David Nietzke | Snout
In This Episode
In this episode of the Veterinary Innovation Podcast, Shawn Wilkie and Dr. Ivan Zak sit down with David Nietzke, the COO of Snout, o tackle a familiar problem: when you recommend a $500-$2,000 care bundle for a puppy or senior pet, what actually helps clients say yes?
David explains why traditional wellness plans “have historically sucked for clinics”—you deliver care upfront, discount services, then spend 12 months chasing payments. What if clients stop paying in month five? How do you calculate doctor production? Best case: you’re made whole a year later.
Snout flips this model by paying clinics the same week services are performed, backed by a $100M debt facility. The innovation lies in removing friction on both sides: clinics get full payment immediately with zero administrative burden, while pet owners pay predictable monthly amounts with no credit checks or interest.
Rather than treating wellness as a discounting exercise, this conversation reframes it as a financial and operational system. David breaks down what actually changes when clinics are paid as care is delivered, how production becomes straightforward again, and why removing the exam fee fundamentally shifts client behavior.
For veterinary leaders evaluating wellness or frustrated by past attempts this episode offers a clearer framework for aligning medicine, cash flow, and client compliance without adding complexity to the clinic day.
Topics Discussed:
- Why many wellness plans fall short in real clinic operations
- How upfront-funded wellness changes the financial equation
- The operational mechanics behind making wellness easy to use
- What this model changes for visits, compliance, and care delivery