Social media moves closer to core client communication in vet care

Social media is increasingly being treated as a core client communication tool in veterinary practice, not just a promotional channel. That’s the takeaway from EquiManagement’s coverage of Mike Pownall, DVM, MBA, whose 2025 AAEP Convention session focused on using social media to create client loyalty and strengthen brand identity in equine practice. AAEP’s convention program confirms Pownall presented “The Effective Use of Social Media for Client Communication in Equine Veterinary Practice” at the 71st Annual Convention in Denver in December 2025. (convention.aaep.org)

The topic builds on years of work from Pownall and EquiManagement on digital communication in equine practice. In earlier EquiManagement guidance, Pownall described Facebook and other social platforms as essential parts of a clinic’s communication strategy, especially when used to educate clients, humanize the practice, and keep messaging consistent. He has also long emphasized planning, including content calendars, designated administrators, and written permission before posting photos or videos of client horses, noting that horse people can often identify an animal from even a partial image. (equimanagement.com)

More recent reporting shows how that advice has matured. In a 2024 EquiManagement article, Pownall said McKee-Pownall Equine Services uses short “Meet the Vet” videos on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram to help clients feel more comfortable with new clinicians before they arrive at the barn. He also encouraged practices to share educational case studies carefully, invest in better audio and visuals, assign social media work to someone who understands the target audience, and actually measure whether digital spending produces new clients. He framed social media as both a relationship tool and an advertising channel that needs the same discipline as any other business investment. (equimanagement.com)

That message lands at a time when veterinary teams are also being asked to use social media more defensively. AAHA materials describe social media as a way to build client relationships, loyalty, and trust, while AVMA offers ready-made educational content practices can share with pet parents. At the same time, AVMA’s reputation guidance warns clinics not to disclose confidential information when responding to complaints online and recommends the “3Cs” of crisis communication: competence, confidence, and compassion. AVMA PLIT goes further, warning veterinarians not to discuss malpractice incidents or claims on social media and stressing that even posts in supposedly private groups can surface in litigation. (aaha.org)

There’s also a misinformation and compliance angle that makes this more than a branding story. An AAHA workshop description on veterinary social media communication explicitly ties social strategy to addressing misinformation and protecting practice reputation. And outside veterinary medicine, the FTC’s consumer reviews and testimonials rule, effective October 21, 2024, prohibits deceptive review practices, including certain fake testimonials, review suppression, and the purchase of fake social media indicators like followers or views. For practices and vendors working to grow online, that raises the bar for how reputation-building is done. (aaha.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, especially in equine ambulatory settings where trust and visibility drive retention, the practical question is no longer whether to use social media, but how to use it without creating legal, ethical, or reputational problems. Done well, social media can help educate pet parents, prepare them for new clinicians, amplify urgent updates such as infectious disease alerts, and reinforce the practice’s values between appointments. Done poorly, it can expose confidential information, invite conflict over online advice, magnify misinformation, or create discoverable records that work against the practice. The operational implication is that social media increasingly belongs in the same policy framework as client communication, consent, medical records, and reputation management. (equimanagement.com)

Expert and industry commentary points in the same direction: be intentional, be responsive, and keep boundaries clear. Pownall’s advice centers on strategy, cadence, and fit with the intended audience, while AVMA and AAHA guidance stresses professionalism, confidentiality, and trust. Taken together, the signal for practices is that social media works best when it supports education and relationship-building, not when it substitutes for individualized medical guidance or chases engagement at any cost. That’s especially relevant in a misinformation-heavy environment, where a clinic’s channels may be one of the few trusted places pet parents consistently hear evidence-based advice. (equimanagement.com)

What to watch: Watch for more veterinary groups and practices to formalize social media governance, including consent workflows, staff training, crisis-response protocols, and clearer distinctions between general education for pet parents and case-specific medical communication. (aaha.org)