New CoVet survey data shows AI moving from curiosity to practical, day-to-day support in veterinary practice.
Walk into almost any veterinary clinic and you will find people who care deeply about the work. About patients, clients, teammates, and the profession itself.
What you may not see is how much of that care spills past closing time. Those unfinished notes and follow-ups do more than lengthen the day. They can make the work feel heavier.
In CoVet’s Q1 2026 user survey of 120+ veterinary professionals working in clinics globally, 62% of respondents said administrative work interferes with clinical care “often” or “almost always.” More than three-quarters said administrative work has a moderate or major impact on their wellbeing or job satisfaction.
It is also where many respondents are beginning to see AI lighten the load.
The Documentation Problem
Documentation is essential, but often exhausting. Medical records need to be accurate, complete, and useful. Clients need clear instructions. Teams need shared context. And when those tasks pile up at the end of a long day, they become one of the biggest sources of strain.
That is also where AI is showing up most clearly.
91% of respondents named record-keeping and documentation as the area where AI effectively supports their work, well ahead of client communication summaries, diagnostic support, billing, and scheduling.
In open-text feedback, the picture got more specific. Veterinary professionals described records being completed in less time, consult details being captured more thoroughly, and communication tasks becoming easier to finish. One respondent called the change "life-changing in terms of work/life balance." Another said AI helped them stay focused on the patient and client during the consultation, instead of trying to remember every detail for later.
That is where CoVet is designed to help: by reducing the documentation burden while keeping veterinary teams in control of the record.
Interest is High, But Trust is Earned
Nearly all respondents expressed at least some interest in using AI for administrative tasks, and 71% said they were extremely or very interested.
But interest does not mean blind enthusiasm.
Veterinary professionals are right to be thoughtful about how AI is used in clinical settings. Accuracy and reliability were the top concerns, cited by 54% of respondents. Data privacy and security followed at 17%, with cost at 13%.
That caution is appropriate. Medical records matter. Client trust matters. Patient care matters.
What stood out was how experience changed perception. Fifty-three percent of respondents said their concerns about AI decreased after using it, while only 9% said their concerns increased.
That suggests veterinary professionals are not becoming more comfortable with AI simply because it is becoming more common. They are becoming more comfortable when they can see where it helps, where it needs review, and how it fits into real clinical workflows.
Trust is not created by hype. It is built through usefulness, reliability, and transparency over time.
Less Admin Work Can Change How the Day Feels
The most encouraging findings were not only about saved minutes. They were about how people felt at work.
Fifty-four percent of respondents said AI made them feel more in control of their time. Fifty-three percent said they felt less burned out or had improved work-life balance. Others said they felt more innovative and future-focused.
For a profession facing burnout, staffing pressure, and retention challenges, those are meaningful signals.
When documentation takes less time, the benefits can reach more than one part of the clinic. A veterinarian may leave closer to the end of their scheduled day. A technician may spend less time chasing incomplete information. A client may receive a clearer summary. A patient record may be more complete. A team may end the day feeling less behind.
Administrative efficiency is not only an operational issue. It is a wellbeing issue.
As Dr. Mike Mossop, Co-founder and Chief Veterinary Officer at CoVet, said in reviewing the survey results: “Veterinary medicine has an administrative problem, not a motivation problem.” The survey results support that point. Veterinary teams are not looking for shortcuts in care. They are looking for support with the work that pulls them away from care.
Client Communication is Becoming Clearer
Documentation was the strongest use case, but it was not the only one.
Sixty-three percent of respondents said AI effectively supports client communication summaries. That is important because client understanding directly affects follow-through. Clear instructions can help pet owners feel more confident, remember next steps, and stay aligned with the care plan.
Several respondents noted that AI helped make communication faster and clearer, from emails to discharge summaries to long phone-call recaps. One respondent said emails that used to take 20 minutes now take five. Another described being able to skim, click, print, and hand a discharge summary to a client.
In a busy clinic, those moments matter. Clearer communication helps the client. It helps the team. And it helps make sure the work done in the exam room carries through after the visit.
A More Sustainable Future for Veterinary Practice
The bigger story in this survey is not that veterinary professionals are using AI. It is that the ones using it are starting to feel the difference in their schedules, their evenings, and the quality of attention they bring to patients and clients.
Veterinary teams have carried the administrative load for a long time. They have absorbed it into their lunch breaks, their drives home, and their weekends. The survey suggests that’s starting to change.
CoVet is built for that shift: to protect the time, attention, and energy that good veterinary care already requires.
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