AI in Veterinary Consultations: What Quebec Clinics Can Learn From Europe

AI is gradually finding its place in veterinary clinics

Some tools prepare consultation notes, summarize conversations, organize records, draft client instructions or support diagnostic work. For teams dealing with busy schedules and growing administrative pressure, that assistance can be welcome. A 2026 review in Frontiers in Veterinary Science identifies client communication, scheduling, document preparation, record-keeping and diagnostic evaluation among the areas where AI is being used. It also emphasizes an essential principle: AI should support veterinary judgment, not replace it.

Why Europe is worth watching

Since August 2, 2026, certain transparency obligations under Article 50 of the European Union’s AI Act have applied. The European Commission explains that the rules are intended to help people recognize certain situations in which they are interacting with AI or encountering AI-generated or manipulated content. These rules were not created specifically for veterinary clinics, and they do not automatically apply to every clinic in Quebec. An AI scribe working in the background may also raise different questions from a chatbot speaking directly with a client. The broader message is still useful: as AI becomes part of everyday services, people should be able to understand when and how it is being used.

What this means for a Quebec clinic

Quebec’s Law 25 is not an AI law. It focuses on the collection, use, communication and protection of personal information. Although the patient is an animal, a consultation may contain information connected to the owner, including a name, voice, telephone number, email address, payment details or appointment information. Clinics do not need to turn every use of AI into a complicated legal discussion. They should, however, understand what data the tool receives, why it is needed, where it is stored, which third parties receive it, how long it is kept and whether it may be used to train or improve an AI model.

• What information does the tool receive?
• Why is that information needed?
• Where is it stored?
• Does another provider receive it?
• How long is it retained?
• Can it be used to train or improve the AI?

Already using an AI tool? You are not alone

Many clinics adopt a tool because it solves an immediate problem: completing notes faster, reducing evening documentation or keeping records consistent. At that stage, the clinic may understand what the product does without knowing every detail about its data practices. That does not mean the tool must immediately be abandoned. It means this is a good time to ask the provider for clear information about storage, security, retention, access by employees or subcontractors, AI training and deletion when the service ends.

• Data storage and processing locations
• Security protections
• Information-retention periods
• Access by employees and subcontractors
• Use of consultation data for AI training
• Data deletion when the clinic ends the service

Four helpful questions for the clinic

Begin with the workflow rather than the technology. A clearly defined purpose makes it easier to determine what data is genuinely necessary, limit the tool’s access and preserve clear human responsibility.

• What problem is the tool solving?
• What information can the tool access?
• Who reviews the result?
• How will the clinic explain the tool to clients?

How to explain the tool to clients

Transparency does not need to sound alarming. A short, calm explanation that accurately reflects the clinic’s practices can prevent surprises. If the clinic offers clients a choice, that can also be explained clearly.

We use an AI-assisted tool to help prepare consultation notes. Your veterinary professional reviews the information before it is added to the medical record. Please ask us if you would like more information about how the tool works.

Transparency can support adoption

Mentioning AI may feel risky, but a clear explanation can strengthen trust. Clients may feel more confident when they know the tool has a defined purpose, the veterinary team remains involved, generated content is reviewed, information handling has been considered and someone can answer their questions. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada recommends openness about AI practices, limiting the sharing of personal, sensitive or confidential information and building privacy protections into systems from the start.

Human expertise remains at the centre

AI may reduce some of the administrative work surrounding a consultation. It does not have the veterinarian’s complete understanding of the patient, the client relationship or the clinic’s professional responsibilities. The combination creates the value: AI prepares or organizes information, the veterinary professional evaluates it, the clinic decides how it fits into the workflow, and the client understands that professional judgment remains in control.

A good place to begin

A clinic does not need a large AI program to use one tool responsibly. A practical first review can remain simple: define the tool’s exact role, ask the provider how information is stored and used, confirm who reviews the output, prepare a short explanation for clients and staff, and verify whether the tool is genuinely reducing administrative work.

• Identify the tool’s exact role
• Ask how information is stored and used
• Confirm who reviews the AI output
• Prepare a short explanation for clients and staff
• Measure whether administrative work is actually reduced

The POWERME perspective

Europe’s new transparency rules are a reminder that expectations around AI are evolving. For Quebec veterinary clinics, they offer an opportunity to review current practices, ask better questions and introduce AI in a way that feels clear and professional. The goal is not to make AI more complicated. It is to make its role easier for everyone to understand. POWERME monitors these developments and translates them into practical guidance for veterinary clinics and other service businesses.