Veterinary Hospital

(in Indian context) –

Opportunity or
Disaster

A project report towards partial

fulfillment for the requirement of the
subject “Integrated Project”

Submitted By:
Gunjan Agarwal

7/21/2010
 Index

S. No. Topic Page No.

1 Preface 2

2 History 3

3 Major Breakthroughs 6

4 Stakeholder Analysis 8

5 Regulatory Framework 11

6 Current Trends 14

7 Value Parameters 16

8 Anticipated Trends & Opportunities 22

9 References 23

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 Preface
Veterinary medicine is the application of medical, diagnostic, surgical, dental, and therapeutic
principles to companion, domestic, exotic, wildlife, and production animals. Veterinary
science is vital to the study and protection of animal production practices, herd health and
monitoring the spread of disease. It requires the acquisition and application of scientific
knowledge in multiple disciplines and uses technical skills directed at disease prevention in both
domestic and wild animals.
Veterinary medicine is the branch of science that deals with the application of medical, surgical,
dental, diagnostic and therapeutic principles to pet, domestic, wildlife and livestock animals.
The skills of highly qualified veterinarians are in constant demand and job opportunities within
this field are endless.
This paper is aimed at finding the reasons behind the very small & fragmented presence of
private veterinary hospitals in India. I also wish to explain the current and future trends in the
field of animal healthcare in India, by citing the opportunities available in this sector.

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 History
What we call "veterinary medicine" has been around as long as people and animals have worked
and lived together.
People that study history have found Chinese writings about the diseases of horses, oxen
and buffalo that go all the way back to about 2,500 B.C. Some 4,000 years old Indian art
show some men caring for horses and elephants. The Ancient Egyptian art shows how they
make sure that their cattle and dogs health is well.
It is not surprising that cultures that need animals for farming, food, and transportation
try to find ways to keep their animals healthy. The Ancient Romans had a word for the people
that are doctors for animals, which is, veterinarius.
In about A.D. 500 a Roman wrote a book on what veterinarians do. Nothing else was written
after that until a thousand years later another book was written. The book was called “Anatomy
of the Horse” and was written by an Italian, Carlo Ruini, in 1598.
For more than a hundred years, the people that worked with horses were called farriers. These
people worked on what vets would normally work on, the forging and applying of the iron shoes
to horses' hooves to protect their feet. They also worked with the horses’ injuries and illnesses.
They had to learn their skills by working directly with the animals because they didn't had any
college to go to. They knew a lot about stuff that is ordinary to know but they didn't know a lot
about science. Sometimes when the farriers worked on the animals it was primitive and hurtful to
the animals and it didn't work.
The first school that taught people about scientific veterinary was in Europe in the mid-
eighteenth century, less than three hundred years ago. It has gotten bigger as time goes.
In the end of the nineteenth century excellent veterinary schools have been established in
the United States.
Veterinary science in the Indian subcontinent as a scientific process came into being in 1774 with
the founding of a modern horse breeding farm. William Frazer, a British cavalry officer and a
non-veterinarian became interested in the development of an animal health care system, and
William Moorcroft, the first English-speaking veterinary surgeon introduced veterinary science
in a professional manner.

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Indian Veterinary Research Institute was instituted in the year 1889. The Indian
Veterinary Research Institute is one of the premier research institutions committed to livestock
research and development of the region. The Indian Veterinary Research Institute, the first
research laboratory of the country in veterinary and Animal Sciences, is India's initiating Institute
committed to research and education at Master's and Doctorate levels.
The Indian Veterinary Association was established in the year 1922 and was registered as
an Association under the Registration of Societies Act, as Reg.S. No. 96 of 1967. The
Association with its jurisdiction all over India and headquarters at New Delhi has got as affiliated
branches / associations in every state in the Indian Union.
At the dawn of independence of the country on 15th August, 1947, the institute was renamed
as Indian Veterinary Research Institute. Dr. GD Bhalerao, a renowned Parasitologist officiated as
Director for a short span of few months.
The Indian Association of Veterinary Pathologists (IAVP) was established in March 1974, under
the president-ship of Dr. S. Darmodaran, Professor and Head, Department of Pathology,
Veterinary College, Madras, during a scientific get together of Veterinary Pathologists at
the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar. The association soon framed its constitution
and extended the drive for membership amongst Veterinary Pathologists from different
Veterinary Institutes & colleges in the country.
The Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar established in 1889 is institute
of national importance for providing university level training in the areas of veterinary sciences
and allied fields. The institute is one of the oldest one in south East Asia. The institute
imparts postgraduate programs. Students from different corners of India as well as from foreign
countries join IVRI to gain knowledge and conduct research work. Since early 1900, this institute
was conducting training to field veterinarians on the general principles of therapeutics, and to
civil and army personnel in comparative pathology, bacteriology and microbiology. Later these
courses were eliminated and many numbers of refresher courses came on offer for the training of
veterinary professionals.
In 1943 the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) Izatnagar, started offering Diplomas for
the Associate-ship of IVRI. These courses were part of postgraduate training program. Associate-
ship was regarded as equivalent to M.V.Sc. / MSc for further studies as well as employment. The
IVRI also started offering National Diploma Program in Animal Husbandry, Preventive

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Veterinary Medicine, Poultry Husbandry, Animal Reproduction etc. The institute started offering
research programs in different areas of animal sciences in 1937. Research programs leads to the
award of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Science (DSC).

The Joint Indo-American Team emphasized the urgency of extending facilities for post-graduate
education to meet the country’s demand of trained and technical personnel for Veterinary
Colleges and Livestock Research Stations in 1955. The College of Animal Sciences came into
being in 1958 and IVRI became capable enough for producing human resources in the animal
sciences and allied fields. The University Grants Commission (UGC) conferred the status of
Deemed to be University status on IVRI on 16 November 1983. On recommendations of UGC
the Government of India conferred Deemed University status to the Indian Veterinary Research
Institute (IVRI) Izatnagar. The institute commenced its first academic session on 15 January
1984.
Today in India there are several governmental and non-governmental institutions are active in the
field of veterinary medicine. Some of them worth mentioning are as follows:
• Veterinary Council of India (VCI)
• National Academy of Veterinary Sciences (NAVS)
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
• Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI)
• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)
• People for the Ethical Treatment of the Animals (PETA)
• Wildlife & Animal Welfare Organization

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 Major Breakthroughs

 Swine fever virus cell culture vaccine.

 A live attenuated goat pox vaccine.
 Recombinant antigen based ELISA for serodiagnosis of leptospirosis.
 Monoclonal antibody based competitive ELISA for detection of PPR virus antibodies.
 Monoclonal antibody based sandwich ELISA for detection of PPR virus antigen.
 Multiple oil adjuvanted haemorrhagic septicaemia vaccine.
 A Rapid Immunoassay for serodiagnosis of infectious bursal disease virus infection.
 Vero adapted sheep pox vaccine
 Recombinant antigen based ELISA for sero-diagnosis of leptospirosis.
 Recombinant Bluetongue virus VP7 protein antigen based indirect ELISA for detection of
BTV antibodies.
 Monoclonal antibody based diagnostic kits for Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) virus
infection.
 Diagnostic kit for caprine pleuropneumonia for field use.
 Latex Agglutination Test for diagnosis of animal leptospirosis.
 A rapid immunoassay for sero diagnosis of infectious bursal disease.
 Agar-gel immuno-diffusion test for serodiagnosis of Johne’s disease in ruminants
 A low volume saponified haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) vaccine
 Multiple emulsion haemorrahgaic septicaemia vaccine
 Live attenuated homologous Peste des petits ruminants vaccine for small ruminants
 A cell culture vaccine for classical swine fever
 Aluminum hydroxide gel-concentrated, oil adjuvanted vaccine for FMD
 A Vero cell based live attenuated vaccine for control of goat pox in goats
 Area-specific mineral mixture to increase productivity of animals of Uttaranchal, Uttar
Pradesh and Delhi
 Cold process technology for the preparation of urea molasses mineral block (UMMB)
 Emulsion based chicken products

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  Emulsion based mutton & chevon products
 Chicken chips from spent hen meat
 Incorporation of vegetables in meat products
 Hurdle tech meat pickle
 Meat species identification
 Crystoscope technology and other reproductive technology
 Use of IT in developing systems like PES (Poultry Expert System)

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 Stakeholder analysis

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A brief explanation of the figure on previous page:
• Animal Product Industry / Animal Food Industry: Manufacturers of animal products
like medicated collars, medicinal shampoos, soaps, prepared foods, food with specific
benefits, etc. seek recommendation from professional veterinary practitioners. This helps
them establish their credibility in the minds of customers thereby helping them in brand
promotion. Hence they are one of the prime stakeholders of veterinary hospitals which
employ such recognized veterinary practitioners.
• Zoo / Circus: Such bodies need constant monitoring of the health of their animals as well
as appropriate guidance regarding diet, shelter, breeding, etc. of the caged animals. Hence
they are the direct stakeholder for a veterinary hospital.
• Pharmaceutical Companies and Salesmen / Medical Representatives: Pharmaceutical
companies employ salesmen / Medical Representatives (MRs) in order to promote their
products to the veterinarians. Therefore these MRs / Salesmen can also be counted as
stakeholders as they help in updating the knowledge of doctors as well as act as
Information Bridge between such companies and the veterinarians.
• Competitors: In the veterinary business competitors could be present in any of the
following forms:
• NGOs / animal welfare organizations
• Small / mobile clinics
• Private practitioners
• Other hospitals (governmental / private)
They become stakeholders as they are the source of information exchange and also act as
constant source of motivation to develop an innovative edge to strive in this highly competitive
scenario. The innovative edge which I refer to could be related with pricing, products, services,
infrastructure or any other domain.
• Research Labs: I count them as the stakeholders for the veterinary hospitals because
they may undertake various research projects which the hospital authorities want to
outsource due to variety of reasons possible.
• Educational Institutes: They are the sources of nurturing future potential and hence
become one of the most important stakeholders for the veterinary hospitals.

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 • Regulatory Bodies: Any hospital whether government or private, is bound to be obliged
by the laws framed by such authorities. Also they need to keep themselves updated with
any amendments in laws governing them. Hence they are of prime importance and
therefore one of the key stakeholders.
• Equipment Manufacturers: They are the suppliers of the equipments which are required
by veterinary hospitals. In other words veterinary hospitals are the customers of
equipment manufacturers. Hence they are the stakeholders.
• Pet-Owners: They are the customers of veterinary hospitals. Hence they are the most
important stakeholders for veterinary hospitals.
• Animal Rearing & Breeding Farms: Depending on the type of animal such farms can
be classified under numerous categories. A few examples are:
• Kennels
• Dairy farms
• Sties
• Stables
• Poultry farms, etc.
They are also the customers of veterinary hospitals. Hence they too are one of the most important
stakeholders for veterinary hospitals.

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 Regulatory Framework

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 Indian Veterinary Council
Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984 (52 of 1984) was enacted in 1984 and was published in the
Extraordinary Gazette of India dated 21st August, 1984 to regulate veterinary practice and to
provide for that purpose, for the establishment of Veterinary Council of India and State
Veterinary Councils and the maintenance of Registers of veterinary practitioners and for matters
connected therewith.
Subsequent to enactment of the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984, the Central Government
(Ministry of Agriculture) vide Gazette Notification dated 2nd August, 1989 for the first time
constituted the Veterinary Council of India by nominating the Members as per the provisions of
section 4 read with section 3 of the Act. Further, nominations were made by the Central
Government from time to time to fill up the vacancies. The first election of Members to the
Council under Section 3(3) (g) of the Act was conducted by the Central Government in 1999 and
thereafter in 2003 & 2006.
The Veterinary Council of India is a body corporate and consists of 27 Members (14 nominated,
11 elected & 2 ex-officio).
Since its inception, the Council has been receiving 100% grants-in-aid from the Department of
Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India under a Plan
Scheme namely "Professional Efficiency Development" for undertaking the activities of the
Council.
The Veterinary Council of India has constituted the following Committees from amongst the
Members as per the provisions of the Act and Regulations framed there-under: -
• Executive Committee
• Finance Committee
• Regulation Committee
• Education Committee
• Registration Committee
• Examination Committee
• Disciplinary Committee and
• Liaison Committee
The office of the Council has 22 posts as approved/created by the Department of Animal
Husbandry & Dairying.
The Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984 extended, in the first instance, to the whole of the
States of Haryana, Bihar, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan and to all the Union
Territories. Subsequently, different States have adopted the provisions of the Act and as on today
the Act stands extended to all the States and UTs except Jammu and Kashmir.
After the enactment of the Act, State/UT Veterinary Councils have been established over a
period of time. As on today, 25 State/UT Veterinary Councils have been established as per
provisions of the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984.
As per the provisions of section 62 of the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984, the Accounts of
the Council are to be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India or any person
appointed by him in this behalf. Accordingly, the accounts of the Council are audited by the
representatives of the Principal Director of Audit, Economic and Service Ministries, Government
of India every year. The Audited Accounts along with Audit Certificate and Annual Report of the
Council are submitted to the Central Government for laying them on Table of both the Houses of
Parliament.

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The following are some of the notable roles, responsibilities & authorities of VCI:
• Every Veterinarian must be registered with respective state’s VCI in order to practice
veterinary profession in that state.
• Any additional qualification in addition to the recognized qualification must be registered
with VCI in order to be recognized.
• Every veterinary practitioner must renew the practice license every 5 years with the
approval from president of VCI.
• VCI is responsible for framing educational course structure and approval of veterinary
hospital / institution (teaching / non-teaching).
• VCI is responsible for prescribing code of conduct, ethics & policies concerning
veterinary hospital / institution and veterinary practitioners (public / private).
• VCI is responsible for maintaining control and discipline within and among all the bodies
associated with veterinary practice.
• VCI conducts entrance exams annually for admission of students into various courses and
colleges in veterinary discipline.
• VCI conducts random audits to ensure the authenticity and smooth functioning of the
system.
• VCI is authorized to suggest amendments pertaining to veterinary laws, rules &
regulations.
• VCI is responsible for appointment of staff, filling casual vacancies and to handle issues
pertaining to resignations etc.
• VCI is responsible for the allocation of funds to, and review the expenditure details of the
veterinary hospitals / institutions falling under its jurisdiction.
• The duties and responsibilities of the staff is reviewed and reframed / modified (if need
be) time to time by VCI.
• VCI is responsible for management of properties, finance and accounts of the council.
• Executive committee of VCI has the power to:
• Manage expenses, payment of all rates, rents, taxes, salaries or other dues.

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 • Acquire by gift, purchase, exchange, lease or otherwise handover and to sell,
mortgage or otherwise dispose off any lands, buildings and other movable /
immovable properties of the council.
• To build, construct, maintain, pull down, alter, extend, improve and repair any
building or structure of the council.
• To delegate any of its powers to the president, vice-president, committee, any
authority or officer of the council.
• The council is authorized to receive for the purposes of its expenses, benefactions and
contributions from private persons and bodies with the prior permission of the Central
Government and the proceeds of the sale of reports and other publications.
• The bankers of the council shall be the local branch of State Bank of India.
• VCI lay down general rules, duties, consultation regulations, drug authorizations & bans
and disciplinary actions pertaining to vet practitioners.

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 Current Trends
• Holistic vet care is becoming more and more mainstream. Today a pet owner not only
seeks treatment from the hospitals but also expects other services like lodging, boarding,
breeding facilities, pharmacy, pet-products’ outlet, etc. This implies that people are taking
more responsibility for their animals' health care. They're not relying (nor should they) on
homespun diagnostics, but the mainstreaming of holistic and specialty treatments and the
power of the internet means that the local vet isn't the only game in town. People will be
coming into clinics with more information and more questions, challenging vets to stay
on top of the latest techniques and alternatives. And they'll have to start finding ways to
make treatment affordable or they'll start losing clients.

• The past few years have seen a series of pet food and treat recalls and recent data
about toxic chemicals found in pet products. People are turning to brands they feel they
can trust and there's an increasing interest in organic and natural products for pets. In such
scenarios it is in the best interest of manufacturers and suppliers to tie up with renowned
veterinarians to establish trust in the minds of their customers.

• The economic struggles have made it harder for people to continue caring for their
animals. Despite the advances and wider availability of alternative veterinary treatments,
many people can't even keep up with their regular visits. They face the same problem
with food and toy choices -- they know the cheaper brands are riskier, but ponying up the
money for higher quality just isn't possible in the family budget. Also due to the tight
economy, and the consumer warnings that are both frightening and empowering, people
are taking more measures for preventative care at home -- choosing better foods
and identifying symptoms early. They literally can't afford not to, because if their non-
human family member gets sick, they feel like they have to take any and every measure
available to heal him, even if it means personal hardship.

• Pet parents are taking control of their pets’ health care as they do their own children.
Online resources continue to improve in quantity and quality (Wikipedia is a good place
to start) and educated pet owners are arming themselves to guide their pets’ care.

• High end diagnostics, such as MRIs, are becoming more widely available for pets. Pet
lovers want, and are demanding the same treatment options for their pets as they can get
for themselves.

• Changing lifestyles in the form of the rise in nuclear families and double income
households have encouraged the growth of pet ownership in urban areas of India. In fact,
a recent survey concluded that there are 3.6 million pet dogs in the six major cities alone.

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 • Increasingly, pets are being looked upon as companions and members of the family rather
than as guard dogs for example. Pet owners have started to take an interest in their pet’s
diet, health and grooming.

• A gradual shift towards prepared pet food has been observed. Pet owners are more willing
to spend on pet food and pet care products than ever before. Most of the branded pet food
is imported. The government’s reduction of the import duties on pet food in 2007
provides a boost to both manufacturers and importers.

• Manufacturers should ensure that retail outlets selling pet food also offer pet accessories
and grooming products or services. The increasing number of pet shops and
advertisements for pet food brands, combined with the greater concerns about pet health
and welfare and lack of time in busy lifestyles, are driving the shift towards prepared pet
food.

• Hence it is the time for the manufacturers to promote their products by teaming up with
professionals to recommend prepared pet food to pet owners. This will increase their
credibility in the minds of the customers. Indian pet owners have traditionally fed their
pets with home-cooked food, and the slowly increasing practice of feeding branded pet
foods is a relatively new trend.

• One more trend which has emerged out after studying the enrolment data of Indian
Veterinary Council for the veterinary profession in India is that over the last few years
there is a gradual increase in the enrolment of female candidates than male candidates.

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 Value Parameters

Explanation of the ratings:

Ratin
Implicati
g
on
Value
1 V. Poor
Acceptabl
2
e
3 Average
4 V. Good
5 Excellent

These Value Parameters are the outcome of the numerous surveys conducted. The details of the
surveys are as follows:

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 • The surveys were designed for three categories viz. :

Category Sample Size

• Non-commercial Pet-owners 27
• Commercial Pet Owners 08
• Veterinary Practitioners 07

The questionnaires which were used to evaluate and identify the value parameters and need gaps
during the survey are continued in the following pages.

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 Questions for the non-commercial pet keepers

1. According to you what basic facilities must be there in a veterinary hospital?

2. What is the reason behind keeping a pet? (Security, recreation, lifestyle, status,
company/boredom, etc.)

3. What are the most common medical issues with the pets?

4. How do you judge the skills of a Veterinary doctor/practitioner?

5. How do you inquire about a doctor? How do you find a doctor?

6. Since how many years do you own a pet?

7. How many pets have you owned so far?

8. What is the availability of your doctor? 24X7?

9. What do you prefer – going to the doctor / calling the doctor?

10. Do you get / seek any guidance related with the breeding, permit, training, diet, etc. of
your pet from your Veterinary doctor?

11. Are you vegetarian / non-vegetarian? Is your pet vegetarian?

12. What is your approximate monthly expenditure on your pet?

13. How is the attitude of your veterinary doctor towards your pet?

14. How far is the nearest veterinary hospital?

15. Do you feel any special lodging / boarding needs for your pet (in case you go out for long
duration)? How do you meet such requirements? Who suggested you about that facility?

16. What is the importance of your pet’s health to you?

17. How do you handle emergencies?

18. Have you ever faced disputes related with your pet? How do you handle them? Do you
get any help from your Vet?

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 19. Do you know common diseases of your pet, the symptoms and related first aid cures?
Does your Vet help in that?

20. Would you like to share some common diseases of pets, the symptoms and related first-
aid cures?

21. Do you like to travel with your pet? Are you able to do so? Will you prefer travelling
with your pet?

22. Which all places you want your pet, to accompany you?

23. Do you have access to the literature on pet care? Do you read such texts? Are you
interested in the same?

24. How much does your doctor charge per visit?

25. Do you know about various vaccinations related to your pet?

26. Do you know about your pet’s breed & its specialties and specific requirements?

27. How frequently do you trim hair & nails of your pet? Do you do that or you call Vet?

28. How many doctors do you know or are in touch with?

29. Anything else which you would like to share?

Questions for the Veterinary Practitioners

1. What was the reason behind choosing this profession as your career option?

2. What is the policy for transfers / relocation? What is the frequency for the same?

3. Do you own any private clinic?

4. Are you in a government job as well?

5. Why have you preferred joining government run hospital over a privately owned
hospital?

6. What are your job timings? How many leave do you get in an year typically?

7. According to you what basic facilities must be there in a veterinary hospital?

8. Who are the best machinery & equipment suppliers in the veterinary field?

9. Who are the major machinery & equipment suppliers in the veterinary field?

10. What are the most common medical issues with the pets?

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 11. What are the various other services which you offer other than the treatment?

12. Do you prefer day job or night job?

13. How much is your average run in a day for the work?

14. Is there any shift / rotation system in your line of work?

15. Typically how many patients do you handle in a day?

16. What are the most common patient animals and what are the most common ailments?

17. Are you approached by medical representatives?

18. Where do you find information about latest developments in your field? How do you
keep yourself updated?

19. Are there any (special) committees on local/state/national level in your field?

20. Generally how is the treatment you receive when you visit a pet-owner?

21. Do you seek any feed-back or reconfirm the health of your patient animal?

22. How much do you charge per visit?

23. From where can I get the details & history of Veterinary sector/hospitals in India?

24. What are the various grades of doctors & nurses & compounders?

25. What are the typical pay-scales of different grades?

26. Are you in this profession by choice or due to some other reasons?

27. What made you decide to take up Veterinary as your career path?

28. How do you see the future of/in this field?

29. Any technological/other advancement which are worth mentioning (in Indian context)?

30. Why do you think there is no organized private hospital in Vet medicine field like in the
case of human medicine (in India)?

31. In your opinion what attracts/inspires doctors to become a part of hospital or other similar
bodies?

32. Do you get to attend various informative seminars related to your field of work?

33. How frequently such seminars/presentations are held?

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 34. Who conducts such events?

35. Any significant contributions from government side – like special aids, grants,
vaccination programs, immunization camps, free treatment camps, information centers
(e.g. in case of mass diseases like bird flu etc.)

36. What are various must have facilities in a veterinary hospital? What could be the added
attractions?

37. According to you what could be the approximate set-up cost for such hospital?

38. What are the various specializations in the veterinary medicine field?

39. What types of difficulties arise during treatment of different animals like birds / reptiles /
home-pets/ big / very big animals? (Like transportation, home-treatment, field-visit, bites,
etc.)

40. Anything else which you would like to share?

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 Questions for the commercial pet keepers
1. What was the reason behind choosing this profession as your career option?

2. According to you what basic facilities must be there in a veterinary hospital?

3. What are the most common medical issues with the pets?

4. How do you judge the skills of a Veterinary doctor/practitioner?

5. How do you inquire about a doctor? How do you find a doctor?

6. What is the availability of your doctor? 24X7?

7. Do you get / seek any guidance related with the breeding, permit, training, diet, etc. of
your pet from your Veterinary doctor?

8. How is the attitude of your veterinary doctor towards your pet?

9. How far is the nearest veterinary hospital?

10. What is the importance of your pet’s health to you?

11. How do you handle emergencies?

12. Have you ever faced disputes related with your pet? How do you handle them? Do you
get any help from your Vet?

13. Do you know common diseases of your pet, the symptoms and related first aid cures?
Does your Vet help in that?

14. Would you like to share some common diseases of pets, the symptoms and related first-
aid cures?

15. Do you have access to the literature on pet care? Do you read such texts? Are you
interested in the same?

16. How much does your doctor charge per visit?

17. Do you know about various vaccinations related to your pet?

18. Do you know about your pet’s breed & its specialties and specific requirements?

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 19. How many doctors do you know or are in touch with?

20. Since how many years are you in this business?

21. What are the special feed / diet that you give to your animal?

22. How many animals do you have?

23. On an average how much do you spend in a month on the health of your animal?

24. Anything else which you would like to share?

Anticipated Trends & Opportunities

• A trend that is expected in future is that veterinarians will be seeking board certification
as specialists in increasing numbers. This projection is in response to the demand for a
higher level of care by pet owners. As the human-animal bond continues to grow,
specialist veterinarians will be sought by pet owners to provide increasingly advanced
treatments, which will drive them towards specialties like internal medicine, neurology
oncology, etc."

• Forensic work concerning birds and other exotic animals and wildlife is increasing in
importance. Forensic veterinary medicine is as yet not a recognized discipline but is
rapidly evolving.

• Pet insurance is another growing subfield of veterinary health care.

• One notable fact which has surfaced from my primary survey is that pet-owners prefer to
go to veterinary hospitals rather than calling doctor at home. Keeping this observation in
mind following are the opportunities for a veterinary hospital:

• To have an efficient ambulance service with adequate coverage so as to increase

its customer base

• To have an in-campus pharmacy

• To have an in-campus pet-care and pet-food products shop

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 • Could also offer lodging and boarding services

• Should provide guidance and facilities regarding breeding.

• Should provide dietary recommendations for the animals

• Must be well rehearsed with the breed specific requirements, characteristics, and
complications of various animals

• Maintain a track of every customer’s pet’s health and vaccinations (so as to send
reminders as and when required).

• Pets’ related blogs will gain popularity and will pave way for circumstantial favoritism or
criticism.

• Competition will grow intense as more and more, bigger players will get attracted in the
country.

• Increased Online Sophistication from new Pet-related Businesses in Ecommerce, Design,

and Usability.

• People are reluctant to leave their pets to an un-known person unless very critical. Till the
situation permits they lie to travel with their pets. In such situations mobile veterinary
facilities will gain importance. Also this will give birth to pet dormitories / animal
friendly restaurants, hotels, etc.

References

• Veterinary Council of India – Gazette

• Ministry of Food and Agriculture
• Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries
• UN-Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• Veterinary Annual Report - Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries
• Livestock Report – Animal Production & Health Division of FAO
• Veterinary Council of India – Regulations
• Primary survey.

Gunjan Agarwal; Roll #2; PGDM-Business Design

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