How top-performing practices are getting parasiticide compliance right.

Despite the rise of effective, convenient parasiticides, client compliance remains challenging for many veterinary practices. In addition to persistent challenges associated with client education and awareness, Vetsource data reported a 5.7% decline in canine parasiticide purchasing annually, a 9% drop in the total months of protection dispensed year over year, and a general lag in wellness care in 2024.1

So how are some practices consistently exceeding industry averages – and defying economic trends – in their parasiticide compliance? Vet-Advantage asked three veterinarians to identify the practical insights and tactics driving their success.

Building a culture of compliance

For Dr. Kelly Cooper, founder of Reality Vet Coaching and Consulting, compliance begins with foundational understanding and behavior. “To be really successful, we have to build a strong compliance culture,” Dr. Cooper explained. “The whole hospital has to buy in. Everyone has to understand what they’re talking about and believe pets need that care.”

This begins with staff education. In addition to team meetings and instructional moments, Dr. Cooper recommends external support, such as distributor and manufacturer reps. “Leveraging your representatives to come in and provide knowledge for the team can have much more impact than just hearing it from the same people. When it repeatedly comes from the practice owner or management, it’s like hearing it from your parents.”

This deeper understanding helps create recommendations that resonate. “When you believe in [prevention], it doesn’t feel like sales,” said Dr. Cooper. “It’s not, ‘Oh, by the way, do you want some heartworm prevention?’ or ‘Do you need any flea/tick medication?’ It becomes, ‘Here’s a very important recommendation I’m making to you,’ which is much more authentic.” When the concept of preventive care is embedded in the culture, it flows naturally from everyone on the team.

Setting expectations for Parasiticide Compliance

In a culture of compliance, clients receive a clear and consistent message about the importance of parasite prevention. When the team’s words and actions are aligned, it builds trust and sets clear expectations that parasite prevention is a routine part of veterinary care.

“The technicians just tell the client, ‘This is what we’re doing today, and we’ll be sending you home with prevention,’” said Dr. Sean Byrd, owner of Skyview Animal Clinic in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

This deceptively simple approach, underscored by a focused team and client education, is undeniably effective, Dr. Byrd said. In a region where internal parasite prevention compliance hovers in the mid-50s, Byrd and his team maintain a month-to-month average near or above 80%. When applauded for this achievement, Dr. Byrd stays humble. “We make it a very simple choice for the owner,” he said.

Dr. Cooper echoes the idea of implied compliance. “Ask [clients], ‘What parasite prevention are you using?’ It’s an assumptive way to imply that they are using it. It’s not ‘Do you use it,’ but, ‘Which one are you using?’ And, that’s going to sit in their brain
a different way.”

Keeping it simple

Simplicity is a recurring theme in high-compliance practices, where teams balance thorough support and education with curated recommendations.

“We try not to overwhelm the client with a lot of products,” said Dr. Mindy Walstra-Hummel, co-owner of Ellisville Veterinary Hospital in Ellisville, Missouri. The four-doctor practice currently sells 10.1 doses of preventive medication per pet per year, with a clinic average of 8.2 doses per year. She believes that narrowing their parasiticide inventory boosted compliance. “[Having too much product] gets confusing for the technicians as they try and discuss all the differences, compare them all, and explain the pricing,” she said.

Dr. Walstra-Hummel acknowledges three-in-one products as another driver of compliance. “A lot of clients really appreciate those because it’s easier for them, and that is definitely a plus.”

Ellisville and Skyview employ a similar strategy for dispensing products, “We don’t sell prevention one month at a time because they usually buy one month and they’re done,” said Dr. Byrd. “So, we only offer a six- and 12-month supply.”

Both high-performing practices also make it easy for clients to fill prescriptions. “We’ll link clients to our online pharmacy and write prescriptions if they want to use a third-party pharmacy,” said Dr. Walstra-Hummel. While many practices value in-house pharmacy sales as a key part of their business, these veterinarians have found ways to balance those concerns with a strong commitment to patient care. “We just want them to be on prevention,” said Dr. Byrd.

Meeting clients where they are

While veterinary teams recognize the importance of educating clients about parasite transmission and disease, finding ways to connect with clients can be challenging.

Dr. Cooper advises adapting the language and messaging to fit the client. “I’ll say, ‘Tell me what you know about heartworm disease.’ Then I’ll speak to them in a way they can receive easily, using impactful language they can remember. And I try to say it in one to two sentences.”

Leveraging the team is another key way to ensure the message sticks. “We’re making sure they’re hearing it three times,” said Dr. Walstra-Hummel. “When the client comes in for a wellness visit, the receptionists talk to them about prevention and the tech talks to them in the room. Then the vet goes in and if they have questions about preventives, we talk about it again. If they decline, we educate them on why it’s important.”

Bringing parasite prevention home

One of the biggest challenges of parasiticide compliance is consistency over the pet’s lifetime. Across the board, high-performing teams employ personalized messaging to drive home the immediacy and importance of parasite prevention. “Simply explaining that their pet is in danger of becoming exposed to or infected with a parasite is number one,” said Dr. Cooper. “Many clients still do not know that.”

Ensuring clients understand what each product does can also enhance long-term compliance. “We undervalue intestinal parasite prevention for dogs who are going to dog parks and daycares,” said Dr. Cooper. “They are constantly getting exposed and bringing parasites home to the family. That’s the biggest ick factor.”

While Skyview clients are largely on board with year-round prevention, Dr. Byrd and his team diffuse resistance with a dose of reality. If a client is reluctant to give heartworm prevention during the winter, Dr. Byrd provides a relatable example. “Everyone’s seen a mosquito fly by in their house in the middle of winter and thought, ‘What the heck is that?’”

Dr. Walstra-Hummel said sharing information about local risks helps clients stay vigilant. “We have seen several cases of zoonotic diseases, including Lyme disease, which is kind of scary. Passing that information along to the client makes prevention more important to them.”

Partnering with distributors

Industry representatives play a key role in creating strong parasiticide compliance. “There needs to be a relationship,” said Dr. Cooper. “The more you get to know each other, the more trust you build. It’s not just a transactional thing.”

Dr. Walstra-Hummel agreed. “We have really good relationships with our reps,” she said. “They’re a wealth of information.”

All three veterinarians recommend leveraging representatives for team education and training. “You can say, ‘Hey, I feel like we have a big gap in our knowledge around X, Y, and Z,’” said Dr. Cooper. “Your rep will say ‘Here’s a great way to position this or say this to a client. Here’s some data we know. Here’s something new we’ve discovered that works.’”

Staff rewards can be a practical way to build product awareness and trust among the team, helping technicians and assistants make stronger recommendations. “If they’re using [the product] every month, they’re thinking about it for their own pets,” said Dr. Byrd, suggesting that the personal connection can help motivate and inform in-room conversations.

While client rebates can be helpful, communicating these savings to the client can be a challenge. “I’ve got a limited amount of time in an appointment.” Dr. Byrd said. “And, [rebates] change so much that my staff can’t always keep up.”

Small differences, big impact

As evidenced by these successful veterinarians and teams, strong parasiticide compliance doesn’t require sweeping changes, but focused, intentional efforts. Building a culture of compliance through education, consistent messaging and streamlined processes empowers the team, eases the client decision-making burden and makes parasite prevention a natural part of everyday care.

Reference:

1 [Vetsource data] Gilmartin, Sheri, et al. Behavior Shift: Implications of Today’s Pet Owner Trends on Veterinary Medicine in 2025. Vetsource, 2025.

Tips for simplifying compliance

Software reminders to prompt client conversations
Team members create their own parasiticide elevator pitch
Limit inventory to a few carefully selected products
Offer three-in-one products
Ensure the team is trained on products and parasite risks
Sell preventives in six- and 12-month quantities
Use clear yet impactful language with clients
Simplify the refill process

Photo credits:

istockphoto.com/DragonImages

istockphoto.com/mediaphotos

Simplicity Equals Success for Parasiticide Compliance