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Veterinary Medicine vocabulary · Talking to Owners

Client

Meaning in veterinary medicine, with examples

/ˈklaɪənt/nounCore term

In veterinary medicine, client means: The owner or keeper who brings an animal to the vet, agrees to treatment and pays the bill. In veterinary work the animal is the patient and the person is the client.

In Turkish: hasta sahibi, hayvan sahibi, müşteri

How it is used

Used by practice staff in professional settings: client communication, client records, client complaints. When talking directly to people, vets usually say owner, and on farms they speak of the farmer or the herd manager.

Example sentences

  1. The client is worried about the cost, so let's go through the options with her.

  2. Please update the client's phone number before the dog goes home.

Common collocations

  • client communication
  • new client
  • client record
  • client consent
  • client complaint
  • consultationA meeting, usually booked as an appointment, in which a vet examines an animal, discusses the problem with the owner and agrees a plan.
  • consent formA document an owner signs to agree to a procedure such as surgery or anaesthesia after the risks, costs and alternatives have been explained.
  • estimateA written or spoken statement of the likely cost of treatment, given to the owner before the work is done.
  • dischargeTo let a hospitalised animal go home with its owner, usually with instructions and medicines. As a noun, discharge also means fluid coming out of the body, for example from the eyes or nose.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Talking to Owners

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.