Humans love Urgent Care Clinics. Does the same concept apply to pets? 

By Patricio Casillas

The number of Urgent Care Clinics has grown exponentially in the past several years. They provide a release valve for millions of people that are seeking medical care but don’t want to wait several days/weeks to make an appointment with a physician, to then have to wait an hour in the waiting room. Our traditional healthcare delivery system is slow, broken and inefficient. People are attracted to Urgent Care facilities that allow walk-ins, are reasonably priced and are conveniently located. These 21-Century clinics efficiently and effectively treat immediate, but non-life threatening medical conditions. So does this innovative care delivery model apply to the world of veterinary care? The short answer is Yes.

Traditional veterinary hospitals suffer from similar inefficiencies as human clinics and physician offices. It can take several days to weeks to book an appointment and once at the clinic, you and your furry best friend will be waiting uncomfortably with other loud dogs in the waiting room. This can be very stressful to the pet parent and pet alike. Not to mention the stress that a pet parent feels when they’re asked to pay for a $300 bill!

The veterinary market is ripe for the rise of Animal Urgent Care Clinics that can similarly treat non-life threatening pet conditions at reasonable prices, in convenient locations and expeditiously. These type of clinics would  efficiently and effectively treat common pet ailments such as infections, allergies and bumps as well providing preventative care. For more advanced care requiring surgery and/or hospitalization, patients can be referred to full-service hospitals.

Pet owners want to provide the very best care to their pets but are handicapped by the increasing price of veterinary care and the hassle and stress associated with vet visits. 91% of pet owners considered their pet as part of their family and nearly 70% of pet owners say they will spend more money to ensure the wellness of their pets. However, new, more efficient models of veterinary care must be created to ensure pets get the routine care and personal attention they deserve.