The State of Emergency and Specialty Veterinary Care

Instinct Science’s second annual State of Emergency and Specialty Veterinary Care Report gauged morale among emergency and specialty veterinary professionals.

57%

More than half of respondents (57%) reported that adopting new technology contributes to better work-life balance, suggesting that investment in modern tools can lead to happier, more balanced teams.

15 minutes

Patient volume and wait times have eased in 2024, with 59% of practices reporting about the same or lower volume as last year. From 2023 to 2024, the percentage of patients waiting under 15 minutes more than doubled, and the proportion of patients waiting over 2 hours decreased from 27% to 16%. This may signal a reduction in the high demand levels observed during the peak of COVID.

545

Instinct Science surveyed 545 emergency and specialty veterinary professionals to better understand how they’re navigating challenges and opportunities this year.

According to respondents, staffing shortages have decreased slightly, with 78% of practices reporting shortages, down from 86% in 2023.

2024

Financial pressures have been mounting, with 66% of practices facing rising costs for equipment, supplies and overhead.

This financial strain comes at a time when many hospitals’ patient volumes have stabilized or declined, creating additional challenges for hospitals. “We can see this reflected in 2024 as fewer organizations (14%) are raising salaries, indicating a tighter market for veterinary professionals overall,” Instinct Science said.

79%

Turnover remains high, particularly among veterinary technicians and nurses, with 79% of practices reporting staff turnover in these roles. Compensation has become a growing issue, with 35% of respondents reporting difficulties related to pay, an increase from 27% in 2023.