PetGrid vs Covetrus Pulse, in short: Pulse is ahead on inventory, pharmacy, texting and support hours, all tied into Covetrus's supply business, and PetGrid is ahead on a published price, an owner app included in the subscription and getting your data out. This page sets the two side by side in 36 rows, grouped into eight tables, each with a one-line verdict.
Every Covetrus Pulse cell comes from Covetrus's own pages or Capterra, checked on 26 September 2026, and every PetGrid cell is what the product does today. For the shorter read on why clinics switch and where Pulse is the better choice, see our Covetrus Pulse alternative guide.
How this PetGrid vs Covetrus Pulse comparison works
Both are cloud practice software for veterinary clinics, so the tables compare them on the same 36 rows every PetGrid comparison uses: everyday work, medical records, money, the owner app and messaging, AI, security, getting your data out, and price and contract.
- Sources. Covetrus's Pulse, online pharmacy, Covetrus Comms and support pages, the Pulse help centre, its cloud and encryption page, and Pulse's Capterra listing, all checked on 26 September 2026 and listed at the end.
- Not stated means we did not find it on Covetrus's public pages. Ask Covetrus before you rule a feature out.
- PetGrid's cells are written once for every comparison and read from the product, including what it does not do yet: no lab integration, no independent audit and no clinic live on AI Front Desk.
Each PetGrid feature in the tables has its own page, for example patient records, AI Assist and import and export.
Covetrus Pulse and PetGrid side by side
Covetrus Pulse and PetGrid compared, from Covetrus's pages and Capterra, checked 26 September 2026.
Everyday work
Covetrus Pulse is ahead on inventory, which works with Covetrus Supply; PetGrid's inventory is basic, and PetGrid has no lab integration.
| Feature | PetGrid | Covetrus Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking | Yes, as requests your team confirms | Yes, through Covetrus Comms |
| Staff calendar sync (Google, Outlook) | Google, both ways; Outlook and Apple by read-only feed | Not stated |
| Inventory and dispensing | Yes, basic | Yes, with Covetrus Supply |
| Lab integration (IDEXX, Antech) | No | Not stated |
Medical records
Both print rabies certificates; PetGrid also states an audit trail with addenda and a one-click complete record release.
| Feature | PetGrid | Covetrus Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| Audit trail and addenda on clinical entries | Yes | Not stated |
| Complete record export and release | Yes, one click | Not stated |
| Printable rabies certificate | Yes | Yes, as PDFs |
Money
PetGrid states both: drugs billed apart from services and sales tax on invoices; we found neither stated for Covetrus Pulse.
| Feature | PetGrid | Covetrus Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| Drugs billed separately from services | Yes | Not stated |
| Sales tax on client invoices | Yes, GST/HST, PST, QST or a US rate | Not stated |
Owner app and messaging
PetGrid includes its owner app; its two-way texting is part of the paid AI Front Desk add-on. With Covetrus Pulse, reminders and texting come through Covetrus Comms and the owner app is GreatPetCare, a separate product.
| Feature | PetGrid | Covetrus Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| Pet owner portal included | Yes | GreatPetCare, a separate product |
| Appointment and care reminders by email | Yes | Yes, through Covetrus Comms |
| Two-way SMS | Yes, with the paid AI Front Desk add-on | Yes, through Covetrus Comms |
AI
Covetrus Pulse auto-generates SOAP notes; PetGrid drafts notes too and adds summaries, record reading and AI for owners, though its phone receptionist is not live at a clinic yet.
| Feature | PetGrid | Covetrus Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| AI note drafts (SOAP, with vitals) | SOAP drafts from shorthand or dictation, vitals filled in, a vet approves (included) | Auto-generated SOAP notes |
| AI phone receptionist | AI Front Desk add-on: answers, books and takes messages in English or French; rolling out as clinics' phone lines are connected, none live yet | Not described |
| Automated confirmation calls | Built, with AI Front Desk; no clinic live yet | Not stated |
| AI reply drafts for client messages | Yes, staff edit and send (included) | Not stated |
| AI patient history summary | Yes, AI Assist (included) | Not stated |
| AI reading of old records and paper files | Yes, PDFs and photos; staff accept each item (free) | Not stated |
| Clinic knowledge base the AI answers from | Yes, clinic memory, with AI Front Desk | Not stated |
| Plain-language visit summaries for owners | Yes, a vet approves (free) | Not stated |
| AI assistant in the owner app | Yes, Pip, plus a symptom helper the clinic turns on; never diagnoses | Not stated |
| Owner can opt a pet out of AI | Yes, per pet, at any time | Not stated |
Security
Neither shows an independent audit; PetGrid states its database walls, MFA and nightly encrypted backups, and Covetrus describes encryption.
| Feature | PetGrid | Covetrus Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| Each clinic's data walled off in the database | Yes, row-level security forced on every table | Not stated; encryption described |
| Two-step sign-in (MFA) | Yes, required for admins; can be required for all staff | Not stated |
| Encrypted backups | Nightly, encrypted, kept 35 days | Not stated |
| Where the data is hosted | Secure cloud, encrypted in transit and at rest | Cloud, provider and region not stated |
| Independent audit (SOC 2, ISO 27001, penetration test) | No, not yet | Not stated |
Getting your data out
PetGrid is ahead on getting data out, with CSV reports, accounting files, a whole-clinic ZIP and record transfers; we found none of them stated for Covetrus Pulse.
| Feature | PetGrid | Covetrus Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| Reports downloadable as CSV | Yes: revenue, daily close, aging, clients, reminders | Not stated |
| Accounting files (QuickBooks Online, Xero) | Yes, files they import; no live sync | Not stated |
| Whole-clinic data export | Yes, one ZIP any time: spreadsheets, a data file, PDFs and stored files | Not stated |
| Record transfer to another clinic | Yes: the owner asks, staff approve, sent to the clinic's PetGrid inbox or by link | Not stated |
| Record copies for pet owners | Yes: the full record as a PDF on request, a vaccine record, share links | Not stated |
Price and contract
PetGrid publishes its price and imports for free; Covetrus Pulse publishes no price and states no import terms.
| Feature | PetGrid | Covetrus Pulse |
|---|---|---|
| Price published on the vendor's own site | Yes | No |
| Setup or onboarding fee | None | Not stated |
| Client and pet import | Yes, free | Not stated |
| Visit history import | Yes, free | Not stated |
What the table does not show
A table flattens differences of degree. Both offer owner booking, but with Pulse it arrives through Covetrus Comms, a second product, and the owner portal is GreatPetCare, a third.
- Pharmacy. Scripts are created, approved and renewed within Pulse, and the vRxPro online pharmacy offers shipping and AutoShip; Canadian availability is not stated. PetGrid has refill requests a vet approves, but no pharmacy.
- Support. Covetrus offers chat Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm ET, phone and forms Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm ET with emergencies after hours. PetGrid offers email support from the PetGrid team, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00 Eastern Time, with no phone line.
- AI. Both have AI, but Covetrus does not say how Pulse handles owner consent or who approves AI output. With PetGrid a person approves everything AI writes, and an owner can opt a pet out.
- Leaving. We found no statement on data ownership or export for Pulse. A PetGrid admin can download the whole clinic as one ZIP at any time, and records are kept for 30 days after cancelling.
Which one fits your clinic?
Choose Covetrus Pulse if you already buy pharmacy and supplies from Covetrus and want the software in the same relationship. Choose PetGrid if you want the price on the page, $259 CAD a month per practice plus $90 CAD per veterinarian, the owner app included, records that are never edited and software that does not depend on your supplier.
The Covetrus Pulse alternative guide sets out the reasons in prose, and our guide to veterinary practice management software in Canada puts the other main systems beside both. The pricing questions in the clinic FAQ cover billing.
Questions people ask
What is the main difference between PetGrid and Covetrus Pulse?
Covetrus Pulse sits inside Covetrus's supply, pharmacy and texting products, which is convenient if you already buy from Covetrus. PetGrid is independent of any distributor, publishes its price, includes the owner app and states how you get your data out. Both are cloud-based and both have AI note drafts.
Is PetGrid cheaper than Covetrus Pulse?
Covetrus does not publish a price for Pulse, and Capterra lists it as contact vendor, so only a quote can tell you. PetGrid is $259 CAD a month per practice plus $90 CAD per veterinarian with no setup fee and the owner app included. Ask Covetrus separately about Covetrus Comms and GreatPetCare.
Which has more AI, Covetrus Pulse or PetGrid?
Both draft SOAP notes: Covetrus lists auto-generated SOAP notes, and PetGrid's AI Assist drafts them from shorthand or dictation with the vitals filled in. PetGrid adds history summaries, reply drafts, AI reading of old records and vet-approved visit summaries for owners. Neither has a phone receptionist live at a clinic today.
Which is more secure, PetGrid or Covetrus Pulse?
Neither shows an independent audit, so neither has the outside check. Covetrus describes Pulse as cloud-based with encryption; PetGrid states that each clinic's data is walled off by row-level security, admins sign in with a second step, and backups are encrypted nightly and kept for 35 days. The security page has the detail.
Can I move from Covetrus Pulse to PetGrid?
Yes, if you can get clients, pets and visit history out as CSV or Excel files. PetGrid imports them free and shows every row before saving. Covetrus references a Pulse data conversion guide, so ask for a full export; our post on switching veterinary software without losing data walks through it.
The short version
Row by row, Covetrus Pulse wins on inventory, pharmacy, texting and support hours, and PetGrid wins on a public price, the owner app, money handling and getting your data out. Much of the rest Covetrus does not publish.
If PetGrid's side of the table fits your clinic, try it with 14 days free and no card, import a few clients, and compare for yourself.
Switching to PetGrid
Questions about switching? Ask Theo
Theo, PetGrid's AI assistant, helps any clinic with switching, from moving your records to what comes across. When Theo cannot answer, someone from the PetGrid team calls you back.
Or call Theo now: (365) 217-9922
Or message Theo on WhatsApp
On a computer? Scan with your phone to open WhatsApp.
Theo only calls during calling hours where you are: 9:00 to 21:30 on weekdays, 10:00 to 18:00 at weekends. Outside them, Theo calls the next weekday morning.
See PetGrid in your own clinic: the console, the AI drafts and the app your clients get, with your own data.
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Sources
Every fact about another product or organisation comes from these pages, read on the date shown.