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Veterinary · head to head

AVImark vs Shepherd

AVImark logo

AVImark

Veterinary

Long-running Windows practice management software for veterinary clinics, now part of Covetrus

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shepherd logo

Shepherd

Veterinary

Cloud veterinary practice management built by a practising vet

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AVImark the owner markets a different cloud platform as its strategic product, so AVImark development is maintenance paced and buyers should expect a migration conversation rather than a long roadmap.; Shepherd quote-only pricing with no published rates
  • They diverge on capability: AVImark covers Medical records, Shepherd covers Consultation-first records.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AVImark and Shepherd actually diverge.

Attributes where AVImark and Shepherd differ
AttributeAVImarkShepherd
PlatformsWindowsWeb, Cloud

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Veterinary).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AVImark

  • Medical records
  • Appointment scheduling
  • Invoicing and estimates
  • Inventory and controlled drugs
  • Reminders
  • Add-on modules

Only in Shepherd

  • Consultation-first records
  • Charges from treatment
  • Inventory
  • Cloud-based

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AVImark

  • A single site clinic that wants the lowest ongoing software cost and already has a server and an IT providernot Shepherd
  • A practice whose staff are fast in AVImark and where retraining cost outweighs the benefits of movingnot Shepherd
  • A rural clinic with poor connectivity that cannot depend on a browser based systemnot Shepherd
  • A practice buying Covetrus pharmacy and supplies that wants prescription workflow in the same systemnot Shepherd

Shepherd

  • Practices losing revenue to treatment delivered but never billednot AVImark
  • Clinics replacing on-premise legacy systemsnot AVImark
  • Independent practices wanting something designed around clinical work rather than administrationnot AVImark

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AVImark

  • The owner markets a different cloud platform as its strategic product, so AVImark development is maintenance paced and buyers should expect a migration conversation rather than a long roadmap.
  • Meaningful capabilities including imaging, client communication and wellness plans are separately priced modules, so the quoted base licence understates what a working configuration costs.
  • It is Windows and server based, which pushes hardware, backup and IT support costs onto the practice and rules out browser or tablet use in the examination room.
  • The interface is keyboard driven and dated, which suits long-serving staff but slows new hires and makes onboarding relief staff harder.
  • Data lives in a local database with limited export tooling, so extracting a clean history when moving to another system is a paid conversion project rather than a download.

Shepherd

  • Quote-only pricing with no published rates
  • A smaller vendor than the established systems, with a correspondingly shorter track record
  • Cloud-only, so consultations depend on clinic connectivity

Pricing, plan by plan

AVImark

On request
  • AVImark$undefined/year
    • Licence plus annual maintenance and support agreement
    • Add-on modules priced individually
    • Server, backup and workstation costs borne by the practice

Shepherd

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Shepherd review.

Which should you pick?

Choose AVImark if

  • You need medical records.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want appointment scheduling.
AVImark review

Choose Shepherd if

  • You need consultation-first records.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want charges from treatment.
Shepherd review

Questions people ask

Is AVImark or Shepherd better?
Neither clearly leads. AVImark starts at On request and Shepherd at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AVImark or Shepherd?
AVImark starts at On request and Shepherd at On request.
Does AVImark or Shepherd run on more platforms?
AVImark runs on Windows. Shepherd runs on Web, Cloud.
What is AVImark best used for?
AVImark is most often used for a single site clinic that wants the lowest ongoing software cost and already has a server and an it provider, a practice whose staff are fast in avimark and where retraining cost outweighs the benefits of moving, a rural clinic with poor connectivity that cannot depend on a browser based system, a practice buying covetrus pharmacy and supplies that wants prescription workflow in the same system. Of those, a single site clinic that wants the lowest ongoing software cost and already has a server and an it provider and a practice whose staff are fast in avimark and where retraining cost outweighs the benefits of moving are not what Shepherd is typically brought in for.
What can AVImark do that Shepherd cannot?
AVImark covers Medical records, Appointment scheduling, Invoicing and estimates, Inventory and controlled drugs. Shepherd covers Consultation-first records, Charges from treatment, Inventory, Cloud-based.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AVImark: Who owns AVImark now?

Covetrus, following its spin-out from Henry Schein in 2019 and its move to private ownership in 2022. It was originally a McAllister Software Systems product.

Shepherd: What does Shepherd cost?

Pricing is quoted per practice and not published.

AVImark: Is AVImark being discontinued?

No announcement of that, but Covetrus positions Pulse as its cloud platform. Ask for written roadmap commitments before signing a multi-year agreement.

Shepherd: What makes it different from other veterinary systems?

It was designed by a practising vet around the consultation workflow, so charges accrue from recorded treatment rather than being entered as a separate billing step.

AVImark: Can AVImark be run in the cloud?

Only by hosting it on a remote Windows server. It is not a browser application.

Shepherd: Is it cloud-only?

Yes, which removes server maintenance and makes connectivity a dependency.

AVImark: Is it cheaper than cloud practice management systems?

On licence cost yes, but add server, backup, IT support and paid modules before making the comparison.

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