The demand for veterinary services in western Canada.

The objective of this study was to determine the number of hours veterinarians in western Canada work per week, how they apportion their time by species, and clinics' hiring intentions for new veterinary associates. Of 1099 clinics contacted, 706 (64%) responded to the survey, representing 80% (1774/2227) of private practitioners in western Canada. Practitioners devoted 73% of their time to small animals (SA), 11% to beef practice, and 9% to horses. Sixty-four percent of clinics and 66% of practitioners were devoted exclusively to companion animal (SA and horses) practice; only 4% of clinics and 4% of practitioners were devoted exclusively to food animal practice. A total of 230 clinics were seeking to hire another veterinarian, representing 223 full-time equivalents (FTEs). When adjusted for clinics that did not respond, the total number of vacancies in western Canada could be as high as 347 FTEs with 57% of vacancies in companion animal practice. The survey, however, did not assess how determined the clinics were in their attempts to hire another associate.