How do I find out what share of a vet clinic’s work is dental and surgical?

Good records start with the clinic’s software, but categories are often set loosely. Ask how a dental cleaning with extractions is coded, and whether a surgery visit includes the drugs and the follow-up. Ask the seller to walk you through two or three typical invoices so you can see how the figures were built.

Then check the numbers against the calendar. A clinic can show strong procedure sales yet depend on one vet who does most of the surgery. Ask who performs the dental work and surgeries, how booked they are, and whether there is a waiting list. If the work leans on one person or one piece of equipment, note it as a risk.

Look at the trend too. Has the procedure side been growing, steady or sliding? Ask what changed. Finally, discuss with your accountant how to read these figures, since the share of work in each category can affect staffing, equipment needs and the day-to-day running of the clinic. Ask also whether the clinic turns procedures away for lack of time, space or staff. If it does, the share you see may understate what a stronger team could do, or reveal a limit that is hard to move. Ask whether prices for these services changed recently, since that can move the share without any change in effort.

Key takeaways

• Request sales by service type over several periods.
• Check how dental and surgery work is coded.
• Find out how much of the procedure work rests on one vet.