Shepherd Veterinary vs Covetrus Pulse: Complete Comparison 2026

An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.

Shepherd Veterinary

8.2(380 reviews)

Modern cloud veterinary platform with AI-powered workflows, smart charting, and integrated client communication from $300/month.

7.3(950 reviews)

Cloud veterinary platform from Covetrus with integrated pharmacy, supply ordering, and practice management from $300/month.

Aspect	Shepherd Veterinary	Covetrus Pulse
Best For	Tech-forward veterinary practices wanting AI-assisted charting to reduce documentation burden	Practices using Covetrus for supplies that want seamless integration between software and supply chain ordering
Pricing Model	Subscription	Subscription
Starting Price	$300/mo	$300/mo
Deployment	cloud	cloud
Platforms	WEB, IOS, ANDROID	WEB, IOS, ANDROID
Rating	8.2/10	7.3/10

AI-assisted charting saves 15-30 minutes daily on medical record documentation per veterinarian
Modern interface designed in the 2020s — genuinely enjoyable to use compared to legacy systems
Smart procedure workflows reduce clicks and pre-load expected diagnostics based on visit type and patient history
Built by veterinarians who understand the daily frustrations of existing veterinary software
Integrated client communication (text, email) keeps pet owner interactions within the medical record

Premium pricing at $300-500/month is higher than budget alternatives like NaVetor or eVetPractice
Newer platform with a smaller user community and evolving integration ecosystem
Some specialty workflows may not be fully developed yet as the platform matures
AI charting accuracy requires review — don't blindly accept AI-generated medical notes without verification
Less proven at scale compared to Cornerstone with its 30+ years of production reliability

Integrated pharmacy and supply chain eliminates switching between software for prescriptions and supply ordering
Cloud-based successor to Avimark brings modern architecture to practices familiar with Covetrus products
Prescription fulfillment options include in-clinic dispensing and direct-to-client shipping through Covetrus pharmacy
Lab integration with IDEXX and Antech delivers results to records for both reference and in-clinic labs
Backed by Covetrus's global distribution network with dedicated support for software and supply chain

Deepest value requires using Covetrus as your primary supply distributor — switching costs increase over time
The software-supply bundling can feel like vendor lock-in for practices that want best-of-breed flexibility
Not as cutting-edge in UX as Shepherd or Digitail — the interface is modern but not the newest generation
Pricing at $300-500/month is mid-to-premium without the AI features that newer competitors offer
Transition from Avimark to Pulse has been bumpy for some long-time Avimark users who report feature gaps

Product	Pricing Model	Starting Price
Shepherd Veterinary	subscription	$300/mo
Covetrus Pulse	subscription	$300/mo

Choose Shepherd Veterinary if...

Tech-forward veterinary practices wanting AI-assisted charting to reduce documentation burden

Choose Covetrus Pulse if...

Practices using Covetrus for supplies that want seamless integration between software and supply chain ordering

Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.