Unlocking proactive pet care with Vetster

Welcome to a new era of pet care! While Vetster has long been recognized for its ability to address urgent pet needs, such as sudden GI distress, it also serves as a forum for sharing general information about proactive care.

Proactive care is all about empowering pet owners to safeguard their pets' health before issues arise or escalate. While it can be challenging to give these topics the time they deserve in an in-clinic setting, the virtual space is a perfect fit for allowing further exploration on preventive care and wellness topics. Let’s take a closer look at what proactive care entails.

• Highlighting the significance of wellness exams and screening tests
• Developing personalized preventive care strategies, including vaccination protocols
• Discussing pros and cons of different parasite control products
• Sharing nutrition insights and feeding guidelines
• Offering behavior and training tips
• Providing resources for proper exotic pet husbandry
• Scheduling progress checks for monitoring chronic illnesses

Vetster exists to create meaningful connections between pet owners and veterinary professionals that extend beyond acute care appointments. That’s why we leverage interactive features within the client-facing side of the app to spark proactive care dialogues. Informative questionnaires and engaging education content are designed to seamlessly fit into the client’s experience.

For example, The Pet Care Score is an interactive client-facing questionnaire that helps owners evaluate their approach to pet care and how their pet is doing. Its purpose is to motivate pet owners to learn more and to connect with a veterinarian in a discussion about overall pet health.

We encourage all Vetster users to book appointments to learn about proactive care. Your knowledge about appropriate nutrition, dental care, preventive care, and planning to meet their pet’s needs are highly valuable to a pet owner and their pet.

While virtual vets may not administer vaccinations or conduct senior screening tests, they excel in providing invaluable information on wellness care. Use the platform as a hub for informed decision-making, guiding pet owners through various aspects of pet health. From clarifying vaccination needs to interpreting heartworm test results, Vetster appointments focusing on this type of general advice make it easy to offer evidence-based guidance so pet owners can make informed choices about their pet’s preventive care.

Moreover, helping pet owners understand the pros and cons of different flea and tick products can help them determine the best parasite control strategy for their unique situation. By using appointment time to gain a thorough understanding of the pet’s lifestyle, environmental risks, and medical history, you can help ensure safe and effective protection.

Nutrition is a key factor in pet proactive care since it plays a pivotal role in their overall health and well-being. Through nutrition consultations on Vetsters, pet owners gain access to your invaluable insight on selecting appropriate diets tailored to their pet’s specific needs. Start by helping them navigate the information on pet food labels so they are empowered to make evidence-based decisions regarding their pet’s nutritional requirements. Virtual appointments are well-suited for nutrition consultations, especially ongoing concerns like weight loss, and VetsterRx fulfilled by PetMeds allows US veterinarians to seamlessly connect clients with the diets they need.

Pet owners may think “doggie breath” is normal, or that teeth getting covered with calculus and falling out is just part of aging. They also may be inclined to avoid in-clinic professional cleanings due to fears about anesthesia. Proactive care consultations are ideal for addressing misconceptions like these while also empowering owners with a good home dental health care plan.  Whether it’s providing guidance on how to use a pet toothbrush or directing owners looking for dental chews and treats that actually work, your experience and insight is valuable. Proactive care dialogues in the virtual space are also a great way to collaborate with in-person clinicians, allowing you to have conversations on topics such as reassuring clients about anesthesia risks, answering questions about how dental diets work, or explaining that dental chews are best used to prevent tartar buildup, not treat it.

Early intervention is key in addressing behavioral concerns in pets. Vetster facilitates timely access to expert guidance, with video consultations providing comprehensive assessments in the pet's home environment. Coach clients so they can stop problem behaviors before they start. The distraction-free environment of virtual appointments allows for in-depth conversations about understanding pet behavior and positive reinforcement training techniques.  Through collaboration with the owner, your timely interventions and follow-ups can help build strong relationships so both pets and their owners can thrive.

Good health begins with proper husbandry. While providing appropriate food, water, and shelter may be straightforward for dogs and cats, the care and keeping of exotic pets is complex. A lack of understanding about the  unique environmental and dietary requirements of exotics is one of the main reasons these pets get sick. Proactive care for exotic pets involves educating owners on the intricacies of husbandry, or at least being able to point them in the right direction with resources, such as these standards for reptiles, birds, and rabbits. By prioritizing proper husbandry practices, proactive care consultations promote optimal health and quality of life for all kinds of pets.

Following up is the cornerstone of quality care, allowing you to track progress, address concerns, and adapt treatment plans as needed. Ongoing monitoring not only fosters strong client relationships, it also ensures pets receive the care they deserve. Our intuitive "request follow-up" feature simplifies this process by making it easy for clients to schedule follow-up appointments in a timely manner. Keeping clients engaged in their pet’s health journey is at the heart of proactive care since it’s one of the best ways to promote wellness and prevent problems from escalating.

Join us in shaping the future of pet care by embracing proactive and wellness consultations on Vetster. Together, let's unlock the full potential of pet care in the virtual space.

You may create an account as a veterinary professional, or learn more here.