Otto vs. PetDesk

Your Clinic Deserves More Than Basic Reminders & Patchwork of Tools

Let’s be honest. If you’ve landed here, you’re probably weighing your options. You’ve heard of PetDesk (maybe you’re even using it). But maybe you’re feeling the cracks, the juggling act, the missed messages, and the multiple window switching.

Why Clinics Choose Otto Over PetDesk
  • All-in-One, All-in-Sync
    One login. One price. Forms, booking, texting, and email campaigns all in one place with automatic PIMS writebacks every 5 minutes.
  • Smarter Automations, Less Manual Work
    Otto sends the right reminders, forms, and deposits automatically based on appointment type, pet age, and more, no extra clicks or follow-up needed.
  • No App. No Friction.
    Clients confirm, complete forms, and pay straight from a text. No downloads, no drop-off.
  • Support from People Who’ve Worked in Clinics
    Our team speaks “front desk,” not corporate. Fast help from real vet professionals who get it.
  • Less Juggling. More Doing.
    Built-in task management, team chat, and real-time messaging, so nothing gets lost and your team stays in sync.

Otto is Built for the Way Clinics Actually Work

“Otto’s made things much less of a headache [compared to PetDesk]. It’s all in one place now.” — Megan Morrow, Practice Manager, Far West Veterinary Clinic

Holding Your Workflow Together with Duct Tape? There’s a Better Way

Clinics using Petdesk are juggling multiple tools: client forms in one place, direct booking in another, and one more for appointment reminders and texting…sound familiar?

With Otto, it’s one platform. One tab. One price. No jumping between 5,000 tabs.

“It removes that middle layer of communication. Clients don’t wonder if their message got to me.” — Dr. Rachel Dreibelbis, Veterinarian

Forms That Fill Themselves (Almost)

Otto’s customizable forms auto-connect to the client’s appointment confirmation and PIMS record. No copy-paste, no lost PDFs.

PetDesk forms? Still require clicks to attach to messages and the PIMS record or jumping into other systems.

Reminders Alone Aren’t Client Communication

PetDesk does time-based reminders. Otto goes further with real-time messaging, integrated tasks, and full-circle follow-up—before, during, and after appointments—tied to appointment type, pet age, status, and more. Otto sends reminders, forms, and payment requests based on customizable rules, automatically including the right form or deposit request at the right time—no manual follow-up needed.

Otto Doesn’t Require an App (Because Your Clients Don’t Want One)

Let’s talk about client experience. Otto leans into what works: an easy to use experience. Clients don’t have to download anything or create a new login just to confirm an appointment or fill out a form. Everything happens right from a text message and their browser. Easy for them, streamlined for your team.

PetDesk often requires clients to download an app, leading to drop-off or confusion.

Built for Speed, Not Ticket Queues

Your front desk needs answers, not a growing list of support emails that take 48 hours to get read.

“Every time we wanted to adjust a confirmation message or change something with PetDesk, we had to contact a support agent, and sometimes it took days to get a response.”- Jules Ciccotelli, Edinburg Animal Hospital, Receptionist

Otto’s support team includes former practice managers, CSRs, and vet techs. We speak clinic, not corporate.

Otto Is For Clinics That Want to Move Faster, Not Add More Tools

Otto is the platform for veterinary teams that want:

  • Fewer clicks
  • Fewer systems
  • Fewer “did that message go through?” moments

It’s not just a software switch. It’s a workflow glow-up.

Heard at the Front Desk

PetDesk user

  • “Where did that form go?”
  • “I think I texted them…?”
  • “Did you follow up?”

Otto user

  • “It’s already in the chart.”
  • “It’s all logged in Otto.”
  • “Yep — it was on my Otto task list.”

Still Not Sure? Let’s Chat

We’re not here to knock PetDesk. But we are here to offer something better. Otto is built for the entire client communication lifecycle — and the whole front desk team, too.

Want to see it in action?

Book a Demo and see how Otto can change your clinic’s day-to-day in 15 minutes flat.