Veterinary Summers Are No Joke—Here’s How You Can Stay Sane

If you’ve worked in a veterinary clinic through a summer season, you know the feeling: more appointments booked, shorter tempers, and a fridge full of half-eaten lunches.

From increased walk-ins and travel-related care to a rise in emergencies and boarding needs, summer can stretch a clinic’s capacity to the limit. And just when demand spikes, team members are rotating through well-deserved vacations, leaving clinics short-staffed during the busiest time of year.

So how do you make it through without burning out your team—or sacrificing the client experience?

After years of supporting veterinary hospitals through high-stress periods (and rolling up our sleeves in-clinic), here’s what we’ve seen work:

💡 1. Lean Into Systems, Not Speed

When clinics are busy, the temptation is to just move faster. But speed can lead to mistakes, friction, and missed opportunities for care. Instead, evaluate what processes are slowing you down. Could your appointment types use a refresh? Are your CSRs spending too much time repeating information that could be automated or streamlined?

Even small adjustments to scheduling, intake, or communication flow can bring big relief.

💡 2. Invest in Leadership Bandwidth

One of the biggest stressors during peak seasons? Your hospital leadership team is stretched thin—handling scheduling puzzles, client escalations, and staff morale all at once. Adding leadership support, even temporarily, can be a game-changer. A second set of experienced eyes can spot blind spots, help redistribute workload, and give your manager the space to lead instead of triage.

💡 3. Support Your People—Before They’re in Crisis

Your team is your clinic’s heartbeat. During summer months, check in often and create intentional moments to pause and breathe. Whether it’s shift huddles, rotating lunches, or mental health support, small acts of care add up. Don’t wait until people are visibly struggling to intervene.

At Pawsitive Guidance, we specialize in being the calm during the storm. Whether your clinic needs strategic guidance, leadership support, or just someone to help smooth out the bumps during a chaotic season—we’re here, and we’ve been there.

If you’re staring down a packed summer and wondering how to keep it all together, let’s connect.