The world of pet ownership has gone through a dramatic change in the last few decades.

Pets are no long just a pet they have become a part of our families. They often fill emotional spaces that would otherwise remain empty. As part of a veterinary practice you are probably aware of this dramatic change and have responded to the change. But have you done enough to respond to the changes? If you feel that you are still missing opportunities to offer more services it may be time to buy some new veterinary equipment. You probably can recognize that new equipment will increase your revenue and the scope of your services but it can also be a way to increase the range of pets you will be able to treat.

Keeping your practice running can be an expensive endeavor, there is a fine balance between making money and giving your clients great service at a reasonable price. This can be especially true if you live in a small town or rural area. The amount of money you generate can often be a deciding factor on what services you can offer. But if you find that you are referring people to specialists or forking out large amounts to your chemistry lab it is time to think about purchasing more of your own equipment. Whether it’s an ultrasound machine or blood analysis equipment being able to perform these tests in house will help you generate more income. The increased income is not the only benefit of a better equipped practice.

New equipment can help you expand your services. Offering additional services that usually go to a lab or a specialist will help you keep patients coming in your door. Your clients have developed a relationship with you and that relationship is often one of the most important in their lives. When their pet is sick or hurt they want to know that the care they are receiving is coming from someone who knows their pet and cares as much as they do. Sending these pets off to a specialist is difficult for both you and the owner so if you can avoid this problem by having more equipment in your practice everyone wins. If you buy veterinary equipment you can grow your practice and keep your patients with you instead of being forced to send them off to a specialist.

New equipment can also allow you to increase your patient base. Most practices see only dogs and cats but many pet owners have discovered the joy of owning a small pet or reptile. The sad truth is that there just are not that many veterinarians out there who will see these pets, so owners are forced to see a vet they don’t know or have a relationship with. This is one of the best opportunities to expand your practice. While the treatment of pocket pets may take a little more training on your part in the end it will be worth the effort.

You will have to buy veterinary equipment to accommodate these critters in your practice but it will pay for itself in the increased scope of your practice. In the highly competitive world of veterinary medicine it is important that you provide the best care you can for people’s pets. One of the best ways to do this is to increase you revenue, your services, and expand your practice to include more exotic pets.