FAQ
Veterinary IT, answered.
Straight answers about IT support, security, phones, cloud and backups for vet clinics.
General
About Vet-Tech.
What is Vet-Tech?
Vet-Tech is an IT services company for veterinary clinics and animal hospitals in Canada. It is a division of Binarium Corp., based at 6-2400 Dundas Street West in Mississauga, Ontario. Vet-Tech looks after clinic computers, phones, internet, practice software, cybersecurity, cloud and backups.
What IT services does a veterinary clinic need?
Most clinics need help desk support, 24/7 monitoring, a managed firewall, email security, reliable business phones and internet, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, and tested local and cloud backups. Vet-Tech provides all of these under one monthly plan.
Which areas does Vet-Tech serve?
Vet-Tech is based in Mississauga and supports clinics across the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario, including Toronto, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, London and Kingston, plus clinics in Calgary, Regina, Vancouver and Halifax through remote support.
Does Vet-Tech work with Avimark and IDEXX?
Yes. Vet-Tech supports the computers, servers and networks that run Avimark, IDEXX and other veterinary practice management software, and deals with the software vendor directly when an issue is on their side.
How much does IT support for a vet clinic cost?
It depends on the number of computers, users and locations. Vet-Tech quotes a fixed monthly price after a free site visit, so there are no surprise bills for each problem.
Can Vet-Tech take over from our current IT provider?
Yes. After a free site visit, Vet-Tech documents your systems, collects passwords, licences and vendor contacts, and takes over support with no gap in service.
How do vet clinics protect themselves from ransomware?
Use two-factor login on email and remote access, keep at least one backup copy off-site where ransomware cannot reach it, test restores, keep systems updated and train staff to spot scam emails.
Does Vet-Tech help with veterinary record-keeping rules?
Vet-Tech sets up backups, access control and audit trails that support record-keeping and privacy obligations such as those of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario and PIPEDA. This is technical help, not legal advice.
Services
Managed IT.
What does managed IT include for a vet clinic?
Help desk support for your team, 24/7 monitoring, updates and maintenance, hardware and software management, and dealing with vendors such as your practice software provider. You pay one monthly fee instead of paying per problem.
Do you support Avimark and IDEXX software?
Yes. We keep the computers and network that run Avimark, IDEXX and other practice management systems healthy, and we work directly with the vendor when something breaks on their side.
Can you take over from our current IT company?
Yes. We start with a free site visit, document everything, then handle the switch, including passwords, vendor contacts and licences.
Services
Phones & internet.
What phone system is best for a vet clinic?
Most clinics are best served by a hosted VoIP system with several lines, call queues, voicemail to email and call forwarding to mobiles. It runs over your internet, so a backup internet line matters too.
Can you keep our existing phone number?
Yes. Numbers can almost always be moved to a new phone system. We handle the transfer with the carrier.
Should guest Wi-Fi be separate from the clinic network?
Yes. Clients and visitors should never share a network with your practice software, lab equipment or payment terminals. We set up a separate guest network.
Services
Cybersecurity.
Are veterinary clinics targeted by hackers?
Yes. Clinics store client contact and payment details and depend on their systems to operate, which makes ransomware attractive. In 2019 one attack affected more than 400 animal hospitals in North America.
What is the most important security step for a small clinic?
Turn on two-factor login for email and remote access, keep tested backups that ransomware cannot reach, and train staff to spot scam emails. Those three cover most real-world attacks.
Do you provide phishing training?
Yes. We run short, practical security awareness sessions and simulated phishing tests so staff learn to spot fake emails.
Services
Cloud & email.
Should our vet clinic move to the cloud?
Often, but not always. Email and files usually belong in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Whether your practice software moves depends on the vendor. We review it during a free site visit.
Is Microsoft 365 backed up automatically?
Not in the way most clinics expect. Microsoft keeps the service running, but recovering deleted or encrypted mail and files needs a separate backup. We add one.
Can staff work from home securely?
Yes. We use hosted desktops or secure remote access with two-factor login, so clinic data never sits on personal devices.
Services
Backups.
How often should a vet clinic back up?
At least nightly, with one copy stored off-site or in the cloud. Busy clinics often back up practice data several times a day. Just as important: test a restore regularly.
Would our backups survive ransomware?
Only if at least one copy is off-site and cannot be changed or deleted from the clinic network. We set up backups that ransomware cannot reach.
How long would it take to recover from a server failure?
With a tested local backup, usually hours rather than days. We plan recovery times with you up front.
Services
Consulting & training.
Can you set up IT for a new veterinary clinic?
Yes. We plan and install the network, Wi-Fi, phones, computers, printers and practice software connections so the clinic is ready on opening day.
Do you help clinics with multiple locations?
Yes. We connect locations securely, standardise equipment and give every site the same support.
Is your consulting tied to buying from you?
No. We recommend what actually helps, and explain the options in plain English.
Book a free site visit.
We'll check every system and give you a simple written plan. No obligation.