FVM Alumni

In the field of veterinary medicine, there have been a growing interest and investment in using AI chatbots to improve workflow and patient care. The technology is powerful. A potential application is in the area of diagnostics, where chatbots could help veterinarians quickly and accurately diagnose a variety of conditions based on inputs of patient history, physical exam findings, laboratory results, and more. While not a replacement for the knowledge and experience of a veterinarian, it is a potent enhancement, allowing dramatically faster review and diagnosis of patient files. For an industry facing a crisis of productivity, this technology could prove to be an invaluable tool in the pursuit of helping more clients and patients.

For example, a chatbot could be programmed to ask a series of questions to a pet owner about their animal’s symptoms and behavior. Based on the answers provided, the chatbot could then suggest potential diagnoses or recommend further testing to the veterinarian. Chatbots—including the likes of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google Bard, Perplexity AI, and Microsoft Bing—can be programmed to triage cases, take histories, and even help to translate a doctor’s recommendations to clients. Some have been trained to calculate drug dosing and flag adverse drug interactions.

The potential use for AI chatbots in veterinary medicine is not limited to doctors in streamlining workflow. Chatbots could be used to automate certain tasks, such as scheduling appointments, keeping records, writing surgery reports, producing discharge instructions, and even following up on a patient’s wellbeing by prompting communication with the client. While a chatbot may not yet be able to be employed without monitoring and review, the possibility of more autonomous AI is on the horizon.

Potential Risks

As with any new technology, there are also risks associated with the use of AI chatbots in veterinary medicine. The chatbots are, for the most part, trained on the internet. Some concerns are the potential for misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment recommendations. While AI chatbots are designed to be highly accurate, there is always the possibility of errors, particularly if the chatbot is not properly trained or if it encounters a situation that falls outside of its programming. As textbooks can go out of date or anyone could post to the internet, the chatbots are susceptible to errors. Their potential for error is exactly why the technology should be used for medical guidance by a professional. No system of research is infallible, nor is any mind.

Looking Ahead

Despite these risks, the rapid development of AI chatbot technology and the potential within it suggests that it will continue to play an increasingly important role in veterinary medicine in the months and years to come. As the technology becomes more sophisticated and accurate, it has the potential to revolutionize how veterinarians diagnose and treat their patients, greatly enhancing the quality of care provided, dramatically improving workflow and productivity, and significantly improving the level and speed of client communication.

While there are risks associated with this technology, the potential benefits are significant—perhaps even revolutionary—and it is likely that we will see increasing use of AI chatbots in veterinary medicine. Ignoring this technology because of its risks is like refusing to use a scalpel blade because it’s sharp. As with any new technology, it is important to proceed with caution, but the use and power of the software cannot and should not be ignored.