Vetnuus | December 2025 15 Article • Continuous assessment of animal health and behaviour via wearable technologies and real-time data collection. • Enhanced collaboration, disease surveillance, and welfareoriented herd management supported by mobile apps. Challenges and Risks Associated with Using Mobile Apps in Veterinary Practice While mobile applications in veterinary practice offer substantial benefits - such as immediate access to clinical data and medical resources at the point of care - they also introduce a range of significant challenges and potential risks that must be critically assessed. One of the foremost concerns is related to data security and privacy. Mobile apps can exhibit vulnerabilities that allow unauthorised access, data breaches, and even remote control of devices. Such incidents pose substantial threats not only to the integrity of veterinary records but also to the safety and welfare of animal patients (Quirolgico, 2014; Quirolgico et al., 2011). The absence of standardised regulatory frameworks and comprehensive governance structures for the development and deployment of veterinary medical apps exacerbates these risks. Without clear guidelines, the quality, reliability, and security of these digital tools may vary widely, leading to inconsistent clinical outcomes and legal uncertainties for practitioners (Lindley & Fernando, 2013). This regulatory gap is especially critical given the growing reliance on mobile technology for decision support and diagnostics in veterinary settings (Lewis & Wyatt, 2014). To address these concerns, the establishment of robust app vetting systems has been proposed. These systems would be responsible for assessing the security, functionality, and clinical relevance of mobile applications before their adoption in veterinary practices. Effective vetting procedures can significantly mitigate the likelihood of deploying flawed or harmful software, thereby protecting both practitioners and patients (Quirolgico, 2014). Despite the technical and regulatory hurdles, mobile technologies continue to demonstrate considerable promise in veterinary contexts. They have been successfully applied to monitor animal health, facilitate disease surveillance, and enable real-time information sharing among veterinary professionals. For instance, the deployment of a mobile application in the management of bovine fasciolosis illustrated its utility as a decision-support tool, contributing to more informed and timely clinical interventions (El Idrissi et al., 2021; Haubold et al., 2024). Nevertheless, healthcare and veterinary organisations must approach the implementation of mobile technologies with caution. A comprehensive risk assessment should precede deployment, incorporating evaluations of potential security vulnerabilities, data integrity risks, and end-user needs. As emphasised by Sajedul (2020), such due diligence is essential to ensure the safe integration of mobile applications into clinical workflows and to maintain trust in digital veterinary care systems. Key challenges and risks associated with mobile apps in veterinary practice include: • Data security vulnerabilities can lead to breaches of patient confidentiality and loss of control over clinical information. • Lack of regulatory oversight creates inconsistencies in app quality, safety, and reliability. • Healthcare organisations must proactively evaluate and mitigate technical risks before integrating mobile tools into practice. Summary and Conclusion This paper examined the opportunities, benefits, challenges, and risks associated with the use of mobile applications in veterinary medicine from three perspectives: veterinarians, pet owners, and animal welfare. The findings show that mobile apps offer a wide range of advantages for all stakeholders. For veterinarians, they enhance diagnostic accuracy, streamline communication, and support decision-making and education. Pet owners benefit from improved access to veterinary services, greater involvement in their animals’ health monitoring, and better communication with veterinary professionals. For animal welfare, mobile technologies contribute to earlier interventions, continuous health monitoring, and more effective herd management. Figure 1 summarises the opportunities and benefits of mobile apps in veterinary medicine. However, these benefits are accompanied by substantial challenges. Chief among them are data privacy and security concerns, a lack of regulatory standards, and the absence of systematic app vetting processes. These issues may lead to inconsistent clinical outcomes and pose risks to both patient safety and professional integrity. On a practical level, these findings underscore the need for the veterinary sector to develop clear regulatory frameworks, security standards, and usability guidelines for mobile applications. From a theoretical perspective, this study highlights the importance of adopting a multi-perspective approach to digital veterinary medicine, considering the needs of veterinarians, pet owners, and animals alike. Further research should explore longitudinal effects, user adoption factors, and the ethical implications of AI in veterinary apps. v Figure 1: Summary of opportunities and benefits of mobile apps in veterinary medicine References available on request
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