GuardianVets reports 34% of after-hours calls convert to primary care appointmentsMethadone infusions matched fentanyl for pain control in 42 dogs after spinal surgery18-element blood panel separated canine prostatic adenocarcinoma from controls in 115-dog studyToday's Veterinary Practice adds podcast interviews with specialistsNC State runs the only veterinary gerontology program in the worldVeterinary practices are testing AI on eight administrative tasksAssociates split on whether offering budget treatment plans compromises careIDEXX acquired CoVetAI, an ambient-listening software for veterinary practicesGuardianVets reports 34% of after-hours calls convert to primary care appointmentsMethadone infusions matched fentanyl for pain control in 42 dogs after spinal surgery18-element blood panel separated canine prostatic adenocarcinoma from controls in 115-dog studyToday's Veterinary Practice adds podcast interviews with specialistsNC State runs the only veterinary gerontology program in the worldVeterinary practices are testing AI on eight administrative tasksAssociates split on whether offering budget treatment plans compromises careIDEXX acquired CoVetAI, an ambient-listening software for veterinary practices
The Exam RoomBy The VeterinaryPracticeNow Desk2 min readSeptember 23, 2026
GuardianVets reports 34% of after-hours calls convert to primary care appointments
The company has surpassed 2.5 million handled cases, with roughly one in three after-hours calls resulting in a scheduled appointment rather than an emergency room visit.
GuardianVets, which provides after-hours triage support for veterinary practices, has handled more than 2.5 million cases, according to Today's Veterinary Business. The company reports that approximately 34% of those after-hours clinical calls "result in a primary care appointment rather than an emergency room visit," according to the company.
According to GuardianVets, the service relies on U.S.-based credentialed veterinary technicians who answer client calls after hours, apply practice-specific protocols, and book follow-up appointments directly into a clinic's practice management software.
The 34% conversion figure and what it measures
The 34% conversion rate means roughly one in three pet owners calling after hours were triaged into a general practice appointment instead of being directed to an emergency hospital. GuardianVets positions this as patient capture occurring while the industry faces declining veterinary visit volume nationally, according to Today's Veterinary Business.
The company did not disclose the total number of practices using the service, the average call volume per practice, how conversion rates vary by practice size or geography, or what percentage of the remaining 66% were true emergencies requiring immediate ER care versus calls that resolved without any appointment.
What this changes for the owner-DVM
If a third of after-hours calls convert to appointments, outsourced triage could recapture revenue and clients. Whether the service's cost is less than the value of the appointments and client relationships it captures is the calculation each practice has to run.
John Dillon, GuardianVets CEO, framed after-hours support as a client retention tool rather than just a revenue play. "In a market where price sensitivity is rising, and switching practices has never been easier, the practices that build and preserve the strongest client relationships will win over the long term," he said.
What this changes for the associate DVM
Outsourcing after-hours coverage removes the expectation that associates handle those calls, which may improve work-life boundaries.
The flip side: if your practice is paying for after-hours triage, the owner may expect you to accommodate more of the appointments the service books, which could tighten your schedule without adding comp.
Our read on the infrastructure question
With the company having handled more than 2.5 million cases, this is no longer an experiment. The 34% conversion figure is the number that matters, but it's also the number we'd want to see broken out by practice type and call acuity. If your practice is considering this, ask for conversion data from practices similar to yours in size and case mix, not the blended average.
The risk in outsourcing triage is that the CVT on the phone is following your protocols but doesn't know your clients, your doctors, or the nuances of your cases. That's a trade-off against the alternative, which is no one answering at all.
