With the current state of the world, many people are turning to telemedicine to handle any concerns they have regarding their pet’s health. Telemedicine can be intimidating for anyone who has never experienced it, but it’s nothing to fear! Let’s talk about it!

What is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine, by definition, is the act of providing medical service to patients via webcam, web chat, emailing, texting, or phone call. More often than not, it is done through live video chatting with your pet right there with you!

Who Conducts Telemedicine?

You can find veterinarians all around the world who will conduct live video feed medical appointments for your pet. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, vet hospitals have been required to loosen up on their regulations and see any patient who needs an appointment,whether they are an existing patient or not. Prior to the pandemic, federal laws were in place that only permitted vets to conduct telemedicine with existing patients.

What Issues Can be Addressed?

Of course, not every concern can be addressed via telemedicine. If your dog is severely physically injured or is displaying severe illness symptoms, they need to be seen in person. That being said, there are still a lot of diagnoses that your vet can make via telecommunication.

Concerns relating to common areas of vet care including allergies, ticks, fleas, cold symptoms, can all be addressed via telemedicine. You could even go so far as to schedule an online appt if your pet is displaying sudden symptoms of mild vomiting, limping, diarrhea, etc.  If your dog has eaten something you don’t think they should have, you could also schedule an emergency telemedicine appointment to determine the severity of the concern!

Telemedicine is also ideal for follow-up appointments. If your pet has been ill recently or mildly injured (meaning no in person visit was determined to be required) then a follow-up appointment using telecommunication is a great fit. Most of the time, follow ups simply require a verbal rendition of what has changed since your last visit, has your pet improved or gotten worse, what have you noticed, etc. This does not require an in person visit.

How Can a Vet Diagnose my Pet Without a Physical Exam?

During – or prior to - a telemedicine appointment, your vet will likely ask you for photos or videos of the area of the concern. For example, if your dog is limping, your vet will probably ask that you send them a video of this occurring. You may also be asked for photographs of areas of concern such as if they have an insect bite, a mild wound, or of anything they have regurgitated, etc. There is also a chance you will be asked to take your pets temperature so it may be a good idea to purchase a pet thermometer!

Taking care of your pet shouldn’t mean you have to go to a vet office if it isn’t feasible or you aren’t comfortable. Telemedicine is a great option for simple care that can make your life and the life of your pet that much easier!