Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved beyond science fiction and family group chats to become a transformative force in Veterinary medicine.

From streamlining operations to enhancing client interactions, AI is reshaping how independent Veterinary practices deliver care. But what exactly is AI, and how can it elevate the client experience while boosting practice efficiency? Let’s explore.

What is Artificial Intelligence (For Those Who Don’t Know)?

AI in Veterinary medicine involves advanced cloud-based computational systems that analyze data, enhance diagnostics, and improve clinical decision-making to deliver better animal healthcare. The silver lining on this cloud? By seamlessly automating repetitive tasks, AI can free up staff to focus on personalized, one-on-one client interactions, fostering trust, encouraging referrals, and generating glowing reviews.

A Brief History of AI

The concept of AI dates back to the 1950s, sparked by Alan Turing’s visionary ideas and formalized at the 1956 Dartmouth Conference. So it’s not exactly new!

The 1990s introduced machine learning, with IBM’s Deep Blue defeating chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997. The 2010s brought a deep learning revolution, powered by big data and neural networks, leading to breakthroughs like ChatGPT in the 2020s. Today, AI enhances Veterinary practice by streamlining diagnostics, personalizing client interactions, and improving outcomes, though challenges like data privacy and ethical concerns remain.

AI’s Role in Veterinary Medicine

A 2024 survey by Digitail and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) revealed that 39.2% of Veterinary professionals use AI tools daily or weekly, with client communication as a key application. Sentiment analysis, integrated into platforms like Weave and Digitail, helps practices analyze client interactions to improve engagement and trust.

For example, a 2023 study by Chomyn et al. showed AI’s ability to identify negative sentiment in veterinarian-farmer conversations, highlighting opportunities to enhance communication clarity and client satisfaction.

How AI Enhances the Client Experience

AI is transforming Veterinary practices by automating tasks and enabling staff to focus on meaningful client interactions. Here are seven key applications:

1. AI at the Front Desk: Self-Service Appointment Booking

AI-powered scheduling systems like Shepherd, Digitail, or Chckvet allow clients to book appointments online, reducing administrative burdens. These tools analyze clinic availability and suggest optimal time slots based on patient needs and workflows.

Dodo: An AI receptionist handling calls, texts, and emails 24/7, managing FAQs, scheduling appointments, and sending reminders. It reduces client wait times by 92%, handles up to 1,000 simultaneous calls with 0% missed calls, and boosts revenue by over $60,000 annually per clinic, saving over 40 hours of staff time weekly. It integrates with practice management systems (PMS) like ezyVet and Provet Cloud, with flexible pricing (fixed fee for small clinics, usage-based for large).

Weave: Offers AI-driven online scheduling, allowing clients to book anytime, cutting call volume by 50%. It uses predictive analytics to optimize slots and integrates with PMS, enhancing client convenience and staff focus on in-person interactions.

Client Experience Benefit: Staff can focus on in-person engagement, building rapport, answering questions, or assisting with pet handling. Instead of interrupting important client conversations to answer phone calls related to scheduling and pharmaceutical refills, AI tools help create a warm, relationship-focused experience that feels less transactional.

2. AI in the Exam Room: Medical Record Transcription

Tools like CoVet, Scribenote, or Scribblevet use natural language processing (NLP) to transcribe consultations in real-time, generating structured SOAP notes. This allows veterinarians to maintain eye contact and engage in deeper discussions with clients, undistracted by scribing or typing medical record notes. New graduates, understandably careful and working at slower speeds can spend less time fretting over the medical record and more time on researching cases, getting to know the ropes etc.

In addition, this less time spent on typing medical records can increase the time slots available for client appointments, perhaps decreasing the need to hire that extra DVM in an already competitive market.

ScribbleVet: Records appointments and generates SOAP notes within minutes, filtering out off-topic conversations and integrating with PMS like ezyVet and Pulse. It saves 5-7 minutes per patient, with features like visual dental charts, multi-lingual support, and client-friendly summary emails. Plans include Essential ($40/month, 150 SOAPs) and Unleashed ($200/month for full-time DVM, unlimited SOAPs), with a 14-day free trial. Testimonials highlight improved quality of life, with Dr. Aron Bhan noting, “I’m enjoying practicing veterinary medicine way more than I did before.”

Client Experience Benefit: With AI handling documentation, veterinarians can focus on empathetic communication, explaining diagnoses, and addressing concerns. This strengthens trust and improves continuity of care, making clients feel valued.

3. AI in Diagnostic Imaging Analysis

AI tools like Vetology analyze radiographs, ultrasounds, or CT scans for conditions like feline lymphoma or equine fractures. For example, Cornell University’s AI research uses radiomics to differentiate feline intestinal issues, enabling faster diagnoses.

Vetology AI: Processes radiographic images to detect abnormalities like fractures or tumors within minutes, reducing diagnostic delays by 40%, as seen in practices like Maple Valley Animal Care.

SignalPet: Provides initial interpretations of X-rays in minutes at a lower cost, enabling faster treatment discussions, such as identifying obstructions in emergency cases.

Client Experience Benefit: Quick, accurate diagnoses allow veterinarians to provide clear explanations, reducing client anxiety and building confidence. More time for discussing treatment plans enhances the perception of thorough, personalized care

4. AI-Powered Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

AI chatbots, such as Cornell’s CatGPT, answer client questions, schedule appointments, or provide care advice. These tools reduce phone call volume and staff workload while offering 24/7 access to reliable information.

PetsApp’s CoPilot: Responds to client messages with personalized replies, guiding through basic first aid, reducing phone time for receptionists.

Virtual Vet Nurse: Automates communications like appointment bookings and prescription refills, used in Veterinary hospitals across seven countries, enhancing client convenience.

Client Experience Benefit: Clients enjoy convenient access to answers, while staff can prioritize in-person interactions, improving efficiency and delivering personalized service during appointments.

5. AI in Predictive Analytics for Personalized Medicine

AI analyzes patient data (e.g., medical history, lab results) to predict disease risks or treatment outcomes. Mars Petcare’s AI, for instance, predicts anticancer drug efficacy for canine lymphoma, enabling tailored treatment plans.

ImpriMed: Predicts efficacy of anticancer drugs for canine lymphoma, analyzing cancer cells within 3-7 days for personalized treatment plans, enhancing client trust through tailored discussions.

Mars Petcare’s RenalTech: Predicts feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) up to two years in advance, enabling proactive care discussions, such as dietary changes, fostering loyalty.

Client Experience Benefit: Proactive discussions about preventive care or customized treatments demonstrate a commitment to long-term pet health, fostering client loyalty and trust.

6. AI in Remote Monitoring and Telehealth

Wearables like PetPace or Whistle monitor pet vital signs, alerting veterinarians to health issues. AI-driven telehealth platforms enable virtual follow-ups, reducing in-clinic visits for minor concerns.

PetPace: Monitors vital signs like heart rate, alerting veterinarians to anomalies, such as reduced activity post-surgery, enabling virtual follow-ups.

Vet AI: Connects rural clinics to specialists via real-time imaging uploads, reducing treatment time by 25%, enhancing client convenience through virtual consultations.

Client Experience Benefit: Timely advice via remote monitoring saves clients time and reduces pet stress. Frequent virtual check-ins strengthen the veterinarian-client relationship through consistent communication.

7. AI in Sentiment Analysis

Sentiment analysis, a subset of NLP, evaluates the emotional tone of client communications, identifying frustration, satisfaction, or empathy. For example, Weave’s sentiment analysis might reveal confusion about post-surgical instructions, prompting staff training for clearer communication. This also can be used as a quality control check on the initial new client interaction and whether successful actions were completed in scheduling their first visit.

Weave: Analyzes call recordings for sentiment, flagging frustrated calls for review, enabling targeted training, and identifying revenue opportunities.

Digitail: Analyzes texts and emails for sentiment, addressing billing disputes proactively, reducing escalations and enhancing client relationships.

Client Experience Benefit: By addressing negative sentiment (e.g., following up with a rushed client) and reinforcing positive interactions, practices enhance empathy and professionalism, turning potential dissatisfaction into loyalty and booking that first visit.

Implementation and Impact

Integrating AI into Veterinary practices requires careful planning. Key considerations include:

  • Training and Adoption: Staff need training to use AI tools effectively, similar to human medicine’s emphasis on clinician buy-in. For example, veterinarians must verify AI scribe accuracy to ensure reliable medical records (a “luxated” patella Vs. “lactating” patella).  In addition, one staff member should take on the role of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) that fully understands the AI programs and can quickly step in to train and debug adoption quirks.
  • Ethical and Regulatory Considerations: Veterinary AI tools often lack premarket oversight, raising concerns about accuracy and liability. Transparent communication about AI’s role and client consent for high-stakes decisions build trust.
  • Data Quality and Privacy: AI relies on high-quality, diverse datasets. Practices must standardize records and protect client data to maintain trust and ensure reliable outputs.
  • Balancing Technology and Empathy: AI should augment, not replace, human expertise. Time saved by AI tools should be reinvested in client education and emotional support to maintain the veterinarian-client bond.

Supporting Evidence

  • The 2024 Digitail/AAHA survey found 83% of Veterinary professionals are familiar with AI, with 30% using it regularly. Concerns include reliability (70.3%), data security (53.9%), and lack of training (42.9%).
  • Tools like Vetology and Mars Petcare’s RenalTech reduce diagnostic delays and improve outcomes, as shown in case studies.
  • Weave reports a 50% reduction in scheduling call volume, boosting staff efficiency and client satisfaction.

Conclusion

AI in Veterinary medicine, as defined by its ability to simulate human intelligence processes, offers transformative potential to streamline operations and enhance client care. Tools like Dodo and Weave at the front desk, ScribbleVet in the exam room, and sentiment analysis platforms like Weave and Digitail for quality control exemplify how AI can free up time for meaningful interactions.

By addressing challenges like training, data privacy, and ethical considerations, Veterinary practices can deliver a superior, one-on-one client experience that exceeds expectations, setting a new standard for care—a hallmark of a Standing Ovation Practice™.

Unlock Your Practice’s Full AI Potential

Independent practice owners, are you ready to harness AI to transform your client experience and stay ahead in a competitive market?

Schedule a Practice Potential Analysis today for actionable AI insights tailored to your practice. Click HERE to book your online meeting and take the first step toward a thriving, client-focused future with Standing Ovation Practice™.