Shepherd Veterinary Software is a cloud-based practice information management system (PIMS) designed by a practicing veterinarian and built around a single structural idea: if the medical record is complete, the invoice should be too. Founded by Dr. Cindy Barnes in Prescott, Arizona, Shepherd has grown from a small independent platform into one of the fastest-growing cloud PIMS options in the US, particularly among independent small-animal general practices.

In March 2025, Shepherd acquired Hippo Manager, absorbing its user base and development resources. The combined company now serves practices ranging from single-doctor startups to twenty-doctor groups, with multi-location support added in 2024. This review covers what Shepherd does well, where it is limited, and which practice profiles should shortlist it during a PIMS evaluation.

Fast answer

Shepherd fits independent small-animal general practices that want a cloud-native PIMS with minimal setup friction, automatic charge capture to reduce missed revenue, and built-in AI tools (TranscribeAI for ambient scribing, DiagnoseAI for differential support, SummarizeAI for chart review). It does not fit large specialty or emergency hospitals, mixed-animal practices, or clinics that need extensive third-party integrations beyond the core set.

Core architecture

Shepherd runs entirely in the browser. There is no local server, no per-seat licensing, and no separate workstation installation. Updates ship approximately every three weeks and are applied automatically. The platform requires a stable internet connection; if the clinic loses connectivity, most functions stop until it returns. For practices in areas with unreliable internet, this is the most important architectural constraint to evaluate.

Workflow design: SOAP-first with automatic invoicing

Shepherd's clinical interface is organized around the SOAP note. The design intent is that the doctor documents in the SOAP, and every treatment, medication, and service documented there automatically flows to the invoice. This structure addresses one of the most consistent revenue leaks in general practice: missed charges. Industry data suggests that veterinary practices lose approximately $60,000 per DVM per year in missed charges for routine add-ons and procedures. Shepherd's architecture — which builds the invoice in real time as the doctor documents in the SOAP — directly addresses this revenue leak, though the actual savings depend on practice volume and billing discipline before adoption.

Key workflow elements:

• Interactive body maps guide species-appropriate digital exams and feed findings directly into the SOAP record.
• Treatment administration logs items directly into both the medical record and the invoice simultaneously.
• Discharge instructions auto-populate from diagnosis codes, reducing post-visit documentation time.
• Estimates built before or during the visit map to treatments and carry through to checkout.
• Inventory deduction happens at administration, keeping stock counts current without manual adjustment.

For a practice transitioning from paper records or a legacy server system, this workflow consolidation is Shepherd's primary operational advantage.

Built-in AI tools

Shepherd's AI features are embedded directly in the PIMS rather than offered as bolt-on integrations.

TranscribeAI

TranscribeAI is an ambient AI scribe that listens to the veterinarian-client conversation during an appointment, filters out non-medical dialogue, and generates structured SOAP notes in real time. The transcription identifies relevant clinical details and places them into the appropriate SOAP sections. It is not dictation software — it does not require the veterinarian to speak in a structured way or to trigger recording manually. User reviews cite significant time savings on documentation, particularly for wellness and sick-patient exams.

DiagnoseAI

DiagnoseAI reviews patient history and presents differential diagnoses within the SOAP record. It can suggest treatment plans, highlight potential drug interactions, and reference peer-reviewed sources. It functions as a clinical decision-support tool, not a replacement for clinical judgment. Veterinarians control whether and how to use its suggestions.

SummarizeAI

SummarizeAI surfaces key patient history and clinical context, reducing the time spent scrolling through records before or during an appointment. It is particularly useful for patients with extensive medical histories or chronic conditions.

Client communication and payments

Shepherd includes unlimited two-way SMS and email at no additional per-message cost. Automated appointment reminders, post-visit follow-ups, and a client-facing pet portal are built in. Shepherd Pay, the integrated payment processing module, supports text-to-pay links, remote payment collection, and auto-charging — reducing the need for a separate payment processor and lowering third-party transaction fees.

Integrations

Shepherd integrates with:

• Diagnostic labs: IDEXX, Antech, Zoetis
• Imaging: DICOM viewers and digital radiography systems
• Pharmacy: VetSource and other online pharmacy platforms
• Phone systems: Select VOIP integrations
• Client engagement: PetDesk and others
• Analytics and reporting: Built-in dashboards with doctor and technician performance tracking

The integration set covers most needs for a small-animal GP, but it is narrower than what larger platforms like ezyVet or Covetrus Pulse offer. Practices with niche integration requirements (e.g., specialty referral workflows, equine practice management, or advanced imaging platforms) should verify support before committing.

Pricing and contract considerations

Shepherd uses a transparent subscription model starting at approximately $299/month with unlimited users. There are no per-seat fees, no separate server costs, and no additional charges for the built-in AI tools. Migration support and training are included at no extra cost.

Considerations:

• Data portability: Verify the data export format and process before signing. Shepherd provides migration support, but practices should confirm they can export their data in a usable format if they later switch PIMS.
• Contract length: Review the specific contract terms. Cloud PIMS subscriptions typically run on annual or month-to-month terms, but the details matter for budgeting and exit planning.
• Add-on costs: Some features (e.g., Shepherd Pay processing fees, certain third-party integrations) may carry additional costs beyond the base subscription.

Where Shepherd excels

• Independent small-animal GP practices that want a cloud-native PIMS without the complexity of enterprise-grade platforms.
• Practices transitioning from paper or legacy server systems that need straightforward onboarding and minimal IT burden.
• Clinics where missed charges are a known revenue problem — the SOAP-to-invoice workflow directly addresses this.
• Doctors who want built-in AI scribing without managing a separate AI vendor and integration.
• New practices (de novo) that have no legacy data to migrate and can adopt Shepherd's workflow from day one.

Where Shepherd is not the right fit

• Large multi-specialty or emergency hospitals that need advanced treatment sheets, boarding management, or complex hospitalization workflows.
• Mixed-animal or large-animal practices — Shepherd is designed for small-animal medicine and does not support large-animal records.
• Practices that need offline capability — if your internet is unreliable, a cloud-only PIMS introduces operational risk.
• Clinics with extensive third-party tool requirements beyond the core integration set.
• Practices owned by corporate groups that mandate a specific PIMS platform across all locations.

Migration considerations

Shepherd assigns an implementation manager to each new practice. The onboarding process includes data discovery, migration review, individualized training via video calls, and post-launch check-ins. Practices transitioning from paper records report a relatively smooth onboarding experience, though the quality of migration depends heavily on the cleanliness of the source data.

Practices switching from another PIMS should:

1. Request a data export from the current vendor early in the evaluation process.
2. Confirm which data fields migrate cleanly into Shepherd (patient records, client contacts, medical history, inventory catalogs).
3. Plan for a parallel-run period if the practice cannot afford downtime during cutover.
4. Budget staff training time — Shepherd's learning curve is described as shallow by most users, but any PIMS transition requires deliberate change management.

Competitive context

Shepherd competes most directly with Digitail, Provet Cloud, and DaySmart Vet for the independent small-animal GP segment. Its differentiator is the combination of built-in AI tools, automatic charge capture, and vet-designed workflow. Practices evaluating Shepherd alongside these alternatives should demo both, test the AI tools on their own clinical cases, and compare total cost of ownership (including payment processing and third-party tool substitution).

What to ask during a demo

• How does TranscribeAI handle multi-pet households or clients who speak over each other?
• What is the average time from signed contract to live launch for a practice of my size?
• What data fields migrate from my current PIMS, and what is left behind?
• How does Shepherd handle controlled-substance logging — is it built in, or do I need a separate solution?
• What happens to my data if I decide to leave Shepherd — what format, how quickly, and at what cost?
• How does the unlimited-user model affect performance at peak hours for a 6+ DVM practice?

Sources

• Shepherd Veterinary Software official site: https://www.shepherd.vet
• Shepherd AI tools overview (TranscribeAI, DiagnoseAI, SummarizeAI): https://www.shepherd.vet/aitools/transcribeai
• Shepherd review and pricing, VetSoftwareHub (May 2026): https://www.vetsoftwarehub.com/product/shepherd
• Shepherd review, SoftwareAdvice (March 2026): https://www.softwareadvice.com/veterinary/shepherd-profile
• SignalPET: Top 10 Veterinary Software Tools Every Clinic Should Know in 2026: https://www.signalpet.com/articles/the-top-10-veterinary-software-tools
• Shepherd Veterinary Software features and company information, PupPilot: https://www.puppilot.co/resources/compare-pims/digitail-vs-shepherd
• CoVet: Best Veterinary Management Software for 2026: https://co.vet/post/veterinary-management-software
• IDEXX Software: 7 Digital Trends Shaping Veterinary Practices in 2026: https://software.idexx.com/resources/blog/7-digital-veterinary-technology-trends-shaping-practices-in-2026
• MarketsandMarkets: Veterinary Software Market Report 2025–2030: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/veterinary-software-market-186264514.html