How Veterinarians Can Expand Their Services to Meet Changing Pet Owner Needs
As pet owners increasingly seek holistic care for their furry companions, veterinarians can expand their services to include preventative care, nutrition counseling, diagnostics, rehabilitation, and even luxury boarding to meet evolving demands.
The pet care industry has been rapidly evolving as pets become more integral parts of families, and it was worth $89 billion in 2023. Pet owners today seek comprehensive wellness care for their furry friends, going beyond just medical treatment when issues arise. This presents opportunities for veterinarians to expand their service offerings to better meet the needs of modern pet parents.
Provide Preventative Care Packages
Pet owners are increasingly focused on preventative care to maintain their pets’ health and well-being. Veterinarians can cater to this demand by offering custom preventative care packages. These could include annual exams, vaccinations, heartworm/flea/tick prevention, dental cleanings, bloodwork screens, microchipping, and more. Packages can be tiered by pet age and risk factors. Promoting wellness plans helps veterinarians build relationships with pet owners and ensures pets receive regular preventative care.
Offer Nutrition and Diet Services
With the rise of pet obesity, veterinarians should consider expanding into pet nutrition services. This could include performing nutritional assessments, designing customized pet food plans, prescribing therapeutic diets for certain conditions, guiding pet owners on proper feeding techniques, offering nutritious food samples and supplements in-office, and selling premium pet foods. Veterinarians can employ a certified veterinary nutritionist or train staff members to provide science-backed nutritional counseling. These services help pet owners better understand their pets’ unique nutritional needs.
Provide More Diagnostic Services In-House
By offering more diagnostic services in-house, veterinarians give pet owners quicker access to important health information. Examples include blood testing equipment, dental x-rays, echocardiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, and CT/MRI imaging. While major equipment purchases can be costly, they allow veterinarians to diagnose pets accurately without waiting on external lab results or specialist appointments. Veterinarians may consider partnering with nearby practices to share expensive diagnostic technology.
Provide Therapy and Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation and physical therapy are increasingly utilized for pets recovering from injuries, managing chronic conditions like arthritis or improving athletic performance. Veterinarians can employ trained rehabilitation therapists to provide services like therapeutic exercise, massage, stretching, laser therapy, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy. These services require specialized expertise and equipment but allow veterinarians to facilitate pets’ optimal long-term well-being.
Offer At-Home Services
Veterinarians can accommodate clients by providing select services with clear itemized pricing like exams, vaccinations, and euthanasia during home visits. At-home euthanasia can provide comforting familiarity for pets and owners during difficult end-of-life situations. Mobile vet services require proper equipment and vehicles for transporting supplies safely. While house calls limit medical resources compared to in-clinic care, they provide convenience and reduce stress for clients. Expanding into at-home veterinary care shows a commitment to meeting pet owners’ unique needs and preferences.
Partner with Groomers and Trainers
Today’s pet owners often want full-service care that goes beyond medical needs. Veterinarians can meet this demand by partnering with pet groomers and trainers to offer these services on-site or provide easy referrals. For example, veterinary clinics can lease space to an affiliated groomer or trainer. This establishes the clinic as a one-stop shop for pet care. The partnerships are mutually beneficial, providing the veterinarian with a new revenue stream while giving groomers/trainers an established client base.
Offer Overnight/Extended Stay
Pet owners sometimes need a safe place to board their pets when traveling. Veterinarians can cater to this by providing luxury pet hotel services with overnight and extended stays. This gives pet owners peace of mind knowing their pets are supervised by caring medical staff. Veterinary hotels also create opportunities to upsell services like bathing/grooming, training refreshers, and proactive medical treatments. Offering boarding shows pet owners that veterinarians truly are one-stop shops for pet care needs.
By thoughtfully expanding their offerings beyond standard clinical services, today’s veterinarians can transform their practices into comprehensive wellness centers that keep pets happy and healthy for life. The opportunities are endless for meeting modern pet parents’ evolving needs and preferences.
