indian veterinary hospital scenario

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

G u n j a n A g a r w a l ; R o l l # 2 ; P G D M - B u s i n e s s D e s i g n 4

PrefaceVeterinary 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.

G u n j a n A g a r w a l ; R o l l # 2 ; P G D M - B u s i n e s s D e s i g n Page 24

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestock

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduced_species

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_domesticated_animals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_diagnosis

HistoryWhat 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.


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 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


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

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)


Stakeholder analysis


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.

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.


Regulatory Framework

Indian Veterinary CouncilIndian 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet

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.

Value Parameters


Explanation of the ratings:

Rating Value

Implication

1 V. Poor

2 Acceptable

3 Average4 V. Good5 Excellent

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

surveys are as follows:

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.

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?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?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?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?

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?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

G u n j a n A g a r w a l ; R o l l # 2 ; P G D M - B u s i n e s s D e s i g n

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 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.


indian veterinary hospital scenario

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