Why diagnostic testing will increase
It's not just the underutilization of diagnostic workups at private veterinary practices nationwide that's convinced analyst Ryan Daniels of William Blair & Co. that testing is going to be big in the coming years. It's also today's veterinary students and pet owners. More than one-third of veterinary students Daniels has surveyed say they're going to become specialists. Compare that to the one in 10 veterinarians who are specialists in the field today. Specialty work, of course, calls for more diagnostic testing.
Ryan DanielsIt's not just the underutilization of diagnostic workups at private veterinary practices nationwide that's convinced analyst Ryan Daniels of William Blair & Co. that testing is going to be big in the coming years. It's also today's veterinary students and pet owners. More than one-third of veterinary students Daniels has surveyed say they're going to become specialists. Compare that to the one in 10 veterinarians who are specialists in the field today. Specialty work, of course, calls for more diagnostic testing.
Another growth driver for diagnostic testing is the increased number of pet pharmaceuticals marketed directly to consumers, Daniels says. Many of the new drugs consumers will ask for will require diagnostic testing as part of long-term drug maintenance programs. Pets will need to be more closely monitored than ever before. This all adds up to a win for veterinarians and their patients.
