06/24/2026
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Veterinary Ethics shouldn’t be hard. But today’s society makes it brutal. Let me explain.
It isn’t your business.
Let me repeat this a different way. You are not privileged to know.
In veterinary medicine, we do not to have HIPPA. We have Veterinary Practice Acts. Basically legal guidelines to keep our mouths shut regarding clients, and their animals.
Simply, you do not have a right to know. Let me break this down further.
Last week, I was on a farm. A horse had come up acutely lame. The owner was unraveling at the possibilities. I went on emergency to help calm the nerves. There were several other boarders at the farm. I pull the horse out, Charlie took it for a jog. I watched. Instructed Charlie to grab a few things from the truck as I continued my exam. To my surprise, a fellow boarder comes up and starts asking questions. “OH, is he lame? What’s going on? Doesn’t she have a horse show this weekend? What a bummer. What do you think is wrong?”
I gave her a blank stare. I didn’t respond. She stood there for a moment, waiting my response. It took her a little too long to realize she wasn’t going to get one.
Let me take this a step further. A horse spikes a fever. It is in a boarding stable. I come in, I start pulling testing, I place the horse on quarantine as a precaution. Fellow boarders start to crowd around, listening to the conversation. I stop talking. I see my client getting uncomfortable. I start to get questions from the gallery about what it could be, is it contagious, do they need to be worried. It must be because they want trail riding last weekend. The peanut gallery starts to place blame. They start texting friends what they think it must be, warning every one of the potential- preconceived problem. It turns into a rumor mill. “Dr.Meer said…” when I said nothing.
Or the most common, “have you heard if so-in-so has strangles?”
Let me be clear. Let me ruffle all your feathers.
It isn’t your business. It is literally my JOB to not tell you. I am not being a bitch. I am not being rude. I am doing my job and protecting the medical information of my client. If you would not be privileged to the medical information in the doctor’s office, you are not privileged here either. Just like human facilities, I have a form which asks, “Who can I share medical knowledge with?” If you are not listed on that form, you do not get to know. This does include fellow boarders, family members, barn owners, managers, trainers. Not to say I won’t advise the client who really should be brought in… but it isn’t my place to start talking.
It is hard, as Equine Veterinary Medicine is a spectator sport. It is out in the public for everyone to see. I, sadly, do not have a privacy dome to enter my clients into and close all the doors to keep the nosey on-lookers out. I wish I did. But I don’t. (Gosh, this is when small animal medicine is so much easier.)
I am often amazed by the acts of horse people. On more than one occasion, a person has lied and said, “Oh, I spoke with the vet, they told me so-in-so has a contagious disease/torn tendon/colic/choke/lameness/etc.” Just to see if they can find additional information or sound important.
I once sat in a 4H barn treating horses while an advisor read off the text threads between advisors. I had apparently spoken to someone on the text thread whom I fired as a client years ago. Apparently, we are now great friends, and I give her privileged information. Needless to say I took an ungodly amount of calls shortly after. Including the client who was lied about. I had never said a word.
It isn’t your business.
Other peoples horses, wellbeing or care. Especially in boarding situations. Please do not follow me around while I consult on other horses. If that client wants you a part of their exams, they can ask you directly. Do not assume the position. Please do not come and ask, ‘Dr. Meer, why are you here? Who are you seeing? What’s going on?’ Then following me to the stall. I see you overlooking, over hearing and then I received the texts hours after asking questions you do not have the right to know the answers.
It is also not appropriate to ask to listen in. Some clients are bold enough to tell you no. Do not put them in that position. Some are quiet, and meek. Some are already processing hard things, trying to create their own questions. They do not need the intrusion.
Stop Being Nosey.
Everyone is different. Everyone processes differently. Everyone gets to have privacy in my practice.
I will be a bitch to defend this. Especially if you make me. I always start polite. I start with something simple. “Hey, maybe we need some privacy.” Please take the clue, and see yourself out. As Charlie says, “No one likes Veronica, just like no one likes Randall.” (ALL my clients understand that statement.)
You aren’t privy to the knowledge unless it is yours. You do not belong in appointments which aren’t for you. Your opinion does not matter. Your experiences do not need documented unless asked.
Bluntly, and frankly, it is none of your fu***ng business.
I have a reputation for not always having great bedside manner. It isn’t because I don’t. It is often because someone crossed a line I had every right to push them back. Figuratively, of course. I know majority of my clients very well. I can read ques, and jesters those interfering aren’t bothering to pay attention too. My job isn’t just to help the animal, but also help my clients. In doing so, I take a lot of heat. I get called a bitch, rude, mean. I have poor bedside manner, she just says what she thinks. (So you are aware, I think a lot before I speak. I have a very large filter. I mean every word I say.) I hear a lot of lies thrown around. A LOT of lies. Things I do not get to defend, because then I would give up privilege. So I stay quiet, I take the brunt of what was meant for a client. I hold to the privilege, and my ethics. Even if you think I have none.
It isn’t your fu***ng business. Stay out of it.
If something becomes a concern for your personal animal, you will be brought in, and advised.
Until then, say hello, and keep walking. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind…. until you actually do. Until it is you and your animal I need to protect. I will protect you with just as much ferocity as I protect others.
Have a little respect, a bit of grace, and stop being so fu***ng nosey. It isn’t always about you. Nor are you important enough to know everything.
Back off, stay out of it, and mind your own business.
I may not have been graced by God to be a Mother. But it does not mean I do not have “Mother Bear” tendencies. Especially in a situation where I have to protect a client and patient from peeping eyes, glares and gossip chains.
Call me a bitch. Call me rude. Question my ethics. Yes, I will likely be silent, and let you rant and rave about how horrible I am. That’s Fine.
But Mind Your Own Business. Find some class.
Until later,
Dr. Meer
(Before anyone losing their minds. Yes, there is mandatory reporting which goes over the practice act. But I do not have to advise the who. Just the what. If it isn’t reportable in your state, I am not obligated to inform. IE: Strep Equi Equi is NOT reportable in Ohio.
This is my personal practice. My personal experiences, and my personal ethics.)
