By business · Pets

Instagram auto-replies for veterinary clinics

A vet clinic's reception answers the phone all day, so Instagram messages wait: are you open Saturday, can you take new patients, how much is a vaccination. Comment-to-DM answers the routine ones at once. Below are the words, four set-ups, freebies and why emergencies need a different path.

Updated 6 October 2026

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Comment words for veterinary clinics

Ask people to comment one word in your caption or video. Each word sends something different.

HOURS: Opening hours, the bank-holiday timetable and the out-of-hours emergency service your clinic uses, with the phone number to call.
REGISTER: How to become a patient: what you need to bring, whether you are taking new clients, how a first appointment works and the fee.
PUPPY: Your puppy pack: the vaccination schedule your clinic follows, worming and flea advice, microchipping and when to book the first check.
KITTEN: Kitten care: the first checks, vaccination timing, neutering age and how to bring a nervous cat into the clinic safely.
VACCINES: What the clinic offers and when boosters fall due, with a note that the vet decides the plan for each animal.
NEUTER: Neutering: the age your vets usually recommend, what the day looks like, what to do the night before and how to book.
DENTAL: Your dental-month offer or advice: what a dental check includes, what a scale and polish involves and how to book.
SENIOR: Senior pet checks: how often the clinic suggests a visit, what is covered and what changes owners should report sooner.

4 set-ups to try

Each one shows the conversation it creates. After a comment, the first DM is plain text, as Meta requires, and the link follows once they answer.

Opening hours and emergency route for “are you open?” DMs
HOURSThanks for getting in touch. Is your pet unwell right now? If so, please phone the clinic or our out-of-hours service instead, since messages here are not watched all night. Otherwise, reply and I'll send our hours.Hours and out-of-hours careSee the hours
A DM can sit unread overnight, and a worried owner may assume someone saw it. The first message says so, and points anyone with an urgent problem to the phone before anything else.
New patients from a “meet the team” post
Someone comments on your post
REGISTER
Public reply under their comment
Registration details are in your DMs 🐾
First DM (plain text)
Thanks for the comment. What kind of pet do you have, and is it a first visit to a vet or a move from another clinic? Reply and I'll send how to register and what to bring.Yes pleaseRegistering your petSee how to register
Moving from another clinic means asking for old records, and a first-time owner needs the full routine. The pet type and the move question tell the receptionist what to prepare before the first appointment.
Puppy pack from a first-vaccination Reel
Someone comments on your post
PUPPY
Public reply under their comment
The puppy pack is in your DMs 🐶
First DM (plain text)
Congratulations on the puppy. How old is yours, and have they had any vaccinations or worming yet? Reply and I'll send the puppy pack and how to book the first check.Yes pleasePuppy pack: first checks and careGet the pack
A puppy's first weeks run on a timetable, and an owner who collects the pack early books the visits in the right order. The age answer lets the nurse choose the appointment that fits.
Dental month bookings from a Story
Replied to your story
DENTALThanks for replying. Is your pet a dog or a cat, and have they had a dental check before? Reply and I'll send what a dental check involves and how to book one.Dental check: what to expectSee the details
Dental work needs an anaesthetic in many cases, and owners worry about it. A plain card that explains the check, and who to speak to about the anaesthetic, is the first step towards an appointment.

Freebies worth commenting for

A puppy first-year timetable listing the checks, vaccinations and worming dates your clinic follows
A kitten checklist: first visit, settling in, and when to talk to a vet about neutering
A guide to carrying a cat to the clinic: the box, the towel and the car journey
A list of common household items that are dangerous to pets, with what to do if one is swallowed and the number to call
A senior-pet guide to the changes worth reporting: drinking more, weight loss and stiffness
A summer safety sheet for hot cars, hot pavements and long walks
A guide to pet insurance questions to ask before you sign, written without recommending a company
A fireworks-season guide for noise-sensitive pets and when to ask the clinic for advice

What pet owners message a vet clinic

The messages are mostly routine, but a few are urgent, and the two arrive in the same inbox. Set the automation so the first reply makes the difference clear and never sounds like a diagnosis.

They ask	Send automatically	Answer yourself when
Are you open on Saturday?	The HOURS card with the emergency route	The message sounds urgent: a person should phone them back
Can I register my dog?	The REGISTER page	They want a home visit or a very specific vet
How old should my puppy be for vaccines?	The PUPPY pack, marked as the clinic's schedule	They describe a sick puppy
How much is a neuter?	The NEUTER page, with “from” prices and what the quote depends on	They ask for an exact quote: it depends on the animal
My dog ate something. What should I do?	Nothing automatic: phone straight away	Always, and by phone
Can you tell me what this lump is?	Nothing: offer an appointment	Always

Tip: Never let an automatic reply give dosage, diagnosis or “wait and see” advice. For anything worrying, the clinic's message should say phone the clinic, or the out-of-hours service when closed.

Posts that earn comments for a clinic

A nurse introduction at a front-desk post, with REGISTER for how to join.
A puppy's first check, with the owner's permission, and PUPPY for the pack.
A tooth-brushing demonstration for dental month, with DENTAL for the check.
A kitten weigh-in, with KITTEN for the first-visit guide.
A Story of the bank-holiday timetable, with HOURS in the text.
A senior dog's annual check, shared with the owner's consent, with SENIOR.

Clinics see pressure in spring and summer, with ticks, hot weather and puppies, and in autumn and winter, with fireworks and the end of the year. Update HOURS before every bank holiday, because a wrong closing time on a card sends people to a locked door.

From a message to an appointment

The first DM asks the species and the age, or whether the pet is unwell right now, so urgent cases go to the phone.
The card opens your own booking page or phone number. DMFast does not see your appointment system or a pet's records, so it cannot confirm a time.
Use email capture for the puppy pack or the kitten guide, and export the list as a CSV for reminders such as dental month.
Switch on the reminder for people who asked about registering and stopped. A busy owner may need a nudge before they book.

In India, a clinic could use the DMFast store to sell a pet-care guide as a digital product or hand it over for an email, or take free or paid 1-on-1 calls such as a pre-adoption consultation. Payments go through Razorpay. Clinical work and payments for it stay in your practice system.

Rules and privacy a clinic must respect

Emergencies. Instagram messages are not an emergency line. Say so in the bio and in the first reply, with the phone number to call.
Remote advice. The rules on giving veterinary advice to an owner you haven't seen differ by country and regulator. Check yours before an AI reply or a person answers a medical question.
Medicines. Many countries restrict advertising prescription medicines to the public. Describe the service, not the drug, and check your regulator's guidance.
Records and privacy. Keep patient records in your practice system, not in DMs, and handle owner details under the data rules in your country.
Reviews and claims. Be careful with “best”, “painless” or “safe” claims, and don't promise outcomes for a procedure.
Meta's limits. One private reply per comment, within 7 days, and Instagram caps an account at 750 private replies an hour. A viral post is answered a little slower, never twice.

Tip: Keywords match whole words wherever they appear. PUPPY and KITTEN will be commented by people who simply love your photo, which is fine, since they get a useful pack.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Can it tell a worried owner if their pet needs to be seen today?

No, and it shouldn't try. The first message should ask whether the pet is unwell now and send urgent cases to the phone or the out-of-hours service. Anyone describing symptoms needs a call from a person at the clinic.

Can AI replies answer questions about our services?

On the Growth and Business plans, AI replies use only the information you give them, at one credit per reply. Give them your hours, services and registration steps, and leave out medical advice. When the answer isn't in your notes, the AI tells the person the team will get back to them.

Can it book the appointment?

No. DMFast sends the message and the card, and your own booking page or phone line confirms the time. It does not connect to practice-management software or see your diary.

Can we remind clients when their pet's vaccination is due?

Not through Instagram. Automated messages go only to people who wrote to you in the last 24 hours, and mass DMs aren't possible with official tools. Use your practice system or the email list collected through a lead magnet for reminders.

Does it work with our clinic's Facebook Page?

Yes. Comments on Page posts and Messenger messages can get the same keyword replies, and the emergency note should be in the Messenger reply too. Story replies and the follower gate are Instagram-only.

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Answer every REGISTER comment in seconds

Pick a post and the word. DMFast replies under each comment, sends the DM and follows with your link once they answer, day and night. It can collect emails on the way. Free plan, no card.

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