Veterinary practice is being challenged as never before with the COVID-19 pandemic; this article outlines steps to consider which can help the team and the business successfully meet the challenges presented by the crisis.

Unique problems may require unique solutions, but to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic it is necessary for every veterinary practice to take a long hard look at minimizing costs and also to consider ways in which income can be maintained during this difficult time.

This chapter will cover some difficult situations that a vet practitioner can face. With the influence of “Dr. Google”, pet owners have more and more objections: they challenge what the vet says and does… this can lead to conflicted situations. Finally, many veterinarians are uncomfortable talking about money. Suggestions for how to talk about money are proposed in this section of the Focus.

Key to financial survival during the virus pandemic is having a basic understanding of the economics of veterinary practice, and how income, expenditure and profit are linked to each other.

The COVID-19 outbreak has meant that most veterinarians are having to consider telemedicine as a means of minimizing face-to-face contact with clients; this paper describes how the service can benefit both the clinic and its patients.

Healthy pets need healthy veterinarians, but a caring profession can take a huge toll on the carers; in this paper the authors share their own experiences of compassion fatigue and give some pointers for looking after yourself.

This last section focuses on the importance of teaching. It also explains how the perfect consultation should be structured, outlining three different stages. Lastly, we look at difficult situations veterinary practitioners may find themselves in, as well as the best way to deal with emotional blackmail.

This section provides some specific examples of different types of questions (open-ended, closed) to ask owners during consultations, as well as additional advice and practical examples to help you improve your listening skills.