IDEXX acquires AI vet-scribe startup CoVet to deepen its software ecosystem

What's the deal? IDEXX Laboratories (Nasdaq: IDXX) has acquired CoVetAIDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a maker of AI-native ambient listening and clinical workflow software for veterinary practices. The Westbrook, Maine-based diagnostics firm announced the deal on September 16, 2026. Terms were not disclosed.

What does CoVet do? The startup helps veterinary teams automatically capture and organize information across the patient care journey — from consultation to treatment planning and client follow-up. It serves both corporate groups and independent practices worldwide, cutting documentation work and freeing up clinicians' time.

What's the endgame? CoVet will fold into IDEXX's software ecosystem, which already spans more than 10,000 clinics globally using its cloud-based practice management systems. The company wants to connect patient information before, during, and after each visit — and, over time, boost diagnostic use by surfacing insights at key decision points.

Why now? "Veterinary practices are managing growing complexity and generating more information than ever before," said Mike Erickson, IDEXX's president and chief executive officer. He added that CoVet "brings leading workflow intelligence capabilities that complement our diagnostic and software ecosystem."

What changes for customers? IDEXX says its ecosystem will keep supporting other ambient scribe solutions and third-party integrations. CoVet will also continue to work with non-IDEXX practice management systems.

The signal: The deal underscores how diagnostics leaders are treating software and AI as strategic enablers rather than add-ons. By pairing ambient scribing with its testing hardware and decision-support tools, IDEXX is betting that connected data — not just individual products — is where competitive advantage in pet healthcare now sits.

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