Remind clients old age isn't a disease.

Credentials can be a contentious topic, but we can all agree that education is essential to success—regardless of your position. Here, two practice managers share the choices behind their career paths so you can better decide your own.

"Help clients who make the difficult choice to euthanize their pet by approaching the associated costs with sincere consideration," says Sharon DeNayer, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member and the clinic manager at Windsor Veterinary Clinic in Windsor, Colo.

Grab clients' attention and encourage compliance by using descriptive terminology, suggests Sharon DeNayer, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member and the practice manager at Windsor Veterinary Clinic in Windsor, Colo.

After a loss, take these steps to recognize clients' special relationships with their pets.

Whether from accidents, illness, or euthanasia, pets die every day, often in your hospital. Do you know what to say--and what not to say--to clients before, during, and after a loss?

As the practice manager, how can I encourage team members to come to me with their problems first, before approaching the owner?

Picture this: You're explaining why Baxter needs heartworm preventives when the tinny sound of Beethoven's 5th erupts from inside your client's purse.