Veterinary Practice Ownership: When Doing Everything Right Still Isn’t Enough

Owning a veterinary practice has always been a labor of love. But lately, it feels heavier. It’s not just the economy, staffing shortages, or burnout. It’s something deeper. It’s that gut-punch realization that no matter how well you run things, someone else still wants a piece of your already shrinking margin.

Profit is getting harder to come by. And the rules of the game have changed.

Pharmaceutical companies are more aggressive than ever. They dictate the prices we pay, then turn around and give massive discounts to corporate groups.

Like many, independent clinics are trying to compete with a stacked deck. We can’t get the same pricing. We can’t offer the same deals. And we’re left explaining to clients why our products cost more when they can get them cheaper online or from a chain.

That pharmacy revenue we used to rely on is gone. And the moment we try to increase service fees to compensate, we’re labelled as too expensive. Or worse, money hungry. So we’re stuck. Raise prices and risk losing clients. Don’t raise them and risk losing money. Neither is sustainable.

Then there’s the technology race. Clients expect seamless everything. Texts. Portals. Voice systems. Marketing tools. Cloud-based PIMS. It’s all amazing until the monthly invoices roll in. Every shiny new solution seems to end the same way. That’ll be $1,000 a month. It’s become a running joke between my wife and me. Only it’s not really funny.

There’s no such thing as a one-time cost anymore. Everything is a subscription. Ongoing. Perpetual. Death by a thousand monthly fees. And even when you’re making smart financial decisions, the overhead just keeps climbing.

Honestly, it’s frustrating to look back and think if I ran my clinic 20 years ago with the efficiency I have today, I’d be sitting pretty. Instead, practice owners are staring down the future wondering what retirement will actually look like. Wondering how long they can keep going at this pace.

They’re working harder than ever. They’re leaner, smarter, and have cut the fat. Some have improved systems and built great teams. And yet somehow, it still doesn’t feel like enough.

This isn’t just a financial problem. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It’s draining.

They try to keep morale up. They try to invest in the team. They try to meet client expectations. They try to build something lasting. But the pressure doesn’t stop. And when it feels like the system is rigged against them, it’s hard not to lose hope.

It’s depressing, honestly. You’re doing everything right. You’re making good decisions. But the payoff just isn’t there. Not like it used to be.

So how do you keep going? How do you keep investing in your business and your people when the return feels smaller every year?

The truth is, we can’t do this alone. We need each other. We need real conversations. Not just about KPIs or CE credits or marketing tricks, but about the reality of ownership right now. We need to be open about what’s not working. We need to share the hacks, the systems, the solutions that are actually moving the needle. And we need to push back on industry practices that leave independents behind.

And maybe more than anything, we need to be okay saying no.

Not every shiny new tool is worth it. Not every subscription adds value. If it doesn’t move the needle, cut it. That might mean going against the trend. But let’s be real. Trends aren’t paying your rent.

This profession has always been full of passionate, capable people. That hasn’t changed. But the systems around us have. And if we want to keep doing what we love, we have to stop pretending the old playbook still works.

This is a moment to speak up. To challenge how things are done. To fight for ownership models that make sense and support our future. It’s going to be hard. But this is worth fighting for.

You’re not alone. We’re in this together. And even if it feels like the odds are stacked, we don’t back down that easily. We just need to stick together, stay honest, and keep showing up.

That’s where change starts.