Why social media is becoming core to veterinary client communication

Social media is still being repositioned inside veterinary practice from a marketing extra to a client communication channel with clinical, reputational, and operational consequences. In a recent EquiManagement report from the 2025 AAEP Convention, Mike Pownall, DVM, MBA, said equine veterinarians can use social media to create client loyalty and strengthen brand identity, with communication strategies organized around both broad brand-building and specific practice goals. (equimanagement.com)

That advice isn’t entirely new, but its context has changed. Pownall has been speaking for years about social media’s role in equine practice, including earlier presentations that framed Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms as tools for education, visibility, and profitability when used intentionally. He has also been involved in broader conversations around telemedicine and client communication through AAEP, suggesting a consistent focus on how digital tools shape the veterinary-client relationship. (dvm360.com)

What appears to be newer is the degree to which social media now sits at the intersection of marketing, misinformation, and risk management. EquiManagement’s summary emphasizes strategy, not just posting frequency: Pownall’s framework centers on aligning content with practice objectives and using social channels to reinforce the practice’s identity. That aligns with AAHA guidance that social media can help build veterinary client relationships, loyalty, and trust, while also warning that common mistakes can let misinformation spread quickly if practices aren’t deliberate about their content and response approach. (equimanagement.com)

Professional groups have also become more explicit about the downsides. AVMA has published resources on online reputation management and cyberbullying, including checklists that encourage practices to establish moderation policies and define how social media fits into broader client communication. AVMA coverage on reputation management has advised veterinarians to respond to legitimate complaints with competence, confidence, and compassion, while regulators such as the College of Veterinarians of Ontario warn clinicians to be cautious when posting information related to clients and patients. (avma.org)

There’s also a clinical boundary issue underneath the marketing conversation. The 2021 AAHA/AVMA Telehealth Guidelines for Small-Animal Practice distinguish client communication and education from telemedicine delivered within a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship, and AAVSB materials continue to show resistance among regulators to establishing a VCPR solely by virtual means. While the EquiManagement article is about social media strategy, the practical implication is that practices need clear internal rules for when a post or direct message is educational, when it becomes case-specific guidance, and when the client needs to be redirected into a formal medical channel. (aaha.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, especially those serving horse owners and other highly networked client communities, social media now does at least three jobs at once: it markets the practice, shapes trust before and after appointments, and acts as a frontline defense against bad information. A stronger social presence can help practices answer common questions earlier, reinforce recommendations, and keep pet parents anchored to credible advice. But it also requires staffing, message discipline, privacy safeguards, and escalation protocols for complaints, misinformation, and after-hours medical inquiries. In that sense, Pownall’s message is less about posting more and more about treating social media as part of the communication infrastructure of modern practice. That’s an inference based on the EquiManagement summary and the broader guidance from AAHA, AVMA, and regulators. (equimanagement.com)

What to watch: The next step is likely more formalization, including written social media playbooks, clearer staff boundaries, and closer integration between marketing, client service, and medical teams. As misinformation pressures continue and digital interactions blur with telehealth expectations, veterinary practices that define what social media is for, and what it isn’t, may be better positioned to protect trust and reduce risk. (avma.org)