Reading time : 6 mins
In a field where every word can either strengthen or weaken trust — between a vet and a pet owner, a vet and a farmer, or a vet and a pharmaceutical representative — communication is far more than a “soft skill.”
It’s a performance lever, a loyalty builder, and the foundation of emotional connection.
Yet, it still remains too often overlooked in veterinary education and professional development.
Communication: A Core Clinical Skill
In veterinary practice, communication is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s a core part of clinical excellence.
Explaining a diagnosis, breaking bad news, handling objections, or calming emotions: these conversations shape the vet-client relationship and, by extension, the reputation and economic performance of veterinary practices and animal health companies.
Soft skills – empathy, active listening, emotional regulation, and nonverbal communication – are now recognized as critical competencies for success across the animal health
What Research Tells Us About Communication in Animal Health
A growing body of research confirms the central role of communication in care quality, client satisfaction, and even treatment compliance.
A 2015 Journal of Veterinary Medical Education study found that 98% of veterinarians consider communication as important as their technical skills, yet over half reported never having received any formal communication training¹.
A 2020 BMC Veterinary Research review highlights the complex nature of communication challenges in veterinary practice and calls for greater integration of communication training in curricula².
Finally, a 2021 BMC Medical Education study in Germany revealed that most veterinary students feel underprepared for difficult conversations³.
In other words: veterinarians know communication matters, but they rarely have the chance to practice it.
When Words Matter: Stories from Our Veterinary Team
At Wolf Learning Consulting, several of our veterinarians share the same belief: communication should be learned and cultivated like any other clinical skill.
Benedicte: The Importance of Building Trust
“When I graduated, I had a thousand technical things to remember to do my job as a vet — but what scared me most was communicating and building trust with pet owners.
How do you reassure someone when you don’t have all the answers? How do you create a therapeutic alliance through communication?
I later realized that most clients aren’t looking for a superhero vet who knows everything. They want someone who understands them, who explains calmly, and who considers their bond with their animal and their personal situation.”
Benedicte’s story echoes what many young vets experience: fear of making mistakes, managing client doubts, and learning how to build trust. Theory alone isn’t enough: communication practice makes the difference.
Gregory: When Technical Skills Aren’t Enough
“When I think about communication in animal health, two moments come to mind.
First, my only experience as a locum vet. An elderly woman came in, in tears, to say goodbye to her elderly spitz. I was a young graduate, untrained in communication, unsure of what to say in the face of such grief. Thankfully, the clinic’s experienced nurse stepped in, and together we found the right words to guide her through that difficult moment.
My second memory: my first training session with fifty passionate cat breeders. Trying to provoke reflection, I said, ‘When you breed cats, you breed coronaviruses.’ Instantly, the room erupted: fifty against one! Looking back, I know that better preparation in public speaking and objection handling could have completely changed the outcome.”
Gregory’s experiences illustrate a universal truth: technical expertise alone isn’t enough.
Human interactions – whether emotional or confrontational – demand preparation and solid communication training.
Why Communication Drives Performance
Investing in communication training directly impacts key performance drivers:
- Better adherence to treatment plans and recommendations
- Increased client satisfaction and loyalty
- Fewer complaints, conflicts, and misunderstandings
- Higher conversion and sales rates
By strengthening the communication skills of veterinarians, technical field teams, and pharmaceutical sales representatives, companies enhance the quality of their client relationships – a decisive competitive advantage in a trust-based industry.
Why Communication Also Improves Well-being
Communication training doesn’t just improve results — it boosts confidence, ease, and well-being in everyday professional life.
Veterinarians spend years mastering diagnostics, surgical techniques, and clinical reasoning, yet over half their time is spent listening, advising, explaining, and persuading.
Similarly, a veterinary sales representative will feel far more confident when trained and regularly practicing communication and consultative selling techniques.
In companies, strengthening soft skills enhances teamwork, cohesion, and overall workplace well-being.
What’s Next: Rethinking Veterinary Training
Communication can’t be taught only in a classroom; it must be experienced, practiced, and repeated.
To truly develop these skills, learning environments need to be safe, engaging, and realistic, where mistakes become learning opportunities.
In our next article, Soft Skills in Animal Health: Training Differently to Communicate Better, we’ll explore innovative ways to put these ideas into practice.
At Wolf Learning Consulting, we help animal health professionals design and implement innovative training programs that combine veterinary expertise, active learning, and technology.
References:
- McDermott, M.P. et al. Veterinarian–Client Communication Skills: Current State, Relevance, and Opportunities for Improvement, Journal of Veterinary Medical Education (2015).
- Pun, J.K.H. An integrated review of the role of communication in veterinary clinical practice, BMC Vet Res 16, 394 (2020).
- Rauch, M. et al. Interprofessional survey on communication skills in veterinary and veterinary-related education in Germany, BMC Med Educ 21, 516 (2021).