AAEP session highlights social media’s role in client communication

Social media is getting more formal attention in equine veterinary medicine. At the 71st AAEP Convention in Denver in 2025, Mike Pownall, DVM, MBA, presented a session titled “The Effective Use of Social Media for Client Communication in Equine Veterinary Practice,” signaling that digital communication is now being treated as part of practice leadership and client care, not just outreach. The session appeared in AAEP’s “Leadership, Ethics, and Improving Practice Life” programming, alongside talks on technology and practice operations. (convention.aaep.org)

That framing matters because the profession has been moving in this direction for years. Pownall has spoken previously on social media and practice management in equine medicine, and AAEP has also featured him in discussions around telemedicine and client communication. More broadly, veterinary organizations have been building tools around online reputation, cyberbullying, and review management, reflecting how often client relationships now extend into public digital spaces. (dvm360.com)

The available conference materials don’t provide a full transcript of Pownall’s 2025 presentation, but the topic itself is revealing. Rather than focusing narrowly on marketing, the session centers on client communication in practice. That aligns with current guidance from AAHA and AVMA, which emphasizes monitoring social channels, setting community rules, protecting access to official accounts, and preparing for negative reviews or online harassment. AAHA has also highlighted social media as a way to support trust and loyalty, while cautioning that veterinary teams need systems in place to manage the workload and reputational risk that come with being visible online. (convention.aaep.org)

There’s also a misinformation angle that makes this more than a branding story. An AAHA workshop description for veterinary teams explicitly ties social media strategy to addressing misinformation and strengthening medical recommendations online. Separately, a 2024 commentary in Today’s Veterinary Business described how misinformation, ideology-driven conversations, and fear of backlash can make veterinarians hesitant in client discussions, citing survey data that many veterinarians avoid certain topics because they worry about harming the relationship or triggering negative reviews. (aaha.org)

Evidence from equine medicine supports the trust piece. A 2024 study in Veterinary Record found that horse owners rated equine veterinarians highly on credibility, reliability, and empathy, and those factors shaped overall trustworthiness. That doesn’t mean every social media post needs to be educational, but it does suggest that tone, consistency, and clarity matter when practices communicate online. For equine teams especially, where long-term relationships and repeat interactions are central to care, social media can either reinforce the veterinarian-client-patient relationship or complicate it. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the practical question isn’t whether to use social media, but how deliberately to use it. A well-run account can help set expectations, answer recurring questions, reinforce evidence-based care, and show the people behind the practice in a way that builds loyalty with pet parents and horse clients alike. But the same channels can amplify misinformation, expose staff to harassment, and turn isolated complaints into broader reputation problems. That’s why the strongest industry guidance now treats social media as a cross-functional issue involving medical communication, client service, compliance, and team wellbeing, not just marketing. (avma.org)

For equine practice leaders, the likely takeaway from Pownall’s session is that social media works best when it supports trust already built in the field, on the phone, and in the exam setting. Practices that define who posts, how comments are handled, when to move conversations offline, and how to respond without breaching confidentiality will be better positioned than those treating social media as an ad hoc task. That’s especially relevant as veterinary teams continue to navigate misinformation, polarized client beliefs, and heightened scrutiny of professional recommendations online. (blog.avmaplit.com)

What to watch: The next step will likely be more concrete playbooks from veterinary associations and consultants on using social media to support evidence-based communication while reducing review risk, staff burden, and misinformation spread. (aaha.org)