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The so-called “pandemic pet boom” has now matured into something very different: a senior pet wave. [Recent data shows](https://www.rvc.ac.uk/small-animal-vet/news/lasting-lockdown-love-rvc-research-identifies-that-problem-behaviours-are-damaging-the-owner-dog-relationship-as-pandemic-puppies-reach-young-adulthood "Pandemic Pets") that around 50% of dogs in the UK and USA are now over 7 years old, while puppies under one year old make up just 3.6% of the UK dog population, down from 23% during lockdown. In the US, puppies now represent only 7–8% of the dog population, compared to around 11% in 2018. In short, the puppy boom has ended and veterinary practices are now managing a growing population of older, higher-need pets with more complex health requirements. Yet at the same time, many clinics are seeing something unexpected: lower-than-normal visit frequency and a rise in lapsed compliance.

*"Do well, by doing good!"* It’s a phrase that feels instinctively right in veterinary medicine. It reflects why many people entered the profession in the first place. It suggests that clinical excellence and commercial success are not in conflict, but fundamentally aligned. The problem is that, left unexamined, it becomes a comforting half-truth. Because sometimes you can do good and not do well. And sometimes you can do well without doing much good at all. If veterinary leaders fail to acknowledge that tension, they don’t have a strategy—they have a belief.

The [Competition and Markets Authority’s final report](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-concludes-market-investigation-with-major-reforms-to-veterinary-sector) (March 2026) signals a major shift for veterinary practices, bringing greater transparency, increased scrutiny on pricing, and a more empowered, comparison-driven client. But this isn’t just a compliance challenge. It’s a strategic opportunity.

Join pack member Naomi for this candid catch up with [Jo White](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-white-192b8823/ "Jo White") and [Suzanne Rogers](https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-rogers-8921484/), co-founders of [Human Behaviour Change for Life](https://hbcforlife.org/), their journeys have been (by their own admission) “wiggly.” But those winding paths have led them to a shared mission: understanding how human behaviour shapes outcomes for animals, teams, and organisations.

You've heard of doom scrolling - something the current media climate leads us into doing far too much. Well the truth is, reading veterinary reviews (despite the news coverage you see) is often more like delight scrolling. For every 1 star review we see a practice receive, we see 51 five star reviews for them on PetsApp. People are generally more likely to leave a review after a negative experience, and yet only 1.4% of all reviews clinics receive on PetsApp are 1 star reviews. So negative reviews are rare, and yet think of the mind space they tend to occupy. So, what actually generates 5 star reviews for veterinary clinics? We've created a 10 step guide with additional learning tools for you to see how to generate tomorrow's WOW.

In the world of animal health and welfare, one common factor is that there’s no such thing as a “straight-line” career for most veterinary professionals. And so as I'm sat having a coffee and catch up with Human Behaviour Change for Life (HBCL) cofounders Jo White and Suzanne Rogers it's wonderful to hear how they have blended the world of human and animal behaviour to strip back their teaching into the most digestible forms.

Discover how to optimise the veterinary client journey and turn every visit into a five-star experience. By making your team’s expertise visible and communicating clearly before, during, and after appointments, you can build trust, loyalty, and stronger client relationships. Simple, thoughtful communication transforms care into memorable moments.

What if your most powerful marketing strategy isn’t a campaign, but the culture you create? # Marketing Mindset: Culture Versus Campaigns Prior to entering the world of Marketing I spent almost 20 years in Retail, managing teams and crafting client journeys for the likes of Selfridges and co. Despite claiming to offer very customer centric experiences the truth was that the culture of retail is purely transactional. And as veterinary clinic debt surges across the UK and much of the world, there are some real dangers both culturally and ethically for veterinary businesses turning to retail to mimic it's transactional marketing template.

Christmas with pets can be chaotic. Curious cats hunting down tinsel, kids stealing and sharing chocolate, and ham-loving pups plotting their next illegal feast. Every December, veterinary teams quietly brace for the inevitable surge of holiday emergencies. But this year, the PetsApp pack has a festive solution that’s equal parts education and entertainment.

Sustainable growth in practice isn’t about dramatic reinvention but about practical changes that make every day work smoother, more efficient and more fulfilling. This blog on building blocks for sustainable growth with practical strategies for veterinary teams to action straight away. With best practices for supporting excellent care, improving workflows and strengthening the wellbeing of both your clients and your colleagues.

PetsApp, the leading digital platform for veterinary practices, today announced a series of enhancements designed to improve communication, transparency, and compliance for veterinary teams and the pets they support in line with the latest Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recommendations.

By helping Sanderson Vet streamline communication and reduce administrative burdens, PetsApp allowed staff to focus on what they do best: delivering exceptional care to their clients and patients. This focus on quality and efficiency clearly paid off, contributing to the clinic’s award-winning formula. __Dr. Richard Sanderson summed it up perfectly:__ *“PetsApp is not just a tool, it’s the backbone of how we run now. If you want happier staff, more loyal clients, and a stronger bottom line — this is where you start.”*

Veterinary professionals have always prioritised transparency, trust, and the wellbeing of their clients and patients. However, the latest CMA remedies have introduced additional layers of documentation and communication that can add to the daily administrative workload. At PetsApp, we believe vets deserve tools that make compliance easier - without adding extra pressure. So, the pack has put together their 5 top tips for helping to ease the administrative burden of the latest CMA remedies. This guide has been designed to give you quick time saving hacks, to reduce stress, and support seamless client communication - all achievable through PetsApp or your existing Practice Management System (PMS).

Delegates from up and down the UK attended this year’s VetCPD conference and were treated to an unusually candid session from Dr. Richard Sanderson of Sanderson Vets, the clinic that has repeatedly been crowned the UK’s Best Practice. In what attendees described as 'well worth attending' Dr. Sanderson pulled back the curtain on how his team has managed not only to grow year-on-year, but also to retain staff in an industry plagued by burnout and shortages.

Send automated reminders for appointments, vaccinations, and medications. Communicate with clients via chat, SMS/text, and WhatsApp. Offer appointments, loyalty plans, and CRM campaigns in one streamlined platform. Manage conversations internally with unique features like group chat view and chat hand-off between staff.

Push Notifications Just Got Smarter 🚀 At PetsApp, our pack are always working to make communication between veterinary clinics and pet owners simpler, clearer, and more effective. That’s why we’re excited to announce a major improvement to our push notification reporting — open rates are now more accurate than ever before.

Stellar Vets, led by Veterinary Surgeon and Founder Dr. David Hodges, faced a familiar set of challenges: A high volume of incoming calls tying up the front desk. An overloaded team struggling to balance admin and patient care. The need to grow the business and bring more clients through the door — without increasing staff costs or overloading the current team. They knew they needed a solution that could streamline communications, improve client service, and free up valuable time to focus on patient care. But How?

In recent month's as our PetsApp Together community have worked closely with the pack to build what we feel to be the most veterinary specific offering on the market; one key nuiance that we've seen highlighted again and again and something in all honesty was not something we had planned into the mix, is the fact that PetsApp Scribe and its suite of features go along way in helping veterinary teams become more compliant in line with the recent recommendations made by the recent Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA). PetsApp Scribe with it's easily reviewed pet owner and team documentation, set templates for maintaining an agenda and being sure all areas of concordance are followed, lends itself well to the CMA report's emphasis on transparency, accurate record-keeping, and client understanding.

In a move to bring this silent struggle into the spotlight, UK Vet, Cofounder of veterinary communication platform PetsApp (and once a young Gorilla enthusiast - Gorillas are still his 2nd favourite animal, he's just not so young these days), Dr. Thom Jenkins has recently published a short children’s story titled: The Unicorn Vet

Pet owners judge their experience long before—and long after—the consult itself. From the moment they Google your clinic to the follow-up text after a tough diagnosis, every step is a chance to delight or disappoint. In this fast-paced webinar, our expert panel will unpack both the high-tech touch points (wellness plans, smart reminders, tap-to-book widgets, real-time chat) and the high-touch nuances (greeting tone, lobby scent, empathetic language) that turn a one-off visit into lifelong loyalty.

Together, they dive into the invisible moments that matter most—how emotion, expectation, and communication shape a pet parent’s perception of care. From designing smoother digital touch points to reimagining front desk dynamics, this episode will inspire you to look at your practice with fresh eyes.

WeCARE is a simple, memorable structure to help veterinary professionals deliver more effective and empathetic consultations, without losing efficiency. __WeCARE = Welcome · Communicate · Anticipate & Ask · Respond · Expectations on Exit__ Whether you're managing back-to-back appointments or trying to make space for deeper conversations with your clients, WeCARE helps you stay grounded and consistent—even on your busiest days.

Missed billing in veterinary clinics can be a silent revenue leak. Think of the times a busy vet forgets to charge for a dispensed medication, or a diagnostic test gets left off the invoice – each instance seems minor, but collectively they add up. Every unbilled service or product is income left on the table, income that could otherwise fuel staff development, new equipment, or enhanced patient care. Over months and years, these small leaks quietly erode a clinic’s revenue and make it harder to reinvest in what truly matters.

PetsApp has just rolled out a powerful update to its website widget, aimed at helping veterinary clinics reduce missed chats, build stronger client relationships, and boost new registrations. The latest version of the widget now prompts pet owners to share their contact details—such as their name, phone number, or email—before they start a conversation. This small but significant shift marks the end of anonymous chats, giving veterinary teams valuable context from the very first message.

PetsApp AI Scribe uses real-time voice transcription and smart language generation to instantly produce: Professionally structured SOAP notes Clear, client-friendly summaries that avoid jargon Editable templates that learn and adapt based on vet preferences It’s the digital scribe every busy clinic wishes they had—available now, right in PetsApp.

Lock in your exclusive access to the all new PetsApp AI Scribe, an innovative new feature designed to automate veterinary note-taking and enhance client communication, brought to you by the pack who built PetsApp CoPilot - the world's first AI assisted, veterinary client communication tool. ## What is AI Scribe [SIGN UP](https://forms.gle/XrWjWKdP6kB2r8hS6) If like most veterinary professionals you spend vast amounts of valuable time manually writing SOAP notes and updating pet owners after each consultation (time that could be better spent caring for your patients) this session and early access to the feature is especially for you!

Join Doctors Angela Jones BVSc Cert AVP (EM) MRCVS and Emma Pemberthy MA (Cantab) BVM BVS MRCVS in our latest PetsApp Together webinar in partnership with SPVS. More relevant than ever with the CMA's recently released working paper outlining potential remedies for the UK veterinary sector, with a huge amount of inout and guidance given from the Petscribers team. In 2005, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), then the Competition Commission, issued the Supply of Veterinary Medicinal Products Order, enabling pet owners to obtain medicines from alternative suppliers via a written prescription. The result was a sharp rise in online pharmacies.

Following the success of his standout session: [Challenging Assumptions Around AI: What Do 21st Century Clients](https://petsapp.com/blog/challenging-assumptions-around-ai-what-do-21st-century-clients-want), delivered live at SPVS Congress earlier this year, Dr. Thom Jenkins, Cofounder and CEO of PetsApp, returns with Part 2 of his eye-opening look into modern pet owner behaviour and the technologies they've already embraced.

Your website is often the first impression pet owners get. If it’s clunky, outdated or hard to navigate it’s time for a change. Clinics across the globe have transformed their online presence with PetsApp, have a look for yourself 👇 __ [Case Studies](https://petsapp.com/case-studies/how-petsapp-helped-pennard-vets-reduce-missed-calls-by-85percent)__ ✅Sleek, mobile-friendly design = easy access for your local pet owners, from anywhere, on the go! ✅ Faster load times + better User Experience (UX) = better navigation and onboarding of services ✅ Clear calls to action = more bookings, less admin

Natalie opens up about the importance of advocating for your local veterinary community—not just for your practice, but for the people and pets who rely on you. As larger corporates continue to scale and standardise, independent teams have a unique opportunity to lead with values, create deep local ties, and tailor their care around community needs. "Veterinary care is, and always will be, a people-first profession. Independent practices can evolve by adapting to their communities, not by copying competitors." She also shares the benefits of creating a support network with other independents, mentoring new grads, and working collectively to safeguard the future of the profession.