Veterinary Blogs - Vetstoria

Top 17 Veterinary Blog Sites for Your Practice

There are a ton of blogs out there that cover every topic imaginable, and a veterinary blog is no different. With so many to pick from, how can you choose how to spend your time wisely? While many veterinary blogs are geared toward pet owners, there are still quite a few that are authored by veterinary professionals, for veterinary professionals.

When signing up to follow veterinary bloggers, you’ll reap a host of benefits that cater to your lifelong love of learning.

Top perks to following veterinary blogs include learning about:

🔵 Real-life experiences

🔵 Industry updates

🔵 Innovative products, procedures, and therapies

🔵 The state of veterinary medicine

🔵 Veterinary marketing

🔵 Practice management

🔵 Technology and software

🔵 Team wellness and culture

Here are our top picks (in no particular order) for veterinary blogs you need to add to your favourites list.

Free eBook: 5 Time-Saving Veterinary Checklists

17 of the best veterinary blog sites you must follow:

1. IDEXX blogs

IDEXX offers five different veterinary blogs, some of which focus solely on their software products, while others concentrate on practice management, client communication, technology, and well-being.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Are Veterinary Practices Suited for WFH? — After lockdown, many people aren’t thrilled about returning to work, and this blog post lets you know if there are work-from-home positions for vet practices.

🟣 How Can Artificial Intelligence Help Veterinarians? — Vets need all the help they can get to take care of the never-ending patient load, and AI might be the answer.

Who should read it: Veterinary professionals, managers, owners

Region: US

Website: https://www.idexx.com/en/blogs/

2. Vetstoria blogs

No, we’re not biased. When it comes to veterinary blogs and resources, most of our focus is on veterinary life, efficiency, culture, saving time, productivity, revenue, and pet owner experience. We also write about veterinary software, industry insights, and technology.

Here are two of our highlights:

🟣 Veterinary Industry: Top Trends Practices Should Know — This blog post covers the up-and-coming trends within the veterinary industry that will help keep you at the front of the pack.

🟣 8 Ways to Retain Your Veterinary Receptionist and Save Time — This blog post shares tips on how to keep your receptionists happy, which is crucial during this worldwide veterinary staffing shortage.

Who should read it: Veterinary practice managers and owners

Region: UK

Website: https://www.vetstoria.com/blog/

3. Dr. Andy Roark veterinary blogs

Dr. Andy Roark’s veterinary blogs cover personal experiences in the clinic with colleagues and pet owners, authored by various veterinary professionals.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Where Have the Working Moms Gone? — Learn how to incorporate more mothers into this female-dominated industry.

🟣 Financial Self-Care in Veterinary Medicine — Discover the link between financial wellness and overall well-being.

Who should read it: Veterinary managers and owners

Region: US

Website: https://drandyroark.com/blog/

4. Vet2Pet blogs

Vet2Pet’s veterinary blog shares tips on how to use technology to create more streamlined workflows and efficient practice, along with how to support your team and implement a positive clinic culture.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Short-Staffed Veterinary Practice? 8 Tips to Do More With Less — Who isn’t short-staffed nowadays? This post shares ways to tackle your overbooked schedule with minimal staff.

🟣 How Technology Can Help Your Veterinary Practice Recruit Employees — Learn how to use every available perk (like technology) when attracting new hires in this blog post.

Who should read it: Veterinary managers, owners

Region: US

Website: https://vet2pet.com/blog/

5. Veterinary Practice News

The Veterinary Practice News blog covers a vast array of topics, from practice management and medicine to large animals and exotics. They also share the latest industry news, technological advancements, and innovative products.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Overworked? You might want to blame poor productivity; not pandemic puppies — This post explains in-depth why you may seem busier, although revenue and the number of patients seen don’t seem to reflect it.

🟣 Local blocks to prevent pain in spay and neuter procedures — Dive into this discussion of fear and pain, and how both can be reduced through local blocks.

Who should read it: Veterinary owners, managers, and doctors

Region: US

Website: https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/news/

6. PetDesk Blogs

PetDesk provides resources, like client communication and staff efficiency tips, to help your practice run more smoothly, along with advice for pet owners.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 6 Ways to Advance Your Vet Tech Career — A bored, unfulfilled vet tech is one who is likely to leave the field, so learn how to grow and thrive in your career.

🟣 Things to Consider When Shopping for Practice Information Management Software (PIMS) — Purchasing a new PIMS is not a decision to be made lightly, but this blog post can help guide you through it.

Who should read it: Veterinary professionals and pet owners

Region: US

Website: https://petdesk.com/blog/

7. VETgirl

VETgirl provides plenty of continuing education (CE) opportunities in their blog and covers topics ranging from emergency and critical care to self-care and personal wellness.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 The Top 10 Essential Veterinary Technician Survival Tools — Learn the 10 essentials every vet tech needs to survive and thrive in their career.

🟣 Understanding Anxiety in Cats: Helping Cats Cope with Environmental Change — Learn how to ward off feline idiopathic cystitis by helping cats handle change better.

Who should read it: Veterinarians and Veterinary technicians

Region: US

Website: https://vetgirlontherun.com/blog/

8. Vet Education

The Vet Education blog and website provide multiple types of interactive learning that cover every aspect of veterinary care, from surgery to wellness.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Management of Hypothermia under General Anaesthesia — This blog post shares ways to ward off hypothermia side effects in anesthetised patients.

🟣 5 Things You Need To Know About Wound Management in Small Animal Practice — Learn how to prevent common mistakes in wound management and promote speedy healing.

Who should read it: Veterinarians and Technicians

Region: Australia

Website: https://veteducation.com.au/blog/

9. AVMA@Work

The American Veterinary Medicine Association blog shares the latest industry news and various tools and services to help support veterinary professionals.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Celebrate Veterinary Technician Week by using all their skills — Your vet techs are an integral part of the team, so learn how to celebrate them in this post.

🟣 Help prevent suicide in veterinary medicine — Discover suicide prevention tools for veterinarians in this blog post.

Who should read it: Veterinary owners and managers

Region: US

Website: https://www.avma.org/blog

10. I Love Veterinary

Divided into sections for veterinary professionals and pet owners, the I Love Veterinary blog covers a wide range of topics and includes interviews with vets, techs, and vet students.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 How to Become a Dog Trainer — Branch out in your professional interests and discover how to become a dog trainer.

🟣 Introducing Osteopathy into Your Veterinary Practice — This blog post covers the ins and outs of osteopathy and how to become proficient at performing this manual therapy.

Who should read it: Veterinary doctors, managers, students, and pet owners

Region: US

Website: https://iloveveterinary.com/

11. The Vet Recruiter

Understanding how to successfully recruit a full team is critical during this staffing shortage, and The Vet Recruiter blog shares a wealth of information on how to attract new hires.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Why Your New Hires Are Failing (And What You Can Do About It) — Finding people to hire is difficult enough, so learn how to help new hires succeed in this post.

🟣 How to Improve Company Culture for Better Animal Health and Veterinary Hiring — With so many open positions, you need to take every advantage when it comes to hiring, and this post tells you how.

Who should read it: Veterinary professionals, job seekers, hiring practices

Region: US

Author: Stacy Pursell, founder, and CEO of The Vet Recruiter

Website: https://thevetrecruiter.com/news/

12. Beyond the Numbers

This blog by VetSuccess focuses on practice management, covering everything from industry trends and finances to marketing and metrics.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Let’s separate facts from feelings: The data behind emerging veterinary trends — This blog post shares data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected practices.

🟣 Veterinary inventory waste: 6 ways you can combat this pesky revenue killer — Inventory management is a major pain point for many practices, but this post helps you get your inventory under control.

Who should read it: Veterinary professionals, managers, owners

Region: Canada

Website: https://vetsuccess.com/blog/

13. VetX International

VetX International provides resources for practice managers, owners, and vet professionals alike. They cover topics like industry news, practice life, leadership, culture, and much more.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Nine Ways to Improve Employee Retention in Your Practice — With the worldwide veterinary staffing shortage, you won’t want to miss the tips in this blog post.

🟣 7 Veterinary Appointment Scheduling Tips To Keep You On Time — Appointments frequently run late in vet med, but these tips can help you stick to your schedule.

Who should read it: Veterinary owners, and managers

Region: UK

Website: https://www.vetxinternational.com/articles/

14. Pick the Brain

Although many of their blog posts cover how to use their software for a smooth-operating practice, there are also tons of general hospital operations tips.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Retaining Veterinary Staff During Our Current Staffing Crisis — Check out three ways to make your team happy—and find new staff—during the staffing crisis.

🟣 Prescription Safety Tips for Veterinary Teams — Learn ways to keep your patients safe through an accurate prescription filling process.

Who should read it: Veterinary receptionists, owners, and managers

Region: US

Website: https://pickthebrain.instinct.vet/

15. Worms & Germs

This blog discusses everything about infectious diseases that could have an affect on the public and is an excellent resource for COVID questions.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Animal-Only Antibiotics: A Solution to the Scourge of Antimicrobial Resistance (Spoiler… Probably Not) — This post discusses the importance of antimicrobial stewardship and what impact animal-only antibiotics could have.

🟣 More About a Potential Dog-Origin Coronavirus in People — Learn more about a potentially new coronavirus that could infect people.

Who should read it: Veterinary doctors and technicians

Region: Canada

Website: https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/

16. SkeptVet

SkeptVet is a blog that tackles controversial issues in veterinary medicine, like nutrition, supplements, behaviour, and much more, by using science-based evidence to back up claims.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 Fresh Diets for Pets: Are they Healthier than Kibble or Canned? — Check out this blog post for studies regarding fresh diets for pets.

🟣 Evidence Update: Discouraging News for CBD & Arthritis in Dogs — This blog post shares the latest studies and evidence about CBD use in arthritic dogs.

Who should read it: Veterinary doctors, pet owners

Region: US

Website: https://skeptvet.com/Blog/

17. Merck Manuals Student Stories

Packed with real-life stories to guide vet students through their journey, the Merck Manuals Student Stories blog also covers trending topics and clinical experience.

Here are two of our favorite posts:

🟣 3 Tips to Achieve Your Veterinary Career Goals — Whether you’re at the beginning of your vet career or looking for a change, this is the blog post for you.

🟣 The Pandemic Puppy Boom: What is to Come? — Is separation anxiety going to rise in pets? Find out in this blog post.

Who should read it: Veterinary students

Region: US

Website: https://vetstudentstories.merckmanuals.com/blog/

Final thoughts

While podcasts and webinars are all the rage, there’s nothing quite like a well-written article that you can bookmark to read again and again. By subscribing to this list of fantastic veterinary blogs to follow, you’ll discover the latest industry news, innovative products and techniques, wellness tips, client communication methods, and so much more. With so many topics covered, it will be tough to narrow down your favorite blogs to follow, so why not follow them all?


partnership header image (1) petpack

Vetstoria & PetPack are officially partners

partnership header image (1) petpack

Vetstoria and veterinary marketing agency PetPack have been working in tandem for quite some time to help vets provide the best possible online experience for their clients. With this partnership, we'll be expanding our capabilities through joint promotions, enhanced analytics, and shared expertise.

This partnership will benefit PetPack and Vetstoria clients through access to exclusive pricing and promotions, as well as enhanced integration between Vetstoria's online booking system and PetPack's online marketing services.

Bringing our systems closer together will provide our teams and veterinary clients with greater insight into how pet owners find and interact with online bookings. The enhanced analytics capability will mean the client journey can be tracked end-to-end: from an initial Google search right through to a confirmed booking.

The partnership will also benefit veterinary practices utilising PetPack online marketing campaigns. Connecting PetPack's campaigns with Vetstoria's campaign booking feature will provide vet practice promotions with a more effective call-to-action, and pet owners with a seamless method for claiming discounts or promotional tie-ins.

“We’re big fans of Vetstoria and the platform they have built. Their focus on the pet owner experience and in providing practices with tools that are built for the industry but also flexible is very much in line with our own business model. We are thrilled to partner with them.”

James Ramsden

- Dr James Ramsden, PetPack Founder

“PetPack has always been a pleasure to work with. Our paths have crossed many times because of mutual clients needing our services to join up. This partnership will see more practices combine digital marketing with online booking, which we know is a winning formula to grow business and save time.”

Julien Renard

- Dr Julien Renard, CEO of Vetstoria

This partnership represents the shared trust between our two organisations, and our joint goal to serve the veterinary industry and pet owners.

FREE PetPack + Vetstoria joint webinar on client experience and time-saving!

Vet teams are busier than ever, so it's important to find ways to save time that don't sacrifice the customer experience.

We're inviting you to a free webinar with veteran technology advisor Sharon Kibble of Vetstoria and Dr. James Ramsden of PetPack on this webinar on client & staff experience.

During the webinar, you'll learn:

  • How to use online booking to save time in your practice
  • How digital marketing keeps your clients cool, calm, and collectively well-informed

Thu 11th of Nov | 6 pm AEST (Melbourne/Sydney) or 7 am GMT (London)


Ultimate List of Veterinary Software

Veterinary Software - The Ultimate List

Table of contents

Where is veterinary software headed

Benefits of veterinary software

Veterinary software ROI

Checklist for choosing the right veterinary software

Types of veterinary software

  1. Practice management software (PMS)
  2. Online appointment scheduling and reminders software
  3. Inventory management software
  4. Client communications software
  5. Telemedicine software for vets and veterinary practices
  6. Dictation software
  7. Reporting software
  8. Payment software
  9. Mobile check-in software
  10. Electronic medical records (EMR) software
  11. Patient workflow software
  12. Customised veterinary software builder

Where is veterinary software headed?

North America is expected to witness the highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the veterinary software market over the next five years. It is because of the increasing number of households that own pets, and the growth in animal health care expenditure. Additionally, product innovation, software integration, sophisticated technology, and a high percentage of tech-savvy owners are other factors driving the veterinary software advancement.

There are 3 veterinary industry trends that rely on advancing technology to provide better pet care. They are mobile apps, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence. Because of the recent skyrocketing demand, these efficient technology trends are here to stay. Furthermore, these technologies help battle the staffing shortage issue plaguing the industry.

Veterinary mobile apps 📱

With the advent of cloud-based software, veterinary professionals are no longer tied to clunky desktops to access client and patient data. Mobile apps only furthered the ability to access practice data from anywhere. They typically perform better and provide an optimal user experience than browser versions of software. By completing tasks on your mobile app and automatically syncing to your practice management software (PMS), you can save tons of time. Certain PIMS also offer an app as one of their features. As these apps become even more functional they will become the industry standard, rather than a nice add-on.

Veterinary Telemedicine 💻

Telemedicine was slowly making its way into the veterinary industry before it was greatly accelerated by the pandemic. Due to the new socially distanced form of practicing medicine, veterinary professionals and their clients enjoy the numerous benefits telemedicine offers. Several of the major practice management software also responded quickly by integrating telemedicine capabilities. Without needing to leave your software to schedule, initiate, or host a virtual appointment, you can save even more time through increased efficiency. Full-service telehealth offerings with mobile, desktop, and browser-based interfaces allowing for billing options, medical record integrations, calendar access, automated follow-ups, and auto prescription refills will grow to be the norm in the veterinary industry over the next five years.

Veterinary artificial intelligence 🤖

Artificial intelligence (AI) is joining the veterinary workforce to help get more done in less time. It’s currently making huge strides in the radiology department by automating routine readings and saving the more difficult cases for specialists. AI technology can be tied into your PMS so that all images can be automatically scanned and evaluated, providing results in minutes for a rapid diagnosis. When AI is partnered with practice management software, every radiograph can be screened as a fast, affordable standard of care. As data sources and AI engines become more sophisticated, look for AI to assist in many areas of veterinary medicine in the coming years.

Benefits of veterinary software

Using technology to perform everything from mundane, administrative tasks to the act of practicing medicine simplifies each and every workflow within your practice. Benefits of veterinary software include the following:

🔵 Streamlines processes - Tracking inventory, managing transactions, and generating advanced reports and analytics are just a few tasks a robust veterinary management system performs.

🔵 Boosts client engagement - Veterinary software helps strengthen client communication and improve pet owner convenience by sending appointment and health service reminders, laboratory reports, and itemized invoices via email, text, or app notifications.

🔵 Stores data in a centralized location - A practice management software acts as a centralized data storage and eliminates paper-based workflow, enabling rapid search and management features.

🔵 Supports your practice - Saves time, minimizes staff shortages, grows your business, helps you stay ahead of the competition, and future-proof your practice.

Veterinary software ROI

The more you understand how to use all your software’s features, the higher your ROI on your veterinary software. IT professionals often say that 80% of customers use only 20% of the features in a given piece of technology. You’re paying for features that could boost your practice productivity, but you’re not converting those tools into actual returns for your practice.

Here's a stat released through a case study published by Rishabh Software. Their cloud-based veterinary practice management software helped boost productivity by automating workflows. Which resulted in a 46% improvement in operational efficiency and a four times faster turnaround of report generation and billing. By undergoing whole-team training, the entire practice understood how to best use their software’s features to improve clinical processes, ensuring they utilized their software to its fullest.

How-to-Increase-the-Value-of-Your-Veterinary-Practice-2

Checklist for choosing the right veterinary software

Find out:

🔲 How old the software is

Making sure the software is old enough to have learned your veterinary practice needs will ensure it solves your problems.

🔲 The latest software version release date

With the latest software version releases comes a significant upgrade in technology that will help your practice even better. They can be server to cloud-based model transition, pricing changes, the release of mobile apps, etc.

🔲 If the software is server or cloud-based

Choosing cloud-based software will help you store your clinic’s data in the cloud reducing your hardware expense and giving you more secure data storage.

🔲 Ability to grow your practice (potential ROI)

Make sure the software can help you generate a positive ROI by increasing clients, improving customer satisfaction, and providing you with detailed analytics and marketing opportunities.

🔲 What the monthly Vs annual price of the software is

If the monthly rate is not affordable or does not give you return on Investment, you will make a loss by purchasing the software.

🔲 Ability to use on mobile devices

Convenience is key. Check if the software can be accessed anywhere, at any time using any device by your team or customers.

🔲 If the features fit your requirements

If the functions of the software do not help you fulfill your requirement or solve an issue, that is not the right software for you.

🔲 Integration possibilities with other software systems

You will be wasting days of your valuable time if the software does not integrate with the other software you use in your practice. A new integration takes time.

🔲 User experience

If your veterinary team is complaining about using the software, that is a sign of a bad user experience. A software with a great user experience should make it easy, smooth, and interesting to the users.

🔲 Seemless onboarding and friendly client support

A seamless start is a sign of a great result. Make sure the software provides great support in onboarding and after purchase and helps you make the best use of their software.

Types of veterinary software

1. Practice management software (PMS)

Veterinary PMS is used to assist in the daily operations of hospitals, and typically includes such features as invoicing, accounting, inventory tracking, electronic medical records (EMR), client database, and appointment scheduling. Here is a list of the top practice management software companies in the industry.

IDEXX Cornerstone

Used by over 125,000 professionals at North America's most advanced veterinary hospitals, Cornerstone is known for its advanced integration with numerous apps, services, and products, allowing practices to be fully synced with their laboratory equipment, imaging system, client app, and more.

Features: Diagnostic and imaging integration, appointment scheduling, inventory, EMR, compliance assessment, invoicing, reporting, whiteboard

Best for: Practices that want versatile, feature-rich software

Starting price: Not provided

Capterra rating: 4.1

Website: www.idex-cornerstone.com

AVImark

More than 10,000 practices have chosen Avimark because it’s powerful and scalable enough to support practice growth, and also easy to learn and use. Take advantage of the free trial offered.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: Practices of all sizes

Starting price: Not provided

Capterra rating: 4.1

Website: www.avimark.net

IDEXX Animana

Available in many languages, Animana is a widely adaptable cloud-based PMS. Animana can be used anywhere, works on PC, Mac, and tablets. The platform is not limited in the number of users and is backed by a 24/7/365 free hotline.

Features: Diagnostic and imaging integration, appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, digital marketing, loyalty program, confirmation, reminders, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: All small or large animal practices

Starting price: Not provided

Capterra rating: 4.4

Website: www.idexx-animana.co.uk

IDEXX Neo

Intuitive to use and easy to learn, Neo has all the features you need to get it up and running quickly, with the added benefit of accessing this cloud-based PMS anywhere.

Features: Diagnostic integration, appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, digital payments, confirmation, reminders, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing

Best for: General practitioners, mobile clinics, and shelters

Starting price: $199/user/month

Capterra rating: 4.2

Website: www.idexx-neo.com

eVetPractice

As a cloud-based PMS, eVetPractice runs on any internet-enabled device and provides seamless integrations with lab equipment, a pet owner portal, and wellness plans.

Features: Practice whiteboard, EMR, pet owner-accessible portal, telemedicine, integrated inventory, prescription management, lab systems, and accounting and payment

Best for: Hospitals and mobile practices with 1 to 150 employees

Starting price: Tiered pricing starts at $250/month

Capterra rating: 4.3

Website: www.evetpractice.com

Vetter

Vetter is a cloud-based PMS that automates manual tasks, streamlines workflows, and improves visibility into the health of your practice, all while requiring no contract.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: Smaller practices with up to 15 users

Starting price: $99/month

Capterra rating: 4.6

Website: www.vettersoftware.com

RxWorks

Used in 19 countries by universities and large corporate groups, RxWorks is a PMS that automates many tasks to provide a more consistent standard of care and prevent missed charges.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmations, reminders, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning, insurance claims management, virtual visits, client-facing check-in kiosks

Best for: Practices that want a highly automated PMS

Starting price: Not listed

Capttera rating: 4.3

Website: www.rxworks.com

rhapsody

As a unified platform, rhapsody is a cloud-based PMS with a ton of advanced features that are simple to learn and use, and all the essentials are accessible on a single screen.

Features: Appointment scheduling, mobile and online payments, confirmation, reminders, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning, telehealth, check-in kiosk, whiteboard

Best for: Practices that want an advanced, yet easy use, PMS

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 5.0

Website: www.rhapsody.vet

Vetera

With more than 18,000 users in the DACH region and beyond, the German-based PMS, Vetera, provides extensive and modern functions for all types of veterinary practices, from single-doctor equine practices to universities.

Features: Appointment scheduling and resource management, customer communication, patient and client records, image ordering and archiving system, laboratory integration, inventory management, bookkeeping and accounting, statistics, and management reports.

Best for: Small, large, or multi-location practices

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vetera.net

Merlin

Easy to use, Merlin is a cloud-based PMS that offers tons of integration features and secure solutions to power your business for profitability, efficiency, and patient care.

Features: Appointment reminders, appointment scheduling, billing and invoicing, boarding management, image storage, inventory management, patient records, prescription management, treatment plans, diagnostic tool, and other integrations

Best for: Practices in the UK

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra Rating: 5.0

Website: www.mwiah.co.uk

VisionVPM

VisionVPM enables you to streamline clinic workflows and effectively manage clientele with advanced features and embedded communication.

Features: Inventory management, general ledger, boarding schedules, comprehensive reporting, farm and equine functionality, reminders, marketing, telemedicine, payroll (New Zealand only)

Best for: Small, large, or mixed animal practices

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.4

Website: www.visionvpm.com

Provet Cloud

A Finnish-based company, Provet Cloud is a PMS for progressive veterinary practices, from small clinics to large hospitals, and is easily customized to support your workflows and specialties.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: Practice of any size

Starting price: $25/user/month

Capterra rating: 4.1

Website: www.provet.cloud.com

Learn how to turn your PMS into a time-saving machine

Teleos

With the ability to be run off a server or through the cloud, Teleos provides practice management software to the UK, Ireland, Norway, and South Africa.

Features: Laboratory and imaging integration, insurance claims, microchip registration, KPI dashboard, iPhone app, POS terminal, appointment scheduling, appointment confirmation, and reminders, billing and invoicing, treatment planning, prescription processing

Best for: Independent practices

Starting price: Not listed

Caoterra rating: 5.0

Website: www.teleosvet.co.uk

CHSVet

With leading providers in Australia and around the world, CHSVet can be hosted in the cloud, in-house, or mobile, and offers a lower Total Cost of Ownership than most other PMS.

Features: Two-way messaging, appointment calendar, hospital charts, reminders, online booking, laboratory integration, wellness and loyalty programs, file storage, insurance claims

Best for: All practices and ancillary pet services

Starting price: $95/month

Capterra rating: 4.1

Website: www.chsvet.com

OpenVPMS

OpenVPMS is a full-featured, web browser-based PMS developed in Australia that operates as a not-for-profit organization.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, boarding management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: Practices of all sizes

Starting price: $450/year

Capterra rating: 4.7

Website: www.openvpms.org

ASSISI

Working with veterinary clinics across the UK, Assisi is a full-featured PMS system that automates tasks, improves workflows, and integrates finances to help save time and grow your business.

Features: E-billing, offsite app, online booking, cloud data backup, advanced stock control, KPI reports, lab integration, insurance claims management, microchip registration, reporting, document control, client self-check-in, reminders

Best for: Large or small animal practices

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.assisi-vet-system.com

VetIT

A UK-based company, VetIT has features that are specifically designed for small animal, mixed animal, farm, and equine practices, with their cloud-based software making it easy to access patient records anywhere.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, patient records management, pet owner portal, stock management, IDEXX lab integration, multi-lingual capacity

Best for: All practice types

Starting price: $450/year

Capterra rating: 4.7

Website:  www.vetit.co.uk

Vetocom

Based in Pau, Vetocom is the leader in veterinary accounting and management software and is an excellent tool for veterinarians seeking the most reliable, complete solution. They also provide different modes for canine, rural, and equine activity.

Features: Activity and medical management, accounting, product management, mobile apps, online appointments, multi-sites, laboratory and imaging integration, agenda, inventory management, billing

Best for: All practice types

Starting price: $60.37/month

Vetocom customer survey (2017) rating: 4.5

Website: www.vetocom.fr

Vet-One

Vet-One is the UK’s market leader in web-based or cloud veterinary PMS and has proven to reduce overhead and increase profits through time-saving and enhanced client service.

Features: Online appointments, E-claims, flexible security, reminders, laboratory integration, invoicing, billing

Best for: All practice types

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website:  www.vet-one.com

VetNet A/S

VetNet has been the leading veterinary practice management software in Nordic countries for years, and it’s gaining more international recognition. Its main strength is perfect customer relationship management.

Features: Online booking, reminders, anesthesia journals, dental charts, prescription processing, EMR, invoicing, finance and accounting, debt collection management, treatment archive

Best for: Practices in the Nordic region

Starting price: $117.06/month

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vetnet.se

ezvetpro

An easy-to-use, mobile-friendly, comprehensive solution for veterinarians, ezvetpro offers powerful automated marketing, extensive analysis, and accounting to grow your veterinary practice.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: All practice types

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra Rating: 5.0

Website: www.ezofficesystems.com

VetSCOPE

VetSCOPE is the market’s leading accounting and veterinary practice management solution in Ireland that incorporates small animal/equine case management, customer relationship management (CRM), prescription printing, and a full accounting suite in an easy-to-use and flexible system.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: Practices in the UK, Ireland, and Europe

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 1.0

Website: www.vetscope.ie

Vetspire

Vetspire is an intelligent, intuitive, and powerful cloud-based veterinary practice management platform driven by AI.

Features: Appointment scheduling, reminders, client texting, inventory, billing, reporting, EMR, searchable medical history, clinical decision support

Best for: Practices that want cutting-edge technology

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vetspire.com

RoboVet

RoboVet offers powerful integrated modules to streamline workflow, simplify record management, and build customer relationships.

Features: Appointment scheduling, reminders, automated marketing tools and workflows, KPI tracking, mobile app integration, virtual visits, integrated payments

Best for: Practices of all sizes and specialties

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 3.9

Website: www.robovet.com

ImproMed

ImproMed drives clinical and business success through enhanced reporting and real-time analytics, mobile applications, inventory optimization, and multiple ways to go paperless.

Features: Integrated inventory and prescription management, wellness plans, client communication, marketing tools, online scheduling, forward booking, treatment plans, telemedicine, paperless workflows

Best for: Practices of all sizes

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.0

Website: www.impromed.com

ezyVet

ezyVet is the PMS of choice for veterinary professionals who want to save time, grow their business, and deliver excellence in all aspects of veterinary care.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, client database, confirmation, reminders, expense tracking, diagnostic and imaging integration, inventory management, EMR, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: Practices of all sizes and specialties

Starting price: $150/month

Capterra rating: 4.7

Website: www.ezyvet.com

VETport

VETport is the pioneer in cloud-based PMS for veterinary clinics and is currently being used in more than 20 countries.

Features: Telemedicine, EMR, client communication, internal communication, reports, online scheduling, calendar, lab and payment integration, inventory management, self-check-in kiosk, boarding module, marketing, patient portal, wellness plans, reminders

Best for: Practices of all types and sizes

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.6

Website: www.vetport.com

Panacea

Panacea is a cloud-based practice management and clinical records system that’s intuitive and easy to use, claiming you’ll be up and running in minutes.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: Any size practice

Starting price: $199/month

Capterra rating: 4.8

Website: www.panaceahq.com

VIA

Used in more than 20 countries, VIA is the first SQL Server-based PMS for the veterinary industry and prides itself on providing all the tools you need for creating a truly paperless practice.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning, breeding management, feed management, income and balance sheet, horse database, payment processing

Best for: Any size practice

Starting price: $2900 flat rate

Capterra rating: 3.3

Website: www.viainfosys.com

VetLinkSQL Software

VetLinkSQL, a cloud-hosted or on-premise PMS, is an innovative toolkit built on SQL technology and designed to streamline practice workflows.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning

Best for: Any size practice

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.8

Website: www.vetlinksql.com

Digitail

Digitail is a cloud-based, fully integrated veterinary PMS that provides a website and listing on their platform, allowing you to be discovered by new clients. Take advantage of their free 14-day trial.

Features: Patient and client management, EMR, online scheduling and calendar, reminders, notifications, mobile app, two-way messaging, telemedicine, stock management, invoicing

Best for: Independent practices, mobile vets, practices with multiple locations

Starting price: $95/month

Capterra rating: 4.9

Website: www.digitail.io

Hippo Manager

Hippo Manager is the largest independently owned, cloud-based veterinary PMS in the United States. Through enhanced workflows, practices switching to Hippo Manager typically experience a 22% increase in gross revenue during their first year.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, DICOM viewer, confirmation, reminders, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning, online patient portal, lab integration, point of sale

Best for: Flexible and ideal for any size or type of practice

Starting price: $119/month

Capterra rating: 4.0

Website:  www.hippomanager.com

SpecVet

Designed with input from more than 30 veterinarians and administrators from ER and specialty clinics, SpecVet is an all-in-one veterinary PMS that handles the unique needs of non-GP practices.

Features: Appointment scheduling, billing, invoicing, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing

Best for: Specialty, emergency, and referral hospitals

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.3

Website: www.specvet.com

ClienTrax

ClienTrax is a leading PMS with powerful features that can dramatically improve the efficiency and productivity of your practice and is designed to be the most user-friendly program of its kind.

Features: Online scheduling, preventive care plan, imaging, payment processing, telemedicine, inventory management, dictation, EMR, integrated lab, mobile app, reminders

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.1

Website:  www.clientrax.com

VETbuddy

VETbuddy is the next-generation clinic management software that is cloud-based, easy to use, affordable, and full of features required by veterinary practices all over the world.

Features: Loyalty program, telemedicine, EMR, online scheduling, reminders, billing, equipment integration, inventory management, performance dashboard, whiteboard, clinic website, client portal

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: $75/month

Capterra rating: 4.8

Website: www.thevetbuddy.com

TeleVet

TeleVet allows you to manage your entire appointment workflow in one place, with a robust offering of efficiency-boosting features.

Features: Two-way messaging, scheduling, patient check-in, payments, digital forms, in-clinic and curbside workflows, video chat, reminders, telemedicine, PMS integration

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: Not listed

Google rating: 3.2

Website: www.televet.com

VetBlue

VetBlue is a cloud-based veterinary PMS that lets clinics streamline activities via customizable tools for invoicing, notifications, booking, and more.

Features: Billing, client communication, medical records, reminders, reports, scheduling, imaging, inventory management, prescription processing, confirmations, treatment planning

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 5.0

Website: www.eveterinarysoftware.com

2. Veterinary online appointment scheduling and reminders software

Vetstoria

Vetstoria is the world’s largest veterinary online appointment scheduling software that helps practices provide better care with less work, save administrative time, minimize staff burnout and shortages, improve client service, and boost revenue by allowing pet owners to book appointments and pay online 24/7.

Features: Real-time online appointment scheduling, real-time integration with your PMS, secure payments for online appointments, clear reporting, and analytics, digital marketing, supports 11 languages

Best for: All practice types, from independent and corporate to universities

Starting price: $228/month

Capterra rating: 4.8

Website: www.vetstoria.com

Next In Line

Next In Line lets you create a customized online booking platform that integrates with your PMS and handles all your appointment scheduling, confirmation, and reminder needs.

Features: Real-time online booking, integration with PMS, virtual waitlist, confirmations, reminders, check-in process

Best for: Any practice type

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 3.7

Website: www.nextinline.io

Yocale

Yocale is a free appointment scheduling software that caters to a wide range of service-based businesses within various industries.

Features: Online scheduling, patient management, payments, reminders, form builder, real-time reporting, automated marketing, inventory management

Best for: Appointment-based practices

Starting price: There is a free version, but it only offers bookings

Capterra rating: 4.7

Website: www.business.yocale.com

bookitLive

bookitLive lets you change and track your schedule, create a menu of services, and access your patient database, while they advertise your practice on Google and Yahoo!

Features: Online scheduling, reminders, advertising, client management, smart forms, phone bookings

Best for: Any size practice

Starting price: $40/month

Capterra rating: 4.6

Website: www.bookitlive.net

GoReminders

Setup for GoReminders takes just 30 seconds, and you’re ready to start sending templated or customized email and text appointment reminders to eliminate no-shows. Try out their 14-day free trial.

Features: Online scheduling, reminders, calendar integration, reports, email and text blasts

Best for: Any size practice

Starting price: $25/month

Capterra rating: 4.8

Website: www.goreminders.com

Planfy

Planfy is appointment scheduling software designed for pet surgeries and claims to allow booking in seconds through individual interactive online calendars.

Features: Online surgery appointment scheduling, reminders, record management, marketing, veterinary surgery website

Best for: Any size practice

Starting price: $17/month

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.planfy.com

Vetovia

Vetovia, an InTouch product, is an easy-to-use, cloud-based appointment reminder system that generates an average of 10 new appointments from MIA clients per full-time veterinarian each month.

Features: Online scheduling, review requests, reminders, confirmations, alert notifications, PMS integration, marketing, record management

Best for: Any size practice, but more economical for large ones

Starting price: $299/month

Rating: Not listed

Website:  www.vetovia.com

PetYeti

Based in Australia, PetYeti’s digital engagement solutions drive traffic from multiple sources and allow clients to effortlessly book online.

Features: Online scheduling, reminders, cloud-based platform, & seamless integrations

Best for: Practices interested only in online booking services

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.petyeti.com.au

3. Inventory management software

ArbiMed

ArbiMed Inventory is an all-in-one inventory management software that helps practices track, monitor, and analyze the usage of medical items while minimizing spending.

Features: Integration with PMS, alerts, backorder management, barcoding/RFID, cataloging, check-in/check-out, cost tracking, EMR/EHR, expiration date management, forecasting, inventory management, inventory optimization, inventory tracking

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: $250/month

Capterra rating: 4.3

Website: www.arbimed.com

eShelf

eShelf integrates with your PMS to reduce time and errors associated with inventory management, and places orders directly through Patterson Veterinary, so this option is not for everyone.

Features: Create, place, and receive inventory orders; order confirmation, status tracking, updates inventory, update product cost, offers promotions and special pricing

Best for: Practices who purchase through Patterson Veterinary

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.pattersonvet.com

4. Client communications software

PetDesk

PetDesk’s client app has more than 2 million users and a 5-star rating, making it one of the top client communication software available that boasts about saving practices 32 hours of phone time each month.

Features: Online appointment requests, confirmation, reminders, patient records management, prescription processing, treatment planning, virtual care, mobile app, loyalty program, two-way messaging

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.8

Website: www.petdesk.com

Rapport

Integrating with multiple Covetrus products, Rapport is the ideal client communication solution for use with eVetPractice, AVImark, and ImproMed.

Features: Online scheduling, reminders, two-way messaging, reputation management, video conferencing

Best for: Any practice type, especially ones who use Covetrus software

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.rapport.com

VetTools

A VINx product, VetTools provides easy client engagement through targeted outreach and a variety of tools that nurture veterinarian-client relationships.

Features: Online scheduling, marketing campaigns, two-way messaging, reviews, surveys, record sharing, reminders, reporting, telemedicine

Best for: Veterinary practices who are VIN members and non-members alike

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vin.com

PetsApp Software

The highest-rated veterinary app in the UK and Ireland, PetsApp builds better ways for veterinarians to engage with their customers, advocate for their patients, and ensure that veterinary care remains accessible through their all-in-one communications platform.

Features: Text chat, video calls, appointment booking, reminders, digital payments, mobile app, push notifications

Best for: Forward-thinking veterinary clinics

Starting price: Not listed

App store rating: 4.9

Website: www.petsapp.com

Weave

Weave is an all-in-one customer communication and engagement platform that has provided a 30% increase in office efficiency for an award-winning veterinary hospital using Weave.

Features: Notifications, unified phone system, audio calls, call recording, call routing, two-way messaging, confirmation, reminders, contact management, customizable forms, forums, engagement tracking, voice recognition, mobile access, negative feedback management, reporting, payments

Best for: Practices looking for a way to call and text pet owners from a single number that connects all the clinic’s phone lines

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.3 on Capterra

Website: www.getweave.com

Daylite

Daylite offers a broad range of tools and capabilities to help build stronger relationships, manage those relationships over time, and reduce attrition, while still being flexible enough to grow with you.

Features: Integration with many software platforms, full contact management capabilities, lead and pipeline management solutions, document management, and centralization, calendaring and reminders, interaction tracking

Best for: Small practices that are Mac-based businesses (Not available for PC or Android)

Starting price: $24/month

Capterra rating: 4.6

Website: www.marketcircle.com

VitusVet

VitusVet is the first-of-its-kind veterinary PMS that offers complete communication and payment solutions with real-time performance metrics.

Features: Reminders, two-way messaging, mobile app, surveys, reviews, digital medical records, online scheduling, text to pay

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.8

Website: www.vitusvet.com

ALLYDVM

AllyDVM offers cloud-based software for veterinarians that integrates with most PMS, adding functionality and efficiency for better communication and improved profitability.

Features: Loyalty program, retention calendar, mobile app, surveys, digital medical records, direct messaging, reminders, online scheduling, refill requests

Best for: Any size practice

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.allydvm.com

Vet2Pet

The only all-in-one client connection platform that builds a practice app with your logo, Vet2Pet is packed full of customizable features designed to attract, retain, and engage with your clients.

Features: Visit tracker, custom branding, loyalty program, two-way messaging, reminders, confirmations, virtual payment, notifications, pharmacy requests, pet selfies, appointments, mobile app, reviews

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: $149/month

Google rating: 5.0

Website: www.vet2pet.com

VetCheck

VetCheck is a comprehensive digital resource of practice-branded handouts and forms that enables a higher level of client communication and increased client compliance.

Features: Handouts, forms, videos, hospital charts, treatment plans, anesthesia monitoring forms, dental charts, electronic prescriptions, marketing tools, whiteboard, integrates with PMS

Best for: Practices looking for client education resources

Starting price: $35/month

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vetcheck.it

Vetstreet

Vetstreet is a web-based communication platform that provides three tools designed to encourage clients to visit your practice more often.

Features: Pet portal, patient recapture program, reputation management, practice websites, postcard reminders, pet owner magazine, electronic communications,

Best for: Practices looking to manage their reputation and engage with clients

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 3.6

Website: www.vetstreet.com

VoIP Phone Services

Through a robust communication platform like VoIP, veterinarians can improve the way they communicate with their clients, staff members, partners, and suppliers, saving time and streamlining workflows.

Features: Unlimited calling, telephone lines and numbers available in numerous countries, web control panel, daily call reports, video meetings, desktop, and mobile apps

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: $14.99/month

Rating: Depends on the particular company

Website: www.voipreview.org

5. Veterinary Telemedicine software for vets and veterinary practices

GuardianVets

GuardianVets operates as a virtual employee to help shoulder your workload and take many tasks off your plate to streamline workflows and boost client and staff happiness.

Features: Telemedicine, curbside care, mobile app, remote staffing, overflow calls, and daytime coverage, callback services, emergency services

Best for: Practices wanting full-service curbside care or a virtual employee

Starting price: Not listed

Facebook rating: 5.0

Website:  www.guardianvets.com

Chewy

Instead of being a telemedicine platform, veterinary practices offer, Chewy’s Connect with a Vet software is available for pet owners to use at their convenience. If you do not offer telemedicine services at your practice, you may recommend this service to your clients.

Features: This service enables pet owners to connect with licensed veterinarians and get answers to their pet’s health and behavior questions or concerns.

Best for: Practices who are not interested in offering their own telemedicine services/pet owners who do not have telemedicine access through their own veterinarian

Starting price: Free for Chewy’s Autoship customers

Rating: 4.9 via Chewy’s website

Website: www.chewy.com

Pawp

Pawp is a digital clinic that provides health, behavior, and nutrition advice to pet owners any time, day or night, making this an ideal solution for practices that do not offer virtual services.

Features: Unlimited video calls and texts, no appointments or wait times, available 24/7, licensed veterinarians and pet professionals

Best for: Practices that are not interested in offering their own telemedicine services/pet owners who do not have telemedicine access through their own veterinarian

Starting price: $19/month

Google rating: 3.9

Website: www.pawp.com

Virtuwoof

Virtuwoof provides a platform for simple, easily accessible virtual visits. They also give a portion of every virtual visit fee to organizations that support veterinary suicide prevention and groups helping animals get the care they need.

Features: Virtual consults, two-way messaging, video chats, visit transcript upload to PMS, payments

Best for: Practices looking for an easy-to-use telemedicine platform

Starting price: Not listed

App store rating: 4.2

Website: www.virtuwoof.com

Airvet

Airvet provides pet owners access to 3,000+ veterinarians to gain instant medical, behavioral, and nutritional advice, with no wait times or time limits.

Features: Unlimited video visits and follow-ups, personalized diet and nutrition programs, access to experts for behavior and training, premium support for insurance claims.

Best for: Practices who are not interested in offering their own telemedicine services/pet owners who do not have telemedicine access through their own veterinarian

Starting price: $19.99/month

App store rating: 4.9

Website: www.airvet.com

Veterinary Telemedicine with Vetstoria - Learn more

6. Dictation software

Talkatoo

Talkatoo is a speech-to-text software that has been built specifically for veterinarians and has a built-in vet vocabulary, allowing you to complete your medical records in half the time.

Features: Automatic transcription, voice recognition, accent recognition, integration with all PMS

Best for: Veterinarians looking to save time transcribing medical records

Starting price: $95/month

Capterra rating: 4.7

Website: www.talkatoo.com

Dragon Veterinary

Dragon Veterinary’s software quickly adapts to your speech patterns to make medical note recording fast and efficient with the aid of a robust toolkit.

Features: Templates, verbal shorthand, unique vocal profile, advanced scripting, adaptive speech algorithm, SOAP notes, custom commands, acronyms, PMS integration

Best for: Veterinarians looking to save time transcribing medical records

Starting price: $99/month

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.dragonveterinary.com

Talkingvet

Talkingvet is veterinary speech recognition software that will help you create better health record documentation in a fraction of the time it takes to type.

Features: Supplementary veterinary vocabulary, AVImark, and VIA voice-activated commands

Best for: Veterinarians looking to save time transcribing medical records

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.talkingvet.com

nVoq

With no software or servers to install, you can begin using nVoq’s dictation capabilities. They focus on speech recognition of medical terms and provide outstanding customer service.

Features: Extremely accurate speech recognition, HIPAA compliant, quick ROI

Best for: Veterinarians looking to save time transcribing medical records

Starting price: Not listed

App store rating: 4.5

Website: www.sayit.nvoq.com

7. Veterinary reporting software

VetSuccess

VetSuccess makes sense of the data in your veterinary PMS so you don’t have to, and provides you with easy-to-understand, clear reports.

Features: Performance reports, dashboards, automated marketing

Best for: Practices wanting to compare their KPIs to national benchmarks

Starting price: $89/month

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vetsuccess.com

Vet Report

Vet Report is an innovative web-based reporting system that provides personalized content and reports for each user, in any language needed.

Features: Metadata upload, templates creation, step reporting, image upload, and manipulation

Best for: Practices wanting to refer cases

Starting price: $65/month

Capterra rating: 5.0

Website: www.vet-report.com

Gain clear insights to keep your practice running smoothly

8. Veterinary payment software

Electronic Merchant Services

Electronic Merchant Services offers veterinary clinics payment processing options, competitive rates, and ways to build long-lasting relationships with clients.

Features: Payment processing, gift cards, loyalty programs, POS systems, credit card machines, web design, payment gateways, web commerce

Best for: Practices looking to offer unique payment options and gift cards

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.emscorporate.com

Gravity Payments

By working directly with veterinarians, Gravity Payments has been able to lower costs and provide industry-leading support.

Features: PMS integration, text to pay, online payments, mobile payments, POS systems, invoices, gift and loyalty programs

Best for: Practices looking for easy-to-use payment options with low rates

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: 4.5 on Consumer Affairs

Website: www.gravitypayments.com

How to implement a stress free payment process

PayJunction

Having processed over $5 billion in payments, PayJunction provides multiple, cloud-powered payment options that can be scaled to meet your growing practice’s needs.

Features: Contactless and remote payments, financial reports, invoices, cards on file, remote signature

Best for: Growing or mobile practices

Starting price: $0.07/transaction

Capterra rating: 4.8

Website: www.payjunction.com

TMGvets

TMGvets offers minimal costs and superior customer service to ensure every veterinarian has access to the best rates for payment processing. They also support the veterinary industry through business alliances and allied memberships with multiple state VMAs.

Features: Text and email invoices, curbside checkout, contactless payments, PMS integration, integration with Midwest Vet Supplies

Best for: Practices wanting to offer contactless payments

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.tmgvets.com

VetTech Payments

VetTech Payment’s goals are to provide cost-effective pricing, access to cutting-edge payment processing technology, and exemplary customer service.

Features: PMS integration, pre-negotiated rates, mobile processing, website payment page, digital wallets, email invoicing

Best for: Any practice

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vettechpayments.com

VetBilling

VetBilling grants you the tools you need to create customized, in-house payment plans that accept all your clients and take none of your treatment fees.

Features: Managed payment plans, pay-in-advance plans, pet savings accounts, wellness/subscription plans

Best for: Practices wanting to offer payment plans to clients

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vetbilling.com

9. Mobile check-in software

ER Express

ER Express provides cloud-based, white-labeled mobile check-in, digital queuing, and intake solutions designed to support animal hospitals.

Features: Mobile intake forms, digital check-in, virtual queue, two-way messaging, surveys

Best for: Practices wanting to boost their check-in and intake process efficiency

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.erexpress.com

10. Electronic medical records (EMR) software

Pet Tracks

PetTracks Veterinary EMR is an electronic medical record system that allows you to save money on the cost of more expensive, paper-based software. With their speech recognition tools, you’ll experience faster charting, so you can spend more time helping patients.

Features: Voice recognition, paper-free records, e-prescribing of controlled substances, telemedicine, appointment reminders

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.9

Website: www.pettracksemr.com

Onward Vet

Onward Vet provides seamless integration, pre-filled and easy to create templates, and a host of other highly intuitive features to help track patient data.

Features: Two-way messaging, dental charting, treatment flowsheets, client portal, reminders, referral management, customizable templates, integration with other software types, appointment scheduling, imaging, inventory management, patient records management, prescription processing

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: $300/month

Capterra rating: 5.0

Website: www.onwardvet.com

Peeva

The first and only unified database of pet medical records, Peeva pairs millions of pet microchip IDs with their medical records in a single, centralized database that is accessible by any veterinary professional.

Features: Animal control, animal database, intake management, license management, EMR

Best for: Veterinary professionals, animal shelter groups, animal welfare organizations

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.peeva.co

11. Patient workflow software

SmartFlow

SmartFlow is software that streamlines every step of the treatment process by sharing patient information and treatment status instantly to minimize bottlenecks.

Features: Forms, whiteboard, treatment sheets, dental charts, anesthesia monitoring sheets, analytics

Best for: Any size and type of practice

Starting price: $154.95/month

Capterra rating: 4.6

Website: www.idexx.com

Covetrus Prescription Management Software

Covetrus Prescription Management is an online pharmacy platform designed for veterinary practices to easily create and manage prescriptions by granting access to more than 20,000 products.

Features: Prescription processing, inventory management, integration with patient records, reporting, refill and reminder emails, online scheduling, practice-branded online pharmacy

Best for: Companion, equine, and mixed animal practices in North America

Starting price: Not listed

Capterra rating: 4.5

Website: www.covetrus.com

Vet Radar

Vet Radar is clean, simple, and intuitive workflow management software that improves patient care, business performance, and practice efficiency.

Features: Treatment plans, paperless workflows, billing, templates, mobile- and cloud-based, seamless integration with ezyVet

Best for: Practices that use ezyVet PMS

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: Not listed

Website: www.vetradar.com

12. Customised veterinary software builder

Chetu

Chetu is a software development company that consists of 2,200+ software development experts who provide businesses around the world with custom technology solutions, including a wide range of veterinary software.

Features: Veterinary PMS, pet GPS tracking software, mobile applications, accounting software, pharmacy and inventory management software, laboratory management software, PACS and DICOM viewer software, telehealth and telemedicine software, EHR software

Best for: Practices that want custom-built software

Starting price: Not listed

Rating: 4.3 on sitejabber

Website: www.pettracksemr.com

How to Get Started

Veterinary software will continue to evolve and grow, and can easily adapt to fit your practice’s unique needs. To determine which software will work best for your practice, we suggest creating a list of needed features, then scheduling demos with the companies that can fulfill those needs. A one-on-one demo will allow you to take the software for a test drive, and see if it’s the right fit for your practice. The perfect software will increase your efficiency, streamline your workflows, and make for happier clients, patients, and staff.


Employee Spotlight - Samanala Athaudahetti

Employee Spotlight - Samanala Athaudahetti

Employee Spotlight - Samanala Athaudahetti

Welcome to the newest episode of our employee spotlight blog, where we introduce a member of the Vetstoria family to you. This month we interviewed Samanala Athaudahetti, one of our fantastic Associate Technical Leads.

Free Download: Employee Happiness Survey Template

Q: Could you give us an introduction to yourself?

I am Samanala Athaudahetti, part of Vetstoria's fantastic team in Asia. My colleagues call me "Sam." I describe myself as a calm and quiet person that enjoys seeing others grow with me.

I am happily married and a father of 2 boys. Music is part of where my happiness lies, and I actively upload my music videos on Youtube. (Make sure you subscribe to my channel 😜: FusionMusic)

Q: How long have you worked with Vetstoria, and what is your role in the company?

I started working for Vetstoria in 2015 as a junior member. It's been six years now, and I've had a fun journey full of challenges, new learnings, new people, and so much exposure to the world of veterinarians. My experiences at Vetstoria are what have made me who I am today. I've come so far from what I was when I joined, and now I am one of the Associate Technical Leads.

Q: What is one thing you are proud of achieving at Vetstoria?

I am very proud to be part of a team that strives together to help make the lives of veterinary professionals as easy as they can. Moreover, the highlight for me is that I was a vital part of building Vetstoria's critical features like the Billing and Payment system, Interactive Voice Response (an AI-based bot), and core modules in the Booking Platform.

Q: What do you consider to be the best part of your daily role at Vetstoria?

The best part of my role is getting to work with new joiners and train them. Every day, every action is a new experience. It is more challenging to work with people than writing a code, but the happiness I get after seeing them achieve something is priceless.

Q: What does working within the veterinary industry mean to you?

I love dogs. Even though I have not interacted with veterinary professionals directly, the satisfaction that my effort towards every code contributes to helping a pet somewhere is what keeps me going.

Q: What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

When I am out of work, I have two little boys who eagerly wait for me to play with them - the happy life of a father. So, family time is what I prefer when I am not working. My wife and I end up playing new and funny games created by them. Additionally, spending time making music keeps me happy and occupied.

Q: How have you been coping with the recent COVID situation, and do you have any words of advice for your fellow veterinary industry professionals who are struggling with it?

I am primarily relieved and thankful that we are all safe from the deadly virus. This has been a tough time for everyone. However, I have realized that what we own today isn't permanent, and we might not own it tomorrow. Love, positivity, and intentions to help others are what will stay with us forever.

From that, the advice I would give is, be ready for change, and when change comes your way, accept it and adapt to it. Today and tomorrow can be so much different from one another.

Q: In your view, what’s the most important thing someone should master when working remotely?

Working remotely is a whole different experience for all of us. A significant change to a life we've spent so much time commuting to our workplaces, isn't it?

Now that we've saved some extra time from not traveling, I think the most important thing is managing it efficiently to have a better work-life balance.

Q: If you could take only one animal with you to a desert island, what would it be?

A dog!

Q: Words of advice for your fellow Vetstorians?

Vetstoria is built on the concept of "help" to the pets in need of care and the superstar veterinarians who work tirelessly to provide that care. So, my advice would be to help others, be it your veterinary colleagues, a pet owner with doubts, a pet in need of care, another veterinary practice that's struggling, or your family even in the simplest way possible.

Q: What future developments are you excited about at Vetstoria?

I am excited about the upcoming innovations and ideas that are aimed at helping our veterinary clients. We've grown so fast as a company, so I am looking forward to walking ahead with the family!


Employee Spotlight - Ida Geiger

Employee Spotlight - Ida Geiger

Welcome to the newest episode of our employee spotlight blog, where we introduce a member of the Vetstoria family to you all. This month we interviewed one of our fantastic Customer Success Managers, Ida Geiger.

Q: Could you give us an introduction to yourself?

I was born in Tajikistan and lived there for the first three years until my parents moved back to Germany. A little village in the Black Forest is what I call home, and I am taken with every aspect of it – the nature, the food, and the closeness to France and Switzerland. When I asked my friends to describe me, most of them said that I was a globetrotter. My love belongs to traveling and experiencing different cultures around the world. Whenever life offers me the opportunity to travel, I will take the invite with great pleasure.

Q: How long have you worked with Vetstoria, and what is your role in the company?

I started to work with Vetstoria at the end of 2020 as a Customer Success Manager. It has been eight months by now – time flies. My role includes building and maintaining relationships with veterinary professionals as the "go-to" advisor for requests and comments related to our product. The goal of our team is to drive revenue opportunities and provide customer value and service while working in cross-functional teams.

Q: What is one thing you are proud of achieving at Vetstoria?

Stepping out of my comfort zone and moving into uncharted territory – the veterinary world. I once read that getting out of one's comfort zone creates positive stress, which increases focus, creativity, and drive. I would confirm that! Even though I have felt entirely lost in some internal meetings initially (and sometimes still do, lol), I am glad I took the journey with Vetstoria.

Q: What do you consider to be the best part of your daily role at Vetstoria?

The best part of my job is the various facets of the role – you can be a guide when leading customers to success, a student when the product team introduces the latest features, an auditor when receiving feedback, a communicator when sharing feedback with the relevant department, and an advisor when delivering information backed by data and experience. This position brings such a great variety into my daily role that no day equals the previous one.

Q: What does working within the veterinary industry mean to you?

In the beginning, a lot of googling. I was focused on technology solutions for consumer brands in my previous role – the veterinary world was completely unknown territory for me. I have to say, people in the veterinary industry are very caring and compassionate individuals who work extremely hard. Remarkably, companies like Vetstoria can help them free up their busy schedule from routine work to focus on more critical tasks.

Q: What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

If my day at work has been quite hectic, you will most likely find me outdoors enjoying a long walk, on my yoga mat, or somewhere secluded with a book. If my day has been relatively calm, you will find me amongst people – socializing and just having a good time. I am a libra – life is all about finding the balance (and enjoying long dinners with delicious food and interesting people).

Q: How have you been coping with the recent COVID situation, and do you have any words of advice for your fellow veterinary industry professionals who are struggling with it?

Covid-19 has decelerated the world and brought back appreciation for the simple things in life. It has made me realize how much we need social interaction, something as simple as a hug or a cup of coffee with a friend at your favorite café. You start to feel gratitude for something that was taken for granted. It also created another sense of togetherness – during the strictest period of the lockdown, our neighbors met on the balconies. A lady played old classics on her saxophone while everybody had a Spritz in their hands (Italians just can't let go of their Aperitivo). I guess my advice would be not solely to focus on the sacrifices made during this challenging period but also to shift the attention to the little positive change it might have brought.

Q: In your view, what’s the most important thing someone should master when working remotely?

I am still trying to figure it out myself, but I would say, because work was put into this one device and became your constant companion, it is essential to schedule active breaks and set a frame for working hours. I try to go for a walk for my lunch break or meet remotely working friends for a quick lunch like in the good old days – I guess the trick is to be able to disconnect from work after it has been brought into your home space, which is easier said than done.

Q: If you could take only one animal with you to a desert island, what would it be?

If I could wish for one, it would be my cat – she thinks she is a tiger, and she would appear and fight with that confidence, lol. I guess she would be my unsurpassed guard and my closest cuddling buddy for the calmer moments.

Q: Words of advice for your fellow Vetstorians?

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade – lol! I honestly would not have any wisdom to share but a message: Thank you for being such great colleagues – kind, happy, and so incredibly supportive!

Q: What future developments are you excited about at Vetstoria?

Vetstoria is such a dynamic company that responds with advanced features to the feedback received from clients. Our latest innovations benefit the teams working in practices and improve the overall performance, boosting ROI. Working as a customer success manager for a company strongly driven by customer feedback is fantastic. We've paid colossal attention to actual veterinary practice pain points over the past months, and I am very excited about the solutions that are to come. We recently launched our Floating Button feature, which focuses on improving the pet-owner experience.


8 Ways to Retain Your Veterinary Receptionists - Blog

8 Ways to Retain Your Veterinary Receptionist and Save Time

8 Ways to Retain Your Veterinary Receptionists - Blog

Without doubts, one of the most challenging jobs in a busy practice is the role of a veterinary receptionist. Your reception team bears up mixed emotions from clients, deals with payments, acts as the first point of contact and face of your practice, works over hours to make sure clients are given the required support, schedules call-backs, and refills prescriptions. These are just a few of the duties juggled by them on a daily basis.

So how should you retain these essential employees? Employee retention is vital to all veterinary practices as it costs time and money to lose and then replace employees. The remaining employees feel the toll, as they must work longer hours and take on additional duties until filling the role. High employee turnover is also a significant contributor to poor employee morale. With all of this in mind, retaining your trained veterinary receptionist should be a top priority. Here are eight ways your practice can retain your veterinary reception team.

Free Download: Veterinary Employee Happiness Survey Template

1. Pay your veterinary receptionist well (with benefits)

The most cited reasons for a veterinary receptionist to leave a position are poor pay and lack of benefits, such as health care, holidays, and travel allowance. Across the board, the veterinary field is notoriously underpaid, and team members often struggle to make ends meet. Ensuring your employees are well-compensated promotes long-term commitment to your practice.

Additionally, offering full benefits, such as health care, vision, dental, and a retirement plan, is necessary to be competitive. Other perks, such as reduced-cost pet care, access to mental health care, gym memberships, etc., are incentives to bond your employees to your practice. Bonuses earned for the length of time employed are also an excellent way to recognize loyalty and longevity. Remember, a well-compensated employee is a happy employee.

2. Listen to their views

It may sound silly at first, but giving importance to your veterinary receptionist's opinions is important to attain their satisfaction and happiness. In many hospital environments, receptionists feel they cannot speak up and offer constructive criticism or suggestions. This leads to frustration and resentment. To foster a happy work culture, establish an open-door policy that encourages free expression of concerns, and take each one seriously.

Your receptionists work in the heart of your hospital and see when things are working well and where there is room for improvement. Allowing them to voice their thoughts and feelings and making them feel heard when they do so strengthens the workplace culture and reduces the chances of them quitting.

3. Give them the praises they deserve

Beyond pay, veterinary receptionists want to feel appreciated. They want to know that what they are doing matters and that someone notices their hard work. This is known as extrinsic motivation. The type of appreciation that works best may vary from team to team, but a simple “thank you for your hard work today” or “great job!” can go a long way towards your goal of retaining your veterinary receptionist.

Some forms of appreciation you can try easily are small hand-written notes, pizza parties, cash bonuses, or even giving them a shoutout for their hard work at a practice meeting. Traditionally, there is an entire week in October every year to celebrate veterinary technicians, and this often leaves your receptionists feeling left out and unappreciated. Make sure to make time for them too!

4. Actively Ask for Feedback

You likely conduct employee reviews for your team including your veterinary receptionist at least yearly, but have you ever let them review you? Clinic leadership should have an active system for eliciting feedback from the team, whether in the form of a suggestion box, an online survey, or as an additional part of the employee's annual review. You can use online tools such as TinyPulse or OfficeVibe to engage with the team and solicit actionable feedback.

5. Avoid micromanaging your veterinary receptionist

No one likes to be micromanaged, and your veterinary receptionist is no different. Not only does micromanaging employees hamper their productivity in the workplace as well as yours, but it also makes good employees look for employment elsewhere. Micromanagement brings down employee morale and makes for an unhappy working environment.

Employees need to have clear goals and expectations set and then be allowed to do their jobs. Team leadership should focus on overall results as well as setting a good example. When you trust your veterinary reception team and provide them with opportunities for growth, they will flourish.

6. Identify their additional talents

As a leader, you should set goals for your veterinary receptionist and track their progress. Moreover, your organization should recognize, invest in, and promote exceptional performances. By identifying their capabilities and assigning bigger responsibilities to suit their skills, you will give them the impression that they are gaining valuable experiences from your practice. Job stagnancy can make employees unhappy and lead them to look for other employment. Hence, it is important to continually evaluate your team and identify those that deserve new roles and assignments.

7. Offer internal career growth

No one wants to do the exact same thing every day for the rest of their lives. When an veterinary receptionist isn’t allowed to grow, they feel stuck. This can quickly lead to burnout and the loss of a valued team member. One crucial thing a practice can do to aid in the retention of veterinary receptionists is to offer a varied workload. This may look different in various hospitals, but the important thing to remember is that your employees need variety. Rotating tasks, offering continuing education, and adding on different responsibilities are all great ways to keep the job fresh and new for your reception team.

8. Offer flexibility

Flexibility may soon become the most sought-after job perk and the best way to retain employees in today's world. Veterinary receptionists, like all employees, are seeking jobs that offer flexible work schedules. While not many veterinary hospitals can provide work-from-home positions, the more flexibility a hospital can offer its employees, the better. This flexibility may come in the form of split shifts, part-time work, hybrid positions with some work done remotely, or simply the ability to switch shifts with co-workers as needed. Being as responsive to an receptionist’s needs as possible and taking a “family-friendly” approach to scheduling will go a long way towards your goal of retaining your veterinary receptionist.

Final thoughts

If you are concerned that one of your valued veterinary receptionists may be unhappy and looking to find another position, there are a few things to look for. Studies have shown that unhappy employees typically exhibit the following behaviors:

🟣 Productivity is decreased

🟣 Not acting as a “team player”

🟣 Doing the absolute minimum required

🟣 Unwilling to commit to long-term projects

🟣 Negative change in attitude

🟣 Expressing dissatisfaction with their job

🟣 Leaving early

🟣 Avoiding clients

Assess your veterinary employee happiness level with this free survey template

To explore tailored solutions and discover how our expertise can enhance staff satisfaction and streamline operations at your veterinary practice, book a demo with us today. Let's work together to ensure a harmonious and thriving workplace for your team.


5 Veterinary Hospital Design Tips from Award-Winning Hospital Owners

5 Veterinary Hospital Design Tips from Award-Winning Hospital Owners

Building or renovating a veterinary hospital is no small endeavor, but making minor improvements can mean big rewards for a veterinary practice. We looked at some of the most successful and well-designed veterinary hospitals and learned some veterinary hospital design tips to improve any facility. Whether you are looking to build an all-new building, renovate a current facility, or even paint the walls, the following veterinary hospital design pointers are sure to make your project successful.

Free eBook: Vetstoria’s Veterinary Start-Up eGuide

1. Build a welcoming lobby area

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and they are right. We spoke to owners of award-winning hospitals about veterinary hospital design unanimously felt that it was essential to focus significant time and energy on developing a great lobby area. In the past, many veterinary clinics were designed to have a very sterile and medical feeling to them, but experts say this is a mistake. Pets, their owners, and even your very own employees want to enter into a welcoming atmosphere. Lobbies should be designed to look more like homes, with soft lighting, flooring that resembles wood or stone, and cheerful decorations. Furniture should be comfortable and well-spaced to allow pets to keep their distance from other animals and clients while waiting.

Additionally, it is important to consider acoustics. Dogs can be noisy, and the best-designed hospitals have soft walls and other noise abatement measures to decrease the ambient sound level. Furthermore, when asked, the most frequent complaint from pet owners who visited veterinary hospitals was related to unpleasant smells. To address odor, floor selection is important to consider, and many hospital owners recommend specialized HVAC systems that can help clean and deodorize the air.

2. Give your practice a modern twist

Not all of the award-winning veterinary hospital designs that we researched were newly built. They did; however, all appear modern and up-to-date. A run-down, old, or out-of-style hospital sends the wrong message to clients. A contemporary look will not only be more attractive and draw in more business, but it will also improve workflow and clinic efficiency. Modern elements in demand now include upgraded materials such as vinyl or tile plank flooring, granite counters, stylish lighting with LED bulbs, and large windows that allow as much natural light in as possible. Barn doors and large paintings are also trendy features. Reception areas should be open concept and free from clutter, shelving, or privacy paneling. Many hospitals are using eco-friendly and "green" materials in their builds to promote the health of the employees and patients. These materials can also be utilized as a marketing tool to show the practice's commitment to its patients and the environment.

3. Create an efficient flow

Clients, pets, and staff all desire the veterinary hospital design to be aesthetically pleasing and welcoming. However, it is also essential that the layout of the floorplan flows well. A difficult-to-navigate hospital will lead to congestion, patient, and employee traffic jams, wasted time, and headaches for everyone. When designing the floorplan, the traffic of the clients, pets, and busy employees should be considered, will travel throughout the hospital. There should be an easy path for clients and their pets from the lobby to an exam room to check out and back outside. The pharmacy should be close to where clients check out. Deeper inside the facility, sterile rooms like surgery need to be in areas with restricted access. There should also be a dedicated area of isolation of contagious animals. Exam rooms should be large enough to comfortably accommodate multiple pets, clients, technicians, and veterinarians. If space allows, two doors with two hallways on opposing sides of each exam room are ideal for workflow.

4. Adopt veterinary technology

Today's pet owners feel that their pets are part of the family. As a veterinary hospital, you are expected to provide high-level and advanced care. The award-winning hospitals with the best veterinary hospital design that we took tips from offered many advanced diagnostics, including digital radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, endoscopy, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and more. The chance to build a new facility or renovate an existing one is a perfect time to incorporate these diagnostic capabilities into your practice. Not only will these technologies benefit your practice and your patients, many of the hospitals we spoke with offered those services for doctors from surrounding areas, which was an easy revenue generator for their practices. 

5. Offer additional revenue sources

When planning a new facility or renovating an existing one, it is wise to look for additional ways to bring revenue into the practice. Many owners report that adding some of these additional revenue streams paid for the renovations they were making. Some examples of new services to offer when designing or renovating a veterinary hospital are boarding, grooming, retail (such as pet food, treats, toys, etc.), dentistry, daycare, behavior training, and hydrotherapy. Each service's space and design needs vary considerably, but today's busy pet parents appreciate one-stop shopping. Adding additional services and products to your hospital's offerings can be a massive bonus to your bottom line.

Final thoughts

Veterinary hospital design is a crucial piece of a practice's strategy to improve client satisfaction and employee retention. Clients are pleased when they feel comfortable and welcome in a veterinary hospital and believe they get many needed services and state-of-the-art medical care. Additionally, both doctors and support staff have improved morale and job satisfaction when they work in pleasant surroundings with adequate workspace, good flow, and high-quality equipment—this aids in employee retention for all positions within the practice. Thoughtful veterinary hospital design provides numerous benefits for a veterinary practice that will continue to pay off for years to come.


Veterinary News: Top 5 Sites You Should Follow to Stay Updated

Top 5 Veterinary News Sites You Must Follow to Stay Ahead of the Game

Now, more than ever, it is vital to keep up with the ever-changing world of veterinary medicine. As a busy veterinary professional with so little free time, you need accurate information in an easy-to-read format that can keep you in the know. We have researched and compiled a list of the top five veterinary news sites that you need to follow every day.

All veterinary practices will benefit from engaging with a veterinary news site. It is estimated that the amount of medical knowledge available to veterinarians is doubling every three months. For a profession now faced with an unprecedented number of patients, as well as a severe staffing crisis, the struggle to keep up can be overwhelming. When the complications and uncertainty of the pandemic are added in, running a veterinary practice in these times can seem almost impossible. A trusted and comprehensive veterinary news site is invaluable to today’s modern practice.

Benefits of following veterinary news sites:

🟣 Staying up to date on local, national, and global veterinary news

🟣 Acquiring tips for running the practice more efficiently and with more profit

🟣 Medical advances and breakthroughs for patients

🟣 Continuing education to meet licensing requirements

🟣 Mental Health resources for the well-being of team members

🟣 An outlet to share and promote hospital news and events

Webinar Recording: How to Increase the Value of Your Veterinary Practice

1. Veterinary Practice News

Veterinary Practice News (VPN) offers timely news, practice management tips, educational articles, and more. They are a one-stop-shop for all a veterinary practice’s needs, and they keep practices in the know with news updates multiple times a week. The site is easy to navigate as it is broken down into individual topics of interest. This takes readers directly and quickly to their search. Veterinary news from the United States is the main focus, with both small and large animal and exotic medicine being thoroughly covered. Recent topics of interest covered by VPN include The University of Wisconsin and UC Davis being recognized by AAVMC and an excellent article about improving the team culture in your practice. This site’s classified section is a great area to place an advertisement looking to fill an open veterinarian or support staff role to complete a hospital’s team.

2. Today’s Veterinary Practice

Today’s Veterinary Practice (TVP) presents relevant and up-to-date veterinary news and clinical research in an easy-to-access format. With four major sections that are then further divided into topics of interest and a special section just for updates on the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic, TVP is an outstanding resource. The news section is updated frequently throughout the month with relevant items to keep practices abreast of the latest developments. These stories cover not only events in the US, where the news site is based, but also important stories such as the recent naming of Dr. Siraya Chunekamrai as WSAVA President. Additionally, TVP has a wonderful section of client education handouts printed directly from the website, in color, and used to enhance practice-client relations.

3. Veterinary Practice

In the UK, Veterinary Practice (VP) offers a comprehensive site for relevant veterinary news and clinical practice topics. The site is straightforward to navigate, with eight main sections, including a dedicated area just for veterinary nurses. An additional bonus to the Veterinary Practice news site is its focus on the mental well-being of the veterinary team. There is a section of the site wholly devoted to mental health with engaging and informative articles to aid veterinary practices in caring for the mental health of their teams. As this profession continues to take a heavy toll on team members and sadly, the suicide rate amongst veterinary professionals is climbing, these types of resources are becoming invaluable.

4. DVM360

DVM360 has it all. This site has news, links to many other veterinary publications, articles for veterinarians and technicians, continuing education, and a section for business. To make navigation a breeze, the site is divided into topics along the top navigation bar, and alternatively, can be searched by role categories such as “owner,” “associate,” “practice manager,” “technician,” or “student” along the left sidebar. An additional unique feature of DVM360 is a section for continuing education (CE) conferences and an area for online CE. The news section is updated frequently with national and international news and includes a beneficial feature, the “Weekly News Wrap-up.” This summary of each week’s news events is found at the very top of the general news section and is a quick and easy way to stay updated with all the top veterinary news.

5. VIN News Service

Trusted by veterinarians for years, VIN News Service is a free online veterinary news site that strives to cover topics that other news sites often overlook. As if the writers have an inside track, the hot topics in the industry are frequently broken here first, before they become the next big story in the veterinary world. Nevertheless, the news provided by VIN News is always timely and relevant and should be on the reading list of every veterinary practice. Reading VIN News Service is a great way to know about breaking news before it breaks. The site is formatted in a simple, easy-to-read format that can quickly scan for articles of interest. There are also categories available for searching and links to other high-quality veterinary blogs of interest.

Final thoughts

Running a busy veterinary practice is time-consuming, but staying up to date by reading veterinary news every day is definitely worth the time and effort. These sites keep veterinarians and their teams on top of current trends and therapies in the field, no matter how busy they are. Continuing education opportunities, both online and at conferences, can be accessed, saving time and money. Moreover, the best business practices and client education resources are easily accessible to improve a clinic’s day-to-day efficiency and profitability. These sites can even be collaborated with to announce practice happenings such as new services, the addition of doctors or locations, or open positions. Veterinary news sites are a treasure trove of information and should be utilized to their full potential by every veterinary practice.


Veterinary Equipment You Need When Setting Up Your Clinic

Veterinary Equipment List You Need When Setting Up Your Clinic

Veterinary Equipment You Need When Setting Up Your Clinic

Opening a new practice or remodeling your current facility can be a huge undertaking, especially purchasing all the veterinary equipment necessary to ensure you provide high-quality care. Although the following list is by no means comprehensive, it covers essential items you need when furnishing your veterinary hospital.

Free Download: Veterinary Start-Up eGuide

Veterinary equipment for the reception area

1. Client seating

In light of the recent and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, you must follow specific protocols when designing your client waiting area. You have to accommodate seating options with a safe distance apart for single pet owners and small families. If your waiting area is not very large, you may consider placing plexiglass barriers between seats if you cannot maintain a safe enough distance. Positioning seating with ample space between clients also allows for a safe distance between pets, especially cats from dogs and nervous pets from overly friendly pets. Try to block off seats if your current seating is too close to provide an appropriate distance, as shown in the image below:

2. Weighing Scale

Although you’ll want a small scale for pediatric patients that you can carry into exam rooms, using a walk-on scale in your lobby will help weigh all your patients are as soon as they walk through the door. Many pets are leery of getting onto the scale, so you may consider one built into the floor to help disguise this piece of equipment.

Veterinary Equipment - Weighing Scale

3. Product displays

Product displays that allow your clients to browse additional pet health products before checking out can add to your revenue. Stock shelves and other displays with prescription and over-the-counter diets, dental care items, and grooming supplies. Also, create an area behind your reception desk to display parasite prevention. Keep these items safe but visible, allowing clients to ask questions about the best preventives for their pets. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may choose to keep all items behind your reception desk to eliminate extra sanitizing.

Veterinary Equipment - Product displays

4. Sanitation station

A sanitation station is a must in your lobby, current pandemic or not. Outfit your sanitation station with hand sanitizer, paper towels, spray disinfectant, and a trash can. These items will allow your clients to clean up their pet’s accidents in your lobby and allow them to sanitize their hands at every opportunity.

Veterinary Equipment - Sanitation station

Veterinary equipment for exam rooms

1. Exam tables

Sturdy exam tables are a must to help put your patients at ease during their appointment. Furnish your cold exam table with a nonslip mat for maximum patient comfort. Exam tables can also double as cabinets to provide handy storage space for veterinary supplies, parasite prevention samples, and client education materials.

Veterinary Equipment - Exam Tables

2. Physical exam equipment

You should include a stethoscope, thermometer, and combination otoscope/ophthalmoscope as they are vital parts of any physical exam. Other valuable tools may include a Wood’s lamp, flea comb, penlight, and various supplies necessary for diagnosing diseases, such as blood collection tubes, microscope slides, syringes, cotton-tipped applicators, and more.

Veterinary Equipment - Physical exam equipment

3. Treat and toy basket

Veterinary visits can be scary for pets and their owners alike, but fun and tasty distractors like toys and treats can reduce stress levels and make for a more pleasant experience. You can accomplish much more than usual in the exam room, from nail trims and blood draws with this trick. Dogs generally like whipped cream or ice cream cones and for cats, you can try canned tuna.

Veterinary Equipment - Treat and toy basket

Veterinary equipment for medical record keeping

1. Tablet or laptop

Many veterinary practices have made the switch to paper-free or paper-lite medical record-keeping. Whether you choose to use a cloud-based practice management software or one that runs off the central server within your facility, equipment designed to input physical exam findings, share test results with clients, and research unusual cases is necessary. Depending on the size of your exam room, you can either carry an iPad or use a laptop/desktop computer to promptly update the medical records.

Veterinary Equipment - Lap Top for Veterinary Practices

2. Filing cabinets

If you opt to stick to some or all paper medical records, you’ll need ample filing storage. Check your state’s legislation regarding how long you must keep medical records before disposing of old records properly.

Veterinary Equipment - Fling Cabinets

Veterinary equipment for the surgery suite

1. Surgery table and lights

A surgery table with ample lighting is essential for performing elective and life-saving procedures. You can choose from a simple stainless steel surgical table to a piece of equipment that you can heat or has a hydraulic feature.

Veterinary Equipment - Surgery table and lights

2. Anesthesia equipment

Anesthesia equipment consists of an anesthesia machine, vaporizer, and scavenging system. Most general practices opt for anesthetic machines that use isoflurane.

Veterinary Equipment - Anesthesia equipment

3. Patient warming unit

Keep your patients warm during and after surgery with a warming unit, such as a Bair hugger.

Veterinary Equipment - Patient warming unit

4. Monitoring equipment

Although monitoring equipment cannot replace a highly trained veterinary technician, monitoring equipment will help evaluate your patient’s health while under anesthesia. Include a blood pressure monitor, capnography, pulse oximeter, and electrocardiography equipment.

Veterinary Equipment - Monitoring equipment

5. Dental unit

A high-speed dental unit that consists of scaling and polishing handpieces will help battle the rampant dental disease among almost all pets over age 3.

Veterinary Equipment - Dental Unit

6. Autoclave

As a practice after every surgery, you must sterilize the instruments. For this, you can use a steam autoclave as shown in the image below. Before sterilizing, you must clean the instruments using an ultrasonic cleaner, so remember to add that to your list.

Veterinary Equipment - Autoclave

Veterinary equipment for the treatment area

1. Drug and supply storage

Without a stocked inventory, it’s tough to treat your patients. Outfit your treatment room or another location with cabinets or shelving to house your medications. Be sure to include a lockbox in which to store your controlled substances securely.

Veterinary Equipment - Drug and supply storage

2. Patient Cages

You would need cages at your practice for your patients who generally come in for treatment, those who require a longer hospitalization stay, and your surgical patients.

Veterinary Equipment - Cages

3. Refrigerator

Use your medical refrigerator to store vaccinations, temperature-sensitive medications, and specimen samples. You can easily purchase a used or discounted refrigerator through social media groups or an appliance outlet to save some money without skimping on function.

Veterinary equipment for the laboratory area

1. Digital radiography equipment

Very few practices still use processing tanks and film for their X-rays. Instead, search for a modern digital radiography machine to quickly and easily take radiographs and view images. Although not absolutely necessary, we recommend having a dental radiography machine is also recommended, since up to 60% of the tooth structure lies below the gumline.

Veterinary Equipment - Digital radiography equipment

2. Microscope

A microscope with at least three objectives (10x, 40x, and 100x) will help you diagnose everything from ear infections to thrombocytopenia.

Veterinary Equipment - Microscope

3. Blood analyzers

Although you can certainly send all your samples to an external lab for processing, having results within 15 minutes allows you to begin a treatment plan much sooner. Basic blood analyzers that give you CBC and chemistry results are a good place to start, and you can add a machine that tests clotting times for additional patient health information.

Veterinary Equipment - Blood analyzers

4. Centrifuge

A centrifuge is essential for spinning down fecal, urine, and blood samples to obtain in-house results.

Veterinary Equipment - Centrifuge

Where to find veterinary equipment

Large veterinary suppliers can provide most of your equipment, but you can also search for specific manufacturers of certain items to find the tools you need. 2 trustworthy Vet suppliers, you can get in touch with are Patterson Veterinary and MWI Animal Health. For vet equipment like a Bair hugger and dental unit, you can try manufacturers of such specified equipment like 3M or Midmark Animal Health. If you’d rather purchase a package plan for all your veterinary equipment needs, consider a company like Apexx Veterinary Equipment to furnish your entire hospital.

List of Veterinary Pharmaceutical, Device, & Diagnostic Companies and Veterinary Distributors

Final thoughts

Outfitting your veterinary practice with the proper equipment is a huge and tough task to undertake. However, you don’t need all the bells and whistles when you are at the planning stage of your practice launch. Instead, stick to the basics you need to provide quality care to your patients, then upgrade your equipment or purchase more specialized tools as needed.


Veterinary Podcast: The Top 8 Informative Podcast Sites You Must Follow

Top 8 Veterinary Podcast Sites You Must Follow and Why

Veterinary Podcast: The Top 8 Informative Podcast Sites You Must Follow

Veterinary podcasts are an episodic series of verbal and digital audio files that a user can download to a personal device for comfortable listening. As a veterinary professional, you likely have a love of learning and discovering new things. However, it’s so tough to find time to expand your knowledge, explore new things and stay updated with the vet industry trends. So, what better way to do so than through a convenient veterinary podcast? Listening to veterinary podcasts is the most time-efficient option for you, as you can do it in the car, in the shower, or in the kitchen, and learn great ways to make the most of your career. Here are our top picks for informative veterinary podcasts that you can sign up for

Free Download: Time-Saving Veterinary Checklists

1. WhiskerTalks

Hosted by WhiskerCloud CEO Adam Greenbaum, WhiskerTalks is a podcast that offers marketing and business tips for the veterinary industry. Many of the episodes also discuss well-being, practice culture, and employee satisfaction and happiness. Each episode lasts about an hour, so they’re perfect for a longer commute or while you get ready for work in the morning.

Here are two of our favorite episodes:

🟣 You Should Be Promoting Employee Growth - This episode discusses how to promote a positive culture within the workplace by encouraging upper management to focus on employee growth and happiness.

🟣 Veterinary Medicine Must Embrace Technology - This episode shares how to automate more aspects of your business, saving you time, energy, and ultimately, money.

Who should listen to these veterinary podcasts: Practice Managers, Owners, Social Media Managers, and Marketing Managers

2. The Modern Veterinary Practice Podcast

The Modern Veterinary Practice Podcast examines ways of increasing efficiency, improving your team's work environment, elevating your clients’ experience, and driving profit into the business. Each episode lasts between 20 and 25 minutes, making them manageable chunks to squeeze into your day.

Here are two of our favorite episodes:

🟣 Examining the Evolution of the Veterinary Client Journey - If you’re struggling to communicate with your clients in the way they want and provide stellar service, this episode is for you.

🟣 Reimagining Pet Health Plans - Re-thinking the current services you offer your clients can help grow your practice, all while catering to what your clients want in order to care for their pets.

Who should listen to these veterinary podcasts: Practice Managers and Owners

3. The Veterinary Marketing Podcast

The Veterinary Marketing Podcast, publishing episodes weekly, typically discusses how to attract, engage, and retain clients using digital marketing. If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t have enough time to implement an effective digital marketing strategy, this podcast will help you quickly and easily reach your clients online. Episode length varies greatly, from just a few minutes to an hour, with most episodes remaining on the shorter side.

Here are two of our favorite episodes:

🟣 How Content and Email Marketing Can Help Your Practice Grow with Abby Herman - Tips on how to best use content and email marketing to remain at the forefront of your clients’ minds are shared in this episode.

🟣 Time-Saving Tools and Tips to Help Get More Marketing Done - The tips shared in this quick episode will save your marketing manager's time, helping your practice’s digital marketing team become more effective and efficient.

Who should listen to these veterinary podcasts: Social Media & Marketing Managers, Veterinary Marketing Agencies

4. The Veterinary Life Coach Podcast

The Veterinary Life Coach Podcast helps busy veterinary professionals improve every aspect of their lives, covering topic areas like stress, compassion fatigue, client issues, time management, leadership, team building, and practice management. If you need help creating a balance between your work and your life, this is the podcast for you. Most episodes last about half an hour, but some are longer.

Here are two of our favorite episodes:

🟣 Client Fatigue and Exhaustion - unpleasant, demanding clients are a major issue in veterinary medicine and it affects employee happiness, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. While you have no control over the attitude of a client, you can make sure your unhappy employee is taken care of. This episode teaches you how to boost employee satisfaction, and to handle challenging clients better in the future

🟣 Complaining with Karlene Belyea - Chronic complainers, whether clients or co-workers, can become incredibly pervasive in practice culture and negatively affect teams, but this episode discusses how to change chronic complaining habits and promote a positive attitude.

Who should listen to these veterinary podcasts: Practice Managers

5. The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast

The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast covers a wide range of topics, including client communication, toxic co-workers, workplace efficiency, and marketing. This podcast is designed to increase your success and enjoyment from your career by handling the difficult daily parts of practice that don’t often get discussed. Each episode lasts about an hour.

Here are two of our favorite episodes:

🟣 Front Desk As “Other” - Most veterinary practices are divided into “the front” and “the back,” and this episode talks about how a CSR can bridge the gap between the two in the name of better patient care, better customer service, and a happier workplace.

🟣 What Really Keeps Technicians Engaged and Satisfied - Happy technicians who are satisfied with their role and their practice are worth their weight in gold. This is episode will show you how to keep these essential team members engaged and productive.

Who should listen to these veterinary podcasts: Practice Managers, Marketing Managers, and Veterinary Marketing Agencies

6. The Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast

The Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast stays on top of current events by touching base on all veterinary-related topics, from breaking news and industry updates to innovative tech and mental health issues in the field. Each episode lasts about half an hour, the perfect amount of time to make these weighty topics easily digestible.

Here are two of our favorite episodes:

🟣 How Positive Leadership Can Save Your Practice with Josh Vaisman - Positive work cultures begin with positive leaders, which can help maintain a cheerful outlook during stressful workdays. Through this episode, you will learn how to find positivity in daily practice and what to do when you encounter negative vibes, poor managers, and toxic teammates.

🟣 Are We Confusing Our Clients? Baffling Invoices, Exam Room Jargon, & Inconsistent Recommendations In Veterinary Practice - Clients can become confused and even upset when faced with inconsistent communication within a veterinary practice. This episode will help you discover how to boost customer service and better care for your clients by remaining clear and consistent.

Who should listen to these veterinary podcasts: Practice Managers and Owners

7. The Inventory Nation Podcast

The Inventory Nation Podcast is a weekly podcast designed to give you tips and strategies to level up your inventory by hearing stories from other veterinary professionals. They’ll be sharing what works for them, their successes, and their strategies, so you can learn from others just like you and tackle your biggest goals along the way. Episode length ranges from half an hour to an hour.

Here are two of our favorite episodes:

🟣 Your Top 3 Inventory Frustrations and What To Do About Them - Inventory management can be a time-consuming challenge, but this episode helps you handle your inventory better, saving your team time and effort.

🟣 Inventory Monster, Online Pharmacies, and More with Stephanie Goss - This episode discusses how to choose the right online pharmacy to meet both the needs of your practice and your clients by offering this convenient service. It also contains tips on how to designate an inventory specialist, rather than adding this time-consuming duty to other tasks.

Who should listen to these veterinary podcasts: Practice Managers, Owners, and Inventory Managers

8. The PAWSitive Leadership Podcast

The PAWSitive Leadership Podcast offers everything a practice manager needs to know by providing relevant content, material, guidelines, instruction, feedback, and pro tips and tricks granted by real-life experience. With topics from areas like marketing, Recruitment, and legal, you’ll definitely want to listen to this podcast. Each episode runs about 45 minutes to an hour-long.

Here are two of our favorite episodes:

🟣 More Than a Website with Adam Greenbaum at WhiskerCloud - During this session, Adam dives deep into data analytics, SEO, good habits to build the practice brand, and the importance of having a website that works for the practice and clients.

🟣 What Vet Med Gets Right (and Wrong) About Compassionate Euthanasia with Craig Lassen - This episode teaches you to serve your clients better by being a pillar of support during their most difficult times.

Who should listen to these veterinary podcasts: Practice Managers, Marketing Managers, Marketing Agencies

Final Thoughts

Veterinary podcasts are an excellent source of the latest industry news, tips and tricks to make your practice and team more efficient, and methods of communicating with and reaching your clients. With various durations and innumerable topics, podcasts will provide you with tons of useful listening material. Start creating your podcast playlist now.


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