Following a pandemic-era surge in new pets, the veterinary industry is contemplating whether to expect a boom in senior pets next year. A new Vetsource white paper, “Where Are All the Pandemic Puppies and Kittens?” tells a different story.
According to Vetsource data, veterinary practices saw a surge in new patients across all age groups (puppies and kittens, pets 1 to 7 years of age, and pets 8 years and older) in 2020 and 2021. However, new patient visits have decreased each year since.
Despite a general increase in new patients during 2020 and 2021, Vetsource data shows that puppies and kittens have made up a fairly consistent portion of the total patient population since 2019. This indicates that practices are unlikely to see a rise in senior pet visits in the coming year.
Fewer new patients and higher churn rates have led to a net loss of patients for the average veterinary practice. This suggests that practices should focus on retaining and re-engaging current patients rather than acquiring new ones. The white paper offers several suggestions, including:
- Implementing a proactive lapsing patient recall system
- Focusing specifically on retaining pets in the 1- to 7-year-old age range
- Diversifying revenue streams beyond new patient acquisition
- Analyzing and addressing drivers of patient churn
Find the full white paper here.