Melissa had wanted a dog forever and after serious contemplation, finally decided that her lifestyle could accommodate a furry friend. She was delighted when she found Tobey at a local shelter and adopted her. Education and support were as important to Melissa as excellent medical care, so she followed the advice of some new dog-park friends and selected All Creatures Pet Clinic as Tobey’s health care providers. She had been pleased with Dr. Allison, who had been friendly and helpful during Tobey’s first visit.

We’ve all had it happen. Somehow communication breaks, which makes explanation, reiteration, or subsequent communication more difficult and less effective—leaving us caught in a loop where one error perpetuates another and team dynamics suffer.

Here’s an example from my past: When I was working as a licensed paraprofessional in human medicine, a call came in to set up stabilizing skeletal traction on a 10-year-old prior to surgery. The surgeon I worked for said that child protective services had been contacted, too, because there was a suspicion of abuse.

Imagine you are dancing with a partner with whom you feel open and safe. What does this dance look like? It’s probably smooth and flowing, and when one person makes a move, the other follows, to keep the connection.

Now imagine this dance with a different partner, someone with whom you feel uncomfortable or out of synch. What happens to the flow, especially when one of the partners tries to change direction? The result is usually resistance, stumbling, and frustration.

You take a deep sigh as you look at Max’s hip radiographs. You need to tell Claire that her beloved 6-year-old Lab and hiking partner has severe hip dysplasia. Over the years, you’ve heard about their outdoor adventures and more recently, their long-anticipated trip to Alaska. Now you must tell Claire that Max cannot handle such long and demanding hikes, and you know this news will result in significant changes to their lifestyle, activities, and future together.