and treatment areas in practices everywhere. Because for many veterinary professionals, the hardest conversations aren’t always about diagnoses or end-of-life decisions; sometimes, they’re about money.

Money is a part of modern veterinary care. When handled with empathy and clarity, financial discussions can build trust, improve compliance, and reduce stress on both sides of the exam table. Continue reading to learn more about how to successfully navigate these conversations and even leverage them to build trust with pet parents.

Why Talking About Money Is So Difficult in Vet Med

Veterinarians and their teams engage in a number of potentially uncomfortable conversations with pet parents. From treatment options to end of life decisions, veterinary professionals navigate topics that can be deeply personal or emotional. Finances can also feel personal at times, but as the cost of advanced care rises and clients become more emotionally and financially invested in their pets, avoiding financial conversations is not an option.

The challenge often lies in finding the right tone. How does a clinic recommend the best diagnostics and treatments while still being sensitive to each client’s financial reality? The answer is, by learning to communicate about money just as deliberately as they communicate about medicine.

Start the Conversation Early—Not at Checkout

In a 2025 survey by CareCredit, results showed that the cost of care for dogs is up over 10% for dogs and nearly 20% for cats and found that many pet parents underestimated the lifetime cost of care for their pets. Taking these trends into consideration, it’s not surprising that pet parents can feel blindsided when they hear the cost of care.  Instead, leading veterinary teams now emphasize proactive communication. Providing transparent information about financial policies and options on clinic websites can help pet parents prepare ahead of their visit and maintaining transparency in person helps to keep everyone on the same page.

A simple and direct phrase like, “As we go through the exam, I’ll explain what we’re recommending and what each step costs, so you can make informed decisions,” can shift the tone of the entire appointment. It creates transparency and invites collaboration from the outset.

Empower the Entire Team to Discuss Costs

On well-functioning teams, client service representatives, veterinary technicians, and practice managers are all trained to talk about pricing, payment options, and insurance.

Through clear and transparent financial policies, regular team training, and confidence-building exercises, clinics can ensure a unified message. When the whole team is prepared to talk about costs, clearly and empathetically, financial conversations can become less stressful and more comfortable.

Speak Plainly: No Jargon, No Guesswork

Medical language is second nature to veterinary professionals, but to clients, it can be confusing and even intimidating. Clear, simple phrasing builds trust and helps clients understand what they’re paying for.

Rather than saying, “We’ll do a CBC, chemistry, and UA, ”Try: “We’d like to run some lab work to check organ function and overall health. That includes blood and urine tests and costs about $220.”

Transparency encourages questions, which leads to better compliance and stronger client relationships.

Provide Options Without Judgment

Not every client can afford gold-standard care—and that’s okay. Offering a spectrum of care options isn’t about lowering care quality; it’s about supporting shared decision-making. One effective approach is to present the best recommendation alongside more affordable alternatives, when appropriate. 

For example:

“The most comprehensive approach would be to take several X-rays and a full blood panel, which gives us the most data. However, we can also consider taking a single x-ray and an abbreviated blood panel, which is more budget-friendly and still gives us helpful information. Let’s find what works best for you.”

When clients feel supported, not judged, they’re more likely to feel like a partner in their pet’s care—even if they can’t afford everything today.

Lead with Compassion, Not Assumption

It’s tempting to make assumptions about a client’s financial situation based on their appearance, clothing, speech, or demeanor—especially in high-stress or fast-paced service environments. However, these assumptions can be inaccurate and they can also be harmful. When we let bias—conscious or unconscious—guide our interactions, we risk alienating clients, limiting their options, and undermining their sense of dignity.

A more inclusive, sensitive approach is to lead with curiosity, respect, and openness rather than judgment. Every client brings their own context, and financial capacity isn’t always visible or predictable. Instead of assuming what someone can or can’t afford, it’s more effective—and ethical—to create space for honest, shame-free conversations about priorities, options, and resources.

This involves using language that is both empathetic and collaborative. For example, saying, “I understand this might feel like a lot. We’ll take it step by step and focus on what’s most important right now,” acknowledges the emotional weight a client may be carrying. It also signals that the process is flexible and that their input is valued.

When clients feel safe and respected, they are more likely to engage in meaningful dialogue, express their needs openly, and participate actively in decision-making. This not only leads to better outcomes but also fosters trust—an essential ingredient in any helping relationship.

Ultimately, the goal is not to avoid conversations about cost, but to approach them with sensitivity and partnership. Shifting the focus from barriers in creating a treatment plan to what a client values or needs in that moment reframes the dynamic from one of opposition to one of empowerment.

Conclusion

Veterinary teams don’t need to choose between being compassionate and keeping their business in mind. Financial conversations, when handled with clarity and empathy, are an extension of quality care.

By discussing money in the open—early, often, and without shame—veterinary professionals can improve compliance, reduce miscommunication, and build stronger, longer-lasting relationships with their clients.

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Works Cited

1. AVMA. (n.d.). Communicating with clients: Using the right language to improve care. American Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/practice-management/communicating-clients-using-right-language-improve-care#takeaways
2. Brown, C. R., Garrett, L. D., Gilles, W. K., Houlihan, K. E., McCobb, E., Pailler, S., Putnam, H., Scarlett, J. L., Treglia, L., Watson, B., & Wietsma, H. T. (2021). Spectrum of care: more than treatment options. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 259(7), 712–717. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.259.7.712
3. Care Credit. (2025, July). 3 ways to reshape the “money talk” and be prepared to make key moments matter. AAHA. https://www.aaha.org/trends-magazine/publications/3-ways-to-reshape-the-money-talk-and-be-prepared-to-make-key-moments-matter/
4. McKay, C. H., Nichols, N. L., & Lefebvre, S. L. (2023). Effectiveness of various language strategies for helping pet owners appreciate the value of preventive care. Javma-Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.23.02.0060
5. Synchrony Bank. (2025). Pet Lifetime of Care 2025. Petlifetimeofcare2025.com. https://petlifetimeofcare2025.com/#page=1