Telehealth

Veterinary telehealth is ideal as a standalone service for a wide spectrum of issues that don’t require in-person examination or testing, such as:

• Questions regarding a health concern
• Minor injuries
• Nutrition consultations
• Behavior and training guidance
• Emergency triage assistance
• Preventive care advice
• Life-stage wellness planning

Or as a supplemental service for:

• Support with a chronic issue
• Follow-up care
• Checking in to monitor progress between in-person visits
• Questions about a diagnosis or treatment plan

Telemedicine

Veterinary telemedicine expands on the core principle of telehealth by adding the ability for veterinarians to diagnose and treat a specific animal, including prescribing medication.

Telemedicine is legal in all states, but some states only allow it after the veterinarian has seen your pet in person or in certain circumstances. This means that your ability to receive telemedicine services from a veterinarian you haven’t already seen in person depends on where you live. See the “How region affects…” section below to learn more.

For example, a new law in California came into effect on January 2, 2024 allowing veterinarians to provide telemedicine virtually when the client and veterinarian are meeting for the first time virtually. This means that residents of California can now book an appointment with a Vetster veterinarian online to receive a diagnosis, care plan, and if needed a prescription which can be fulfilled by our partner PetMeds or sent to a local pharmacy.

In some regions, a veterinarian can provide telemedicine including a diagnosis and prescription, but only in emergency situations. It can be complicated, but your veterinarian will have a good understanding of the regulations and what services they can provide to you.

For more on telemedicine, check out this article.

Teletriage

Veterinary teletriage is when a veterinary professional assesses a pet virtually and evaluates if the pet needs in-person care and how urgently it needs to be seen. With teletriage, a Vetster veterinarian may recommend further care in a clinic or at an emergency center. After a remote assessment of your pet, they may help you decide that it’s reasonable to wait a little longer before seeking in-person care or determine that your case is well-suited to continuing with virtual care or telemedicine.

All veterinary professionals at Vetster are able to provide this service. This is particularly useful when pet owners need advice in times of uncertainty or urgency. Teletriage is helpful to pet owners so they have confidence in their decision on next steps.

General advice (Teleadvice)

General advice (also known as teleadvice or general information) is helpful when pet parents need information or guidance that they can apply to the care of their pet. General advice does not include a diagnosis or treatment plan, and instead focuses on answering questions and providing coaching on topics such as:

• General questions about caring for your pet
• Information about signs or symptoms that may come up
• Guidance for managing chronic conditions
• Clarification of diagnostic test requirements
• Risk analysis regarding potential treatment options
• Questions about your pet’s diagnosis or treatment plan from another vet
• Outcomes and expectations

Synchronous and asynchronous telehealth

In a nutshell, synchronous telehealth means real-time or ‘live’ telehealth. These experiences are typically time-boxed and have a clear resolution point. Vetster video and voice calls, as well as our live chat are examples of this. Synchronous telehealth is well-suited for situations such as telemedicine, teletriage, followup consultations, as well as observing your pet’s current behavior. The biggest benefit of this option is that it allows for dialogue between you and the veterinary professional in real time, so you can clarify concerns and ask questions about your pet’s health.

On the other hand, asynchronous telehealth means not real-time telehealth. Things like text messages, emails, and voicemails are examples of asynchronous telehealth. In this instance, a response between those communicating is not immediate or expected on a specific timeline. Although you don’t have the ability to ask questions and receive answers in the moment, asynchronous telehealth options are helpful when questions come up later, you need to store information, or share a picture or video of the exact moment when your pet is most-clearly displaying concerning behavior. Uploading files to your pet’s medical record on Vetster in between appointments is one example of asynchronous communication. Asking a general question via email and receiving a response is another.

The services a veterinarian can provide through communications technology depends on the laws governing the practice of veterinary medicine in the region(s) where they are licensed. The laws, rules, and regulations for each state determine what services a veterinarian can provide such as general advice, a diagnosis, and treatment plan (including prescriptions) during a virtual appointment with a new client. For example:

• Some regions make it possible to provide a full diagnosis and treatment through virtual appointments
• Some regions only allow this in an emergency (for example an urgent situation in a location where access to a veterinary clinic or hospital cannot be attained)
• And still others allow diagnosis and treatment virtually, but only if the veterinarian has already seen the animal in person

It can be difficult to stay up-to-date on what a veterinarian is legally allowed to do in your state. All you need to know is that in almost all cases, Vetster veterinarians are able to help you obtain the right care plan and next steps for your animal. If you’re unsure, connect with our Support team!

Looking for veterinary telehealth services for your pet? Connect with a licensed vet online today.