How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Gareth C. — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 20:12:59 GMT

I once researched this for an article and worked out hours need a population of 8000 per fte vet. Thanks overall, not 8000 pet owners. From that you should generate about 1200 clients per fte vet. But there are many factors, if you set up nr a big city the population is effectively infinite, it's just the small matter of making them come to you. If you are in the middle of nowhere like I am, you need those 8000 people

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 13:57:02 GMT

[quote user="Malcolm Ness"]

[quote user="Mark Hedberg"]There are quite a few business consultants out there [/quote]

How many vets are needed to keep one business consultant in business?

[/quote]

All of them, of course!

I trust she telephones teachers to tackle those Teutonic tendencies that trouble?

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Anthony Dennison — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 13:22:10 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"] In my geographical area, the North West of England, where the Asian community is mainly of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian origin, there is little pet ownership. Indeed, most have a very deep seated and culturally led fear of dogs that is unlikely to change dramatically in the near future.[/quote]

Being not far from you Gillian, I part agree, part disagree. There is a large muslim population around a few of our more easterly branches, and many young males own status dogs. Some are cared for immaculately and are lovely dogs, some are kept in the garden and are only brought in to the vets when almost dead. I dealt with one case where the male owner would always wear latex gloves to handle the dog.

Please note, there are just as many young white male dog owners that do the same thing.

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Colin Thomson — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 13:00:48 GMT

Hi Gillian

Here in Keighley we've seen a upsurge of the attentive Asian cat owner. Usually women, often young, and willing to get things done and pay for it, as opposed to the occasional guard dog of their parents generation, where attempted negotiation over fees seemed to be the norm. Similar demographic to yourselves, I suspect, although not many of Indian extraction.

Colin

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 12:17:27 GMT

And on the racist theme - I really haven't a clue how Aussie and Welsh families compare when it comes to the priority they give to their animals! It's a different culture. The Aussies may be better - they may be worse. I don't know - but it's relevant.

Wynne

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Malcolm Ness — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 11:33:27 GMT

[quote user="Mark Hedberg"]There are quite a few business consultants out there [/quote]

How many vets are needed to keep one business consultant in business?

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 11:20:38 GMT

As an exotics practice, I do agree that birds are a popular pet in Asian households. However, I disagree that dog and cat ownership is changing much. In my geographical area, the North West of England, where the Asian community is mainly of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian origin, there is little pet ownership. Indeed, most have a very deep seated and culturally led fear of dogs that is unlikely to change dramatically in the near future. This is in no way a racist opinion....simply a fact! Obviously different areas and different countries will have their own cultural mix and customs, and it is vital that you know what they are. 1000 households in a student area of Leeds or Manchester is not likely to pay the bills!

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 09:17:12 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

Demographics are more important than absolute numbers. For example, families and older people likely to own pets, young professionals and Asian unlikely. Thus different numbers of households required.

[/quote] At risk of sounding racist the situation with Asian clients is not that simple. First generation Asians were unlikely to keep pets and if they did they tended to be guard dogs or cats for catching rodents and veterinary care was not high on their agenda. However, second and third generation are much more likely to keep pets and want a high standard of care. The downside is they tend to be very demanding and to keep trophy/status pets like Huskies and parrots. At least that is the case around me where there is a high Asian population.

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Rebecca MacMillan — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 09:02:19 GMT

I have also heard that 1000 clients per full time vet is what we should be aiming for.

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 23:57:21 GMT

The rule of thumb is approximately a thousand clients per full time equivalent vet. There are quite a few business consultants out there who are happy to offer their advice; some of it depends on your own business background - are you, or have you ever run a practice before, for example?

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

claudia123 — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 23:07:54 GMT

Dear Martin

Many thanks for your information. That was exactly the information I was hoping for.

My apologies if I came across very rude. This was NOT my intention. I guess my teutonic side came across the wrong way.

Kind regards

Claudia

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Laurence Webb — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 19:06:28 GMT

Given all of the above *, I'd suggest around 1000 homes per vet as a starting point. Average occupancy per house, socio-economic band, ethnicity etc figures are available.

* written before Martin's post but forgot to hit Reply!

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 18:47:13 GMT

[quote user="claudia123"]

Dear Wynne,

Many thanks but not very helpful.

[/quote]Dear Claudia. I have my differences with Wynne but she was trying to be helpful and although it may have been lost in translation you came across as being rather rude. And what she said is basically correct.

You can work this one out with some basic maths. You will need to see about 10-15 cases a day to make a healthy living for a vet and a couple of nurses assuming you charge the going rate and your costs are standard according to your local economy. Each animal will be seen on average 1.5 times a year (some a lot more, some never) plus some other visits for counter sales. Lets assume each household has on average 1.5 pets and there are 280 working days in a year (thats a half day Saturday, not working Sunday and 8 bank holidays. That by my calculation is a minimum of 1200 households which is, I would say, pretty close to my active client base as a sole charge vet with 2 nurses. That said, if you set up a practice anywhere unless its the middle of no-where, clients seem to come out of the trees.

You could look for Neal Palk who is on this forum for a business consultant, he has been very helpful to me.

I hope THAT is helpful.

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 18:29:16 GMT

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

claudia123 — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 18:18:44 GMT

Dear Wynne,

Many thanks but not very helpful.

There must be a minimum number of households that is in general acceptable to carry a small animal vet clinic irrespective of country.

Equipment costs about the same in most of the countries. There is not much of a difference when one purchases IDEXX hematology in US, germany or Hong Kong nowadays. The medication is pretty much the same. The staffing costs in certain countries or areas might be lower but the charges are selected anyway in the local currency.

Is there not a general guideline of the number of throughput that is required ? An example, 700 households with about 600 pets. Is that enough?

regards

Claudia

Re: How many households are required for a vet clinic?

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 18:05:55 GMT

Anything I said just wouldn't be relevant in another country. Too many variables. Average fees/property costs/equipment costs/drug costs/level of insured clients etc etc etc.

Wynne