Dear Labby, 

The practice leader at my practice doesn’t want to embrace digital medical records or advancements in medical technology—especially AI. But I think implementing AI in veterinary medicine offers many benefits.  How can I convince him to get up to speed for the sake of my coworkers and me, as well as our clients? 

Woof, this is a tough issue! With so much new tech out there (my favorite is my mom’s automatic treat dispenser), sometimes it can be hard to figure out the right ones to help your practice. That’s why I asked Sonnya Dennis, DVM, DABVP, to throw me a bone here (only figuratively, unfortunately). As the Chair of Education at the Association for Veterinary Informatics, a “non-profit international and interdisciplinary organization comprised of individuals involved in biomedical informatics research, design, implementation, education and advocacy within the domain of veterinary medicine,” she sniffed out some great answers about AI use in vet med! 

How AI in veterinary medicine is like a new drug 

Step number one? Relax.  

“Don’t assume that your practice leader does not want to embrace all new technology,” Dennis explained. “You could be bringing your boss something that is entirely off their radar, and they may be excited to learn more.” 

She suggests you start by assuming the positive—like when my parents take me out to the car, I assume that we’ll be driving to the park instead of the groomers. Sure, we don’t go to the park every time, but it’s nice to consider that it’ll be a possibility (and either way, I get a treat at the end!). However, even with a positive reframe, Dennis says there are good reasons some practice managers aren’t tippy-tapping their feet at the thought of using AI in veterinary medicine.  

However, she compares it to what vets know best: medicine. 

“Some veterinarians do not embrace every new medication that comes out until they see it in the field for a while,” she explained. “New technology is similar to a new medicine. With new medications, we have the FDA helping us by requiring extensive studies and testing to help us feel safe in recommending these to our patients. Technology does not have exactly the same safety procedures behind it. Even if we trust the company that developed it, there are always unintended consequences that may not be obvious until hundreds or thousands have used it.” 

I don’t know what the FDA is—Finding Dogs A (treat), maybe?—but it sounds pretty important for you veterinarians out there. If the FDA is like a trainer overseeing a game of fetch—setting boundaries and monitoring the field so us pups can have fun safely—I could see why lacking that guidance would be kind of scary! It reminds me of when mom drops me off at doggy daycare when she goes on vacation (and doesn’t take me with for some reason). I don’t know these people and whether or not they have my favorite snacks on hand! Or if they’ll give me belly rubs! That’s scary stuff! 

Considerations for implementing AI in vet med

In spite of all of this, implementing AI in veterinary medicine is still worth looking into because it offers clinics plenty of benefits from diagnostic support, treatment recommendations, and telemedicine enhancements. That all helps pets like me at the end of the day!

There’s plenty of promise to howl about when brainstorming ways to use AI in veterinary medicine. But Dennis notes that vets should also be cautious with new tech and using it appropriately. Luckily, veterinary professionals can lean on skills they already have in their medicine kit (hopefully alongside a chew toy or two). 

“In veterinary school, we learn how X-ray machines work so that we can develop intuition for the technique, risks, and diagnostic process,” she explained. “Veterinarians have similar responsibilities in understanding the risks and capabilities of AI.”  

So how can you make that happen? Luckily, Dennis gave us some questions to chew on when considering how to “vet” new AI-assisted tech.

Here’s her list of questions that you can use when evaluating new technology for your practice: 

• What data was used to train this system?  

• What am I sharing with the AI tool? Is private client information included, and where does that data go?  

• What quality measures have been implemented by the manufacturer? 

• Does the use of the AI tool support the practitioner without circumventing or inappropriately biasing their professional judgment? 

• Do I want this technology because it will solve a problem that I have identified, or do I want it because of marketing that is trying to make me find problems to solve that do not exist?  

The future of AI in veterinary medicine

I don’t know about you, but my tail is wagging about the future of veterinary medicine with AI in it! But remember, learning to implement new technology is like learning a new trick: it takes practice and encouragement (and maybe treats!) to master it. And it’s always worth carefully sniffing things out before you take the leap. But with the right balance of enthusiasm and caution, you can have your practice barking up the right tree in no time with the help of new tech! 

Dear Labby is a monthly advice column that covers the tricky situations of vet med—from clinical to cultural and everything in between—with the help of Labby, the Labrador retriever who can sniff around for the best experts in the field. If you’d like to submit a question, email it to [email protected] with the subject line: Dear Labby. And keep it short! Labby’s attention span goes out the window after 200 words. 

Photo credit: © AAHA + via Getty Images Plus 

Disclaimer: The views expressed, and topics discussed, in any Trends column or article are intended to inform, educate, or entertain, and do not represent an official position by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors.