In the world of veterinary medicine, communication is key, and Dr. Summer Ott is breaking down language barriers to ensure her clients aren’t lost in translation.
As a veterinarian at Horse Heaven Hills Pet Urgent Care in Kennewick, Washington, many of Ott’s clients only speak Spanish. According to the latest United States Census estimates, almost a third of Kennewick residents speak Spanish in their homes. That number is more than 55% in nearby Pasco, Washington.
“I’ve seen a lot of cases where the communication isn’t clear, and there is fear on both ends,” Ott said. “Not only is it a problem if people aren’t understanding exactly what is being recommended, but it also makes for such a better experience if you can communicate and show compassion directly to your client.”
Since graduating with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University, Ott (’18 Animal Sci., ’22 DVM) has been perfecting her Spanish for the sake of her clients and their animals. Following graduation, she flew to Costa Rica for a Spanish-immersion program tailored to veterinary terminology.
Inspired following her immersive adventure, Ott has continued online Spanish classes every week to keep her skills up. She picked up the language right where she left off – falling back on a minor in Spanish from WSU’s College of Arts Sciences.
As far as Ott knows, Horse Heaven Hills is one of the few clinics in the Tri Cities area providing communication in Spanish, which matches the nationwide trend.
According to 2023 figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Hispanics and Latinos make up less than 8% of all veterinarians in the U.S., though it’s still unclear how many veterinarians speak Spanish, it is the most common non-native language in the U.S. by a landslide.
One of the latest additions at Horse Heaven Hills Pet Urgent Care, Ott is one of a seven-member Spanish-speaking group among staff that begins at reception.
The team is equipped to speak to clients in Spanish at all stages of a veterinary visit. The number of Spanish-speaking clients they see depends on the day, but as word has spread, the number of appointments has increased.
“I’ve had people tell me after facilitating a Spanish-speaking appointment, ‘I’m going to tell my friends that there are Spanish speakers at this clinic and that they can bring their pets here,’ ” Ott said. “The amount of joy and appreciation from our Spanish-speaking clients is huge.”
Ott said the clinic strives to have total bilingual capabilities, which doesn’t end at verbal communication. All paperwork is also available in Spanish. For emergency visits, triage questionnaires in Spanish are provided, so no critical information is lost in translation. For routine visits and surgeries, owners are also provided registration forms and consent forms in their preferred language. The team also offers discharge paperwork and client education brochures entirely in Spanish.
“It’s a team goal – I think we all just want to be a place where people feel welcome,” she said.
The practice has also created an Instagram account entirely for Spanish-speaking animal owners and is working with the Pasco Chamber of Commerce to increase community outreach.
Ott said her love for the language is deep-rooted.
“At my core, I’ve always known that I wanted to speak Spanish my whole life, because I really enjoy connecting with other people – and now it feels even better when that communication goes to help them and their animals,” she said.