Product evaluation
Considering a Shepherd veterinary software alternative?
Shepherd is an established cloud practice-management product with clinical automation, AI tools, payments, inventory, integrations, and support for multiple locations. vetverve is a guided private beta for independent clinics. The better choice depends on what your clinic needs to use today.
Start with your requirements
Compare the products based on what your clinic needs
Decide what must work on day one, then confirm those details with each vendor.
Established product
Where Shepherd may fit
- A clinic that needs an established, generally available practice-management product today may prefer Shepherd to a private beta.
- Its feature page lists AI tools, automation tied to SOAP notes, a Messaging Center, a pet portal, reporting, inventory tracking, and Shepherd Pay.
- Clinics that need one of Shepherd’s listed integrations, its multi-location product, or clinically trained support should evaluate those offerings directly.
Private beta
What is different about vetverve
- Before onboarding, the clinic and vetverve agree on a defined clinic workflow to test and which outside services must be connected.
- The beta includes scheduling, Clinic View, charting, checkout, follow-up, inventory, and reporting, with the relevant patient and visit identified throughout.
- Each clinic sets its hours, veterinarian schedules, double-booking rules, staff roles, printable forms, units, and SOAP templates.
- Veterinarians can keep writing on paper. vetverve stores the original SOAP page, and a connected vision provider can create editable text for the clinician to check before it is added to the note.
Side by side
Shepherd and vetverve at a glance
Swipe or scroll horizontally to compare each area across both products.
| Area | Shepherd | vetverve |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical workflow | Shepherd says its SOAP workflow updates the medical record and invoice, generates discharge instructions, and can automate actions tied to products and services. 1 | The vetverve beta shows the patient chart beside autosaved SOAP drafts, structured exams, and clinic templates. Staff can then add selected services and products from the visit to a draft invoice. |
| AI and flexible documentation | Shepherd documents TranscribeAI for generating SOAP notes and DiagnoseAI for evidence-backed treatment suggestions inside its PIMS. 1 | The beta supports dictation in compatible browsers and stores handwritten originals. Converting handwriting to text requires a connected vision provider and clinician review. Diagnostic-suggestion AI is not listed on the current roadmap. |
| Client communication and portal | Shepherd documents a Messaging Center and pet portal where clients can request appointments and refills, view medical history, and access vaccine certificates. 1 | The beta includes a shared inbox and a separate pet-owner portal. Live text and email need connected providers, and staff must confirm appointment requests. |
| Inventory | Shepherd documents inventory updates after product administration and tracking for treatments, prescriptions, PPE, medical supplies, and sellable items. 1 | The beta tracks lots, expirations, stock movements, reorder suggestions, purchase orders, receiving, stocktake, and controlled-substance activity. These records do not certify compliance. |
| Payments | Shepherd Pay documents USB terminal payments, stored cards, and online payments through the pet-owner portal. 3 | Billing and account records are in the beta, but evaluations use test payments. Online, saved-card, pay-link, refund, and terminal payments require provider onboarding and live credentials. |
| Integrations and multiple locations | Shepherd publishes optional third-party integrations across clinical and operational categories and a product for managing multiple practice locations. 2, 4 | Lab ordering and diagnostic integrations, an API and webhooks, broader data export, and multi-location operations are still in development and should not be treated as available in the beta. |
| Support and evaluation model | Shepherd lists in-product chat support and says its multi-location customers receive support from a clinically trained team. 1, 4 | vetverve’s U.S.-based product and support teams work directly with selected beta clinics. There is no self-serve trial. The clinic receives the evaluation plan, provider requirements, support details, and commercial terms before accepting an invitation. |
When evaluating
Questions to ask both vendors
- 01
Which jobs must the software handle reliably before the clinic can switch?
- 02
Does the team want AI-generated notes, reviewed paper-to-digital conversion, browser dictation, or more than one option?
- 03
Which clinical, payment, communication, accounting, diagnostic, and inventory integrations are required by name?
- 04
Can each product follow the clinic’s scheduling, documentation, approval, and staff-assignment rules?
- 05
How will each vendor migrate the clinic’s financial and clinical records and show that the result is complete and accurate?
- 06
What onboarding, outside-provider, support, pricing, renewal, data-export, and cancellation terms will the vendor put in writing?
Practical answers
Questions clinic teams often ask
Is vetverve a complete replacement for Shepherd today?
No. Shepherd markets established AI, payment, integration, and multi-location products, while vetverve is still in private beta. Test every task and outside service your clinic depends on before choosing either product.
When might Shepherd be the better fit?
Consider Shepherd if the clinic wants an established PIMS, its AI tools or Shepherd Pay, one of its listed integrations, or its multi-location product. Consider vetverve only if the clinic is comfortable evaluating a private beta.
How do Shepherd and vetverve prices or contracts compare?
vetverve has not published pricing or beta commercial terms, so this page does not compare them. Ask both vendors for current written terms covering onboarding, outside providers, support, migration, contract length, renewal, data export, and cancellation.
Do both products handle handwritten SOAP notes the same way?
Public descriptions show different approaches. Shepherd says TranscribeAI generates SOAP notes in its PIMS; its feature page does not describe a photographed-or-scanned paper workflow. vetverve stores the original page and, with a connected vision provider, creates editable text that a clinician must review before adding it to the note.
Private beta