Negative keywords for veterinary practices
Veterinary ads run into a mix of job applicants, pet owners searching for home remedies instead of a visit, and people who actually need groomers or boarding rather than medical care. This list filters all three out of a vet clinic's Google Ads account.
Why negative keywords matter for veterinary practices
Vet clinics advertise locally for both patients and staff, so 'vet tech jobs' and 'veterinary assistant jobs' searches often land in the same geographic radius as appointment-seeking traffic, and without negatives those job clicks blend in with real leads.
Pet owners also delay vet visits by searching for home remedies and free advice first, and many searches that look vet-adjacent — grooming, boarding, pet insurance — actually belong to a different kind of pet business entirely.
The full list
40 terms. Review each one before adding — remove anything you actually sell.
Jobs and careers
- veterinarian jobs
- vet tech jobs
- animal hospital careers
- veterinary assistant jobs
- vet clinic hiring
- veterinary receptionist jobs
- vet jobs near me
- veterinary technician salary
- animal shelter jobs
- vet school admissions
DIY and free
- diy pet first aid
- how to treat pet at home
- home remedies for dog illness
- free vet advice online
- diy flea treatment
- natural pet remedies
- how to deworm dog yourself
- free pet checkup
- diy cat grooming
- pet health forum
Education and training
- how to become a veterinarian
- vet tech certification program
- veterinary school requirements
- animal science degree
- vet tech online courses
- veterinary continuing education
- pre vet program
Wrong service
- pet grooming only
- pet boarding
- dog training classes
- pet store supplies
- pet insurance quotes
- animal control
- wildlife rescue
- pet cremation
- dog walking services
- pet photography
- farm equipment vet
- livestock auction
- pet adoption shelters
Competitors (add your own)
Add the names of local competitors you don't want to pay for. Review these case by case.
If your practice treats farm or large animals, don't exclude livestock-related terms you actually serve.
How to add these in Google Ads
- Sign in to Google Ads and open the campaign you want to protect.
- Go to Keywords, then Negative keywords, and click the blue plus button.
- Choose whether to add them to this campaign, an ad group, or a negative keyword list you can share across campaigns.
- Paste the terms, one per line. Remove any you actually want to show for first.
- Click Save. Check the search terms report again after a week or two to see what's still getting through.
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Frequently asked questions
Why do home remedy searches matter for vets?
Pet owners often try free fixes before booking, and ads shown against those searches rarely lead to an appointment.
Should 'pet boarding' always be excluded?
Only if your clinic doesn't offer boarding; many vet practices do, so check your own services first.
Can job-seeker negatives hurt my recruiting ads?
Only if you run a separate hiring campaign — apply this list to patient-acquisition campaigns only.
Related guides and tools
- Negative keyword list generator — A ready-to-copy negative keyword list for your industry.
- How to add negative keywords in Google Ads — Step-by-step: how to add negative keywords in Google Ads at the ad group, campaign or list level, and how to avoid blocking good traffic by mistake.
- Which Google Ads search terms are wasting your money — How to find the search terms wasting your Google Ads budget, group them into patterns, and exclude them with negative keywords without blocking real customers..
- Google Ads audit for veterinary practices — Symptom research, DIY remedies, and species or services you don't treat are common leaks.
Sources
Last updated · Written by the Claritad team (Kyle Edward Gilligan LLC). Claritad is independent software and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.