Integrations - Paw & Care

Overview

Paw & Care integrates with external systems to streamline workflows, sync data, and extend functionality. The platform provides built-in integrations, REST APIs, and webhooks for custom connections.

Coming Soon: Most integrations are planned for future releases. Current focus is core platform functionality. This guide outlines the integration roadmap and API architecture.

Integration Architecture

API-First Design

Paw & Care is built with API-first architecture:

REST API

Base URL: https://api.paw-and-care.com/v1Authentication: Bearer token (JWT)Rate Limits:

Standard: 100 requests/minute
Bulk operations: 10 requests/minute
Webhooks: 1000 events/hour

Documentation: OpenAPI 3.0 specification at /api/docs

Real-Time Sync

Technology: Supabase Realtime (WebSocket)Events: Database changes broadcast instantlyUse Cases:

Multi-device sync
Live dashboard updates
Collaborative editing
Push notifications

Latency: Less than 3 seconds end-to-end

Authentication

All API requests require authentication:

Obtain API Key

Navigate to Settings \u2192 API Access (Practice Manager only)Generate API Key:

Tap Create New API Key button
Enter key name (e.g., “QuickBooks Integration”)
Select permissions scope:
- Read-only (safe for analytics)
- Read/Write (full access)
- Specific resources (appointments, records, billing)
Set expiration (30 days, 90 days, 1 year, never)
Tap Generate Key

Key Format: pk_live_1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef

Security: API key shown once. Copy and store securely. Treat like password. Rotate keys every 90 days.

Authenticate Requests

Include API key in request header:

curl https://api.paw-and-care.com/v1/appointments \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer pk_live_1234567890abcdef"

Response Codes:

200 OK: Success
401 Unauthorized: Invalid or missing API key
403 Forbidden: Valid key but insufficient permissions
429 Too Many Requests: Rate limit exceeded

Revoke Keys

If key compromised:

Navigate to Settings \u2192 API Access
Find key in active keys list
Tap Revoke button
Immediate: All requests with that key fail
Generate new key for legitimate integrations

Audit Log: All API key usage logged for security monitoring

Built-In Integrations

Email Services

SendGrid (Recommended)
Mailchimp
Gmail/Outlook (SMTP)

Configuration: Settings \u2192 Integrations \u2192 EmailSetup Steps:

Sign up for SendGrid account (free tier: 100 emails/day)
Generate SendGrid API key
Enter API key in Paw & Care settings
Verify sender email address
Configure DNS (SPF, DKIM) for deliverability
Test send

Features:

Bulk email campaigns
Email templates with variables
Delivery tracking (opens, clicks)
Bounce handling
Unsubscribe management

Cost: Free (0-100/day), $15/month (up to 40,000/month)

SMS Services

Twilio (Default)
MessageBird

Configuration: Settings \u2192 Integrations \u2192 SMSSetup:

Create Twilio account
Purchase phone number ($1/month)
Generate API credentials (Account SID, Auth Token)
Enter credentials in Paw & Care
Test SMS send

Features:

Bulk SMS campaigns
Two-way SMS (receive replies)
Delivery confirmations
International SMS support
Opt-out handling

Cost:

US/Canada: $0.0075 per SMS
Example: 1000 SMS = $7.50
No monthly minimum

Payment Processing

Square
Stripe
PayPal

Use Case: In-person and online paymentsConfiguration: Settings \u2192 Integrations \u2192 PaymentsSetup:

Create Square account
Connect Square to Paw & Care (OAuth)
Map payment types to invoice line items
Enable automatic invoice sync

Features:

Credit card processing (in-person with reader, online)
Invoice generation and email
Payment links (send via SMS/email)
Automatic payment reconciliation
Transaction history sync to Paw & Care

Fees:

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
No monthly fees

Accounting Software

QuickBooks Online
Xero
FreshBooks

Configuration: Settings \u2192 Integrations \u2192 AccountingSync:

Invoices: Paw & Care \u2192 QuickBooks
Payments: Automatic reconciliation
Clients: Sync as customers
Chart of accounts: Map revenue categories

Setup:

Connect QuickBooks account (OAuth)
Map accounts:
- Revenue accounts (Services, Products)
- Asset accounts (Accounts Receivable)
- Payment methods (Cash, Credit Card, Check)
Enable automatic sync (daily or real-time)
Initial data import (existing clients/invoices)

Sync Frequency:

Real-time: Immediate (for new invoices)
Daily: Batch sync at midnight
Manual: On-demand sync button

Cost: QuickBooks subscription required ($30+/month)

API Endpoints

Core Resources

Appointments
Patients
Medical Records
Billing

List Appointments:

GET /v1/appointments

Query Parameters:

date: Filter by date (YYYY-MM-DD)
status: Filter by status (scheduled, completed, etc.)
vet_id: Filter by veterinarian
limit: Results per page (default: 50, max: 100)
offset: Pagination offset

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "apt_123",
      "pet_id": "pet_456",
      "pet_name": "Bella",
      "owner_id": "own_789",
      "owner_name": "Sarah Miller",
      "vet_id": "vet_001",
      "scheduled_date": "2026-03-12",
      "scheduled_time": "10:00",
      "type": "wellness",
      "triage_level": "routine",
      "status": "scheduled",
      "duration_minutes": 30,
      "created_at": "2026-03-05T14:30:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "pagination": {
    "total": 150,
    "limit": 50,
    "offset": 0,
    "has_more": true
  }
}

Create Appointment:

POST /v1/appointments

Body:

{
  "pet_id": "pet_456",
  "owner_id": "own_789",
  "vet_id": "vet_001",
  "scheduled_date": "2026-03-15",
  "scheduled_time": "14:00",
  "type": "dental",
  "duration_minutes": 90,
  "reason": "Dental cleaning",
  "notes": "Owner reports bad breath"
}

Update Appointment:

PATCH /v1/appointments/{id}

Delete (Cancel) Appointment:

DELETE /v1/appointments/{id}

List Patients:

GET /v1/patients

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "pet_456",
      "owner_id": "own_789",
      "name": "Bella",
      "species": "dog",
      "breed": "Golden Retriever",
      "date_of_birth": "2018-05-15",
      "age": 7,
      "weight_kg": 29.5,
      "gender": "female",
      "is_neutered": true,
      "is_microchipped": true,
      "microchip_number": "123456789012345",
      "known_conditions": ["None"],
      "allergies": [],
      "current_medications": [],
      "status": "active",
      "created_at": "2019-06-01T10:00:00Z"
    }
  ]
}

Create Patient:

POST /v1/patients

Search Patients:

GET /v1/patients/search?q=bella

List Records:

GET /v1/medical-records

Query Parameters:

pet_id: Filter by patient
vet_id: Filter by veterinarian
status: Filter by status (draft, finalized)
date_from: Start date
date_to: End date

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "rec_abc123",
      "pet_id": "pet_456",
      "pet_name": "Bella",
      "owner_name": "Sarah Miller",
      "vet_id": "vet_001",
      "vet_name": "Dr. Emily Chen",
      "template_name": "Standard SOAP",
      "record_date": "2026-03-12",
      "status": "finalized",
      "soap": {
        "subjective": "Annual wellness exam...",
        "objective": "BAR, BCS 5/9, Weight 29.5kg...",
        "assessment": "Healthy overall...",
        "plan": "Vaccines administered..."
      },
      "created_at": "2026-03-12T10:30:00Z",
      "finalized_at": "2026-03-12T11:00:00Z"
    }
  ]
}

Create Record:

POST /v1/medical-records

Note: Cannot modify finalized records via API (data integrity)

List Invoices:

GET /v1/billing/invoices

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "inv_xyz789",
      "patient_id": "pet_456",
      "patient_name": "Bella",
      "owner_id": "own_789",
      "owner_name": "Sarah Miller",
      "items": [
        {
          "name": "Annual Wellness Exam",
          "type": "Service",
          "quantity": 1,
          "unit_cost": 65.00,
          "total": 65.00
        },
        {
          "name": "Rabies Vaccination",
          "type": "Medication",
          "quantity": 1,
          "unit_cost": 25.00,
          "total": 25.00
        }
      ],
      "subtotal": 90.00,
      "tax": 0.00,
      "total": 90.00,
      "status": "paid",
      "created_at": "2026-03-12T11:15:00Z",
      "paid_at": "2026-03-12T11:20:00Z"
    }
  ]
}

Create Invoice:

POST /v1/billing/invoices

Record Payment:

POST /v1/billing/invoices/{id}/payments

Webhook Events

Subscribe to real-time events:

Navigate to Settings \u2192 WebhooksCreate Webhook:

Tap Add Webhook button
Enter endpoint URL (your server)
Select events to subscribe:
- appointment.created
- appointment.updated
- appointment.cancelled
- patient.created
- patient.updated
- record.finalized
- invoice.created
- invoice.paid
- call.completed
- emergency.detected
Enter webhook secret (for signature verification)
Tap Create Webhook

Testing: Send test event to verify endpoint working

Receive Webhook Events

When event occurs, POST request sent to your endpoint:Example: appointment.created

POST https://your-server.com/webhooks/paw-and-care

Headers:
  X-Webhook-Signature: sha256=abc123...
  Content-Type: application/json

Body:
{
  "event": "appointment.created",
  "timestamp": "2026-03-15T14:30:00Z",
  "data": {
    "id": "apt_new123",
    "pet_name": "Max",
    "owner_name": "John Smith",
    "scheduled_date": "2026-03-20",
    "scheduled_time": "10:00",
    "type": "wellness"
  }
}

Your Server Response:

Status Code: 200 OK (success)
Any other status: Paw & Care will retry (exponential backoff)
Max retries: 3 attempts over 24 hours

Verify Webhook Signature

Security: Verify requests from Paw & Care, not attackerSignature Calculation (HMAC SHA-256):

import hmac
import hashlib

def verify_webhook(request, secret):
    signature = request.headers.get('X-Webhook-Signature')
    body = request.body
    
    expected = hmac.new(
        secret.encode(),
        body,
        hashlib.sha256
    ).hexdigest()
    
    expected_signature = f"sha256={expected}"
    
    return hmac.compare_digest(signature, expected_signature)

Reject if signature doesn’t match (prevents replay attacks)

Third-Party Integrations

Laboratory Services

IDEXX (Coming Soon)
Antech Diagnostics (Coming Soon)

Use Case: In-house and reference lab integrationFeatures:

Order lab tests from Paw & Care
Automatic result import to medical record
Abnormal value flagging
Historical trends graphing

Setup:

IDEXX account required
API credentials from IDEXX
Map test codes to Paw & Care templates

Workflow:

Vet orders “Complete Blood Count” in Paw & Care
Order sent to IDEXX system
Technician runs test on IDEXX equipment
Results automatically imported to Paw & Care
Vet notified when results available
Results embedded in medical record

Prescription Services

Chewy Pharmacy (Planned)
Covetrus (Planned)

Use Case: Client home delivery of medicationsFeatures:

Send prescription directly to Chewy
Client receives medications at home
Automatic refill reminders
Competitive pricing

Benefits:

Client convenience
Practice still gets commission (10-15%)
Reduces practice inventory burden

Marketing Tools

Google My Business (Recommended)
Facebook Business (Planned)

Configuration: Settings \u2192 Integrations \u2192 GoogleSync:

Practice information (hours, phone, address)
Client reviews (import to Paw & Care)
Post updates (announcements, promotions)

Setup:

Verify Google My Business listing
Connect to Paw & Care
Enable review request automation

Automation:

After appointment, send review request email
“How was your visit with Bella today? Leave us a review!”
Link to Google review page
Track review rate (target: 20%+ of clients)

Custom Integrations

Use Cases

Practice Management Software

Scenario: Migrating from legacy PMS, need to coexistIntegration:

Sync patient data (Paw & Care \u2194 Legacy PMS)
One-way sync appointments (Legacy \u2192 Paw & Care)
Gradual migration over 6 months

API Usage:

POST /v1/patients (bulk import)
POST /v1/appointments (sync bookings)
Webhook: appointment.created (update legacy PMS)

Client Portal

Scenario: Build custom client-facing websiteFeatures:

Clients view own pet records
Clients book appointments online
Clients view invoices, pay online
Clients receive test results

API Usage:

GET /v1/patients?owner_id={id}
GET /v1/appointments?owner_id={id}
POST /v1/appointments (online booking)
GET /v1/billing/invoices?owner_id={id}
POST /v1/billing/invoices/{id}/payments

Business Intelligence

Scenario: Advanced analytics in Tableau/Power BIIntegration:

Daily export of all data
Load into data warehouse
Build custom dashboards
Predictive analytics (churn prediction, revenue forecasting)

API Usage:

GET /v1/export/full (full database export)
Schedule: Daily cron job at 2 AM
Format: CSV or JSON

Telemedicine Platform

Scenario: Add video consultationsIntegration:

Integrate with Zoom, Doxy.me, or custom
Schedule video appointments in Paw & Care
Link video room to appointment
Capture video consultation notes

API Usage:

POST /v1/appointments (create video appt)
PATCH /v1/appointments/{id} (add video URL)
POST /v1/medical-records (document visit)

Example Integration: Slack Notifications

Use Case: Get Slack notifications for important events

Create Slack Incoming Webhook

Go to Slack App Directory
Create “Incoming Webhooks” app
Add to your Slack workspace
Copy webhook URL: https://hooks.slack.com/services/T00/B00/XXX

Set Up Paw & Care Webhook

Settings \u2192 Webhooks \u2192 Add WebhookConfiguration:

URL: Your middleware server (not directly Slack)
Events: emergency.detected, appointment.cancelled
Secret: Generate random string

Build Middleware

Simple server to translate Paw & Care webhooks to Slack:

from flask import Flask, request
import requests
import hmac
import hashlib

app = Flask(__name__)

WEBHOOK_SECRET = "your_secret_here"
SLACK_WEBHOOK = "https://hooks.slack.com/services/..."

@app.route('/webhook', methods=['POST'])
def handle_webhook():
    # Verify signature
    signature = request.headers.get('X-Webhook-Signature')
    expected = f"sha256={hmac.new(WEBHOOK_SECRET.encode(), request.data, hashlib.sha256).hexdigest()}"
    
    if not hmac.compare_digest(signature, expected):
        return "Invalid signature", 401
    
    data = request.json
    event = data['event']
    
    # Format Slack message
    if event == 'emergency.detected':
        message = f":rotating_light: EMERGENCY: {data['data']['pet_name']} - {data['data']['symptoms']}"
    elif event == 'appointment.cancelled':
        message = f":x: Appointment cancelled: {data['data']['pet_name']} on {data['data']['scheduled_date']}"
    else:
        message = f"Event: {event}"
    
    # Send to Slack
    requests.post(SLACK_WEBHOOK, json={"text": message})
    
    return "OK", 200

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5000)

Deploy and Test

Deploy middleware to cloud (Heroku, AWS, etc.)Test by triggering event in Paw & CareVerify Slack notification appears in channel

Integration Security

Best Practices

API Key Rotation

Frequency: Every 90 days minimumProcess:

Generate new API key
Update integration to use new key
Test integration working
Revoke old key

Automation: Set calendar reminder for rotation

Least Privilege

Principle: Grant minimum permissions neededExample:

Analytics integration: Read-only access
Booking widget: Appointments only (not medical records)
Billing sync: Invoices only (not patient data)

Review: Quarterly audit of API key permissions

IP Whitelisting

Configuration: Settings \u2192 API Access \u2192 IP RestrictionsRestrict API Access:

Enter allowed IP addresses
Requests from other IPs blocked
Use for server-to-server integrations

Example: QuickBooks integration only from your accounting server IP

Rate Limit Monitoring

Monitor Usage:

Dashboard shows API requests per day
Alert when approaching limits
Identify abnormal spikes (potential abuse)

Increase Limits:

Contact support for higher limits
Enterprise plans: Custom rate limits

Compliance Considerations

HIPAA-Equivalent: Veterinary records not covered by HIPAA, but Paw & Care follows similar standards for data protection.

Data Encryption

In Transit: All API requests over HTTPS (TLS 1.3)At Rest: Data encrypted in database (AES-256)Verify: Check for padlock icon in browser, https:// in API URLs

Data Minimization

Principle: Only share data necessary for integrationExample:

Accounting sync: Invoice data, not medical records
Marketing: Client email, not medical history
Analytics: Aggregate metrics, not individual patient details

API: Use query parameters to filter fields returned

Audit Logging

All API Access Logged:

Timestamp
API key used
Resource accessed
Action performed (read, create, update, delete)
Result (success or error)

Review: Settings \u2192 Audit Log \u2192 Filter: API AccessRetention: 1 year minimum for compliance

Third-Party Vendor Review

Before Integration:

Review vendor security policies
Confirm data encryption
Verify compliance certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001)
Check data retention and deletion policies

Business Associate Agreement: Required for any vendor accessing patient data

Troubleshooting

API Requests Failing with 401 Unauthorized

Symptom: All API requests return 401 errorCauses:

Invalid API key
Expired API key
Revoked API key
Missing Authorization header

Solutions:

Verify API key format: pk_live_... or pk_test_...
Check API key status: Settings \u2192 API Access
Regenerate key if expired/revoked
Verify header: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KEY

Test with curl:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer pk_live_..." \
  https://api.paw-and-care.com/v1/appointments

Webhook Not Receiving Events

Symptom: Events occurring but webhook not triggeredCauses:

Endpoint URL unreachable
Endpoint returning non-200 status
Firewall blocking Paw & Care IPs
Webhook disabled or deleted

Solutions:

Test endpoint manually: Send POST request from Postman
Check webhook status: Settings \u2192 Webhooks
View webhook logs: Shows delivery attempts and errors
Verify endpoint returns 200 OK
Check server logs for incoming requests
Whitelist Paw & Care IPs if firewall enabled
Use webhook testing tool: https://webhook.site

Rate Limit Exceeded

Symptom: 429 Too Many Requests errorCauses:

Too many API requests in short time
Bulk import without rate limiting
Infinite loop in integration code

Solutions:

Implement exponential backoff:

import time

for attempt in range(5):
    response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
    if response.status_code == 429:
        wait = 2 ** attempt  # 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s, 16s
        time.sleep(wait)
    else:
        break

Batch requests: Use bulk endpoints where available
Cache data: Don’t request same data repeatedly
Request limit increase: Contact support for higher limits

Data Not Syncing

Symptom: Changes in Paw & Care not appearing in integrated systemCauses:

Integration credentials expired
Mapping configuration incorrect
API permissions insufficient
Integration paused or disabled

Solutions:

Check integration status: Settings \u2192 Integrations
Reconnect integration: Re-authorize OAuth
Verify field mappings: Ensure fields aligned
Check API key permissions: Read/Write access
Review error logs: Settings \u2192 Integration Logs
Manual sync: Trigger sync button to test

Next Steps

API Documentation

Complete API reference with endpoint details and examples

Reporting

Use integrated data for advanced analytics and reporting

Bulk Operations

Automate bulk operations using API and webhooks

Support

Contact support for integration assistance and custom development

Getting Started

Workflows

Advanced

​Overview

​Integration Architecture

​API-First Design

REST API

Real-Time Sync

​Authentication

​Built-In Integrations

​Email Services

​SMS Services

​Payment Processing

​Accounting Software

​API Endpoints

​Core Resources

​Webhook Events

​Third-Party Integrations

​Laboratory Services

​Prescription Services

​Marketing Tools

​Custom Integrations

​Use Cases

Practice Management Software

Client Portal

Business Intelligence

Telemedicine Platform

​Example Integration: Slack Notifications

​Integration Security

​Best Practices

API Key Rotation

Least Privilege

IP Whitelisting

Rate Limit Monitoring

​Compliance Considerations

​Troubleshooting

​Next Steps

API Documentation

Reporting

Bulk Operations

Support

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Integration Architecture

API-First Design

Authentication

Built-In Integrations

Email Services

SMS Services

Payment Processing

Accounting Software

API Endpoints

Core Resources

Webhook Events

Third-Party Integrations

Laboratory Services

Prescription Services

Marketing Tools

Custom Integrations

Use Cases

Example Integration: Slack Notifications

Integration Security

Best Practices

Compliance Considerations

Troubleshooting

Next Steps