Have an Emergency?During these hard times where COVID-19 is still a threat to vulnerable populations, the healthcare industry produced a unique solution that allows for socially distancing while providing quality care. In 2020 and 2021, we saw a surge in veterinarians and animal hospitals offering telemedicine. The question now is, are online veterinarians in Dallas, TX, here to stay?
What is Telemedicine for Dallas, TX, Pets?
Telemedicine is not new, but is rising in popularity for Dallas pet owners. Telemedicine is the practice of medicine through technology. This article, however, will specifically discuss telemedicine for our furry friends. A vet can diagnose, prescribe, examine, and create a prevention plan for your family pet during this session or appointment.
Healthcare professionals can use telemedicine to book appointments for their patients and their owners by gathering information. Telemedicine is useful because animal hospitals are able to collect medical history and images of problems first. This allows veterinarians more time to research and understand the potential diagnoses/causes for the symptoms displayed by your pet.
How is Telemedicine Offered for Pets?
Telemedicine is offered in a variety of different ways for pets and their worried owners. Every animal hospital has their way of communicating with patients through telemedicine.
It is common, however, to see an office with a specific software set up. The most popular software includes Google Hangouts, WhatsApp Video Chat, and Zoom.
Live Chat
One way that veterinarians can offer telemedicine for pets is through a live chat session. Although the pets can’t talk, pet owners can submit pictures and videos through live chat software. This way, the veterinarian or expert can answer with a diagnosis or more questions if necessary.
Live chat sessions work great for pet owners who do not have webcams or time to schedule a long visit. These sessions between veterinarians and pet owners still require an appointment and typically last 15 minutes.
Some vet offices even have an option to practice telemedicine through email! Not all places offer this option, though, so it is important to check with your pet’s veterinarian office first. This option allows pet owners to quickly update information on their pet through quick screening questions and attached files.
With email, however, it may take longer for the veterinarian to reply and look through the attachments. It is personal but slower. This option is wonderful for pet owners who do not have access to a phone or webcam and need a quick check up on their pets.
Live Video Chat
In this telemedicine option, pet owners can video chat live with an expert veterinarian about their concerns. During this video chat, any questions can be answered in an easy and timely manner. Live video chat sessions can be done through a computer with an attached webcam or a phone with a camera option.
This is the most popular telemedicine option amongst pet owners as they have the ability to show the problem, if there is one, live and get responses in real-time. While attaching photos can help veterinarians see the general symptom, not all photos are clear enough to show the health issue.
Phone Call
For pet owners and their furry friends that don’t have the ability to video chat but want a personal connection, telemedicine can be performed through phone calls. These phone calls are typically 15 minutes long, just like live chat sessions, and are used to simply assess the situation without images.
Are Online Vet Visits for Dallas, TX, Pets Worth It?
There are a lot of benefits and concerns when it comes to online vet visits. These benefits and concerns will be listed below.
Benefits
There are great benefits to using telemedicine options to schedule an appointment for your lovable pet. These benefits include:
- Saving money
- Less exposure to Coronavirus
- Allows for pets uncomfortable being around people to stay in an environment with less stress
- It gives pet owners who live in remote communities access to medicine for their Furry Friends
- Allows for a variety of options when scheduling pet checkups
Concerns
While it is true that there are real benefits to using telemedicine, there are also concerns, which include:
- Not everyone has a stable connection to Wi-Fi.
- Some diagnoses need physical attention.
- Physical exams are limited to images that can be low in quality because of the camera.
- Videos are not always accurate or clear.
- Even though it is less expensive, pet owners are paying for a virtual visit with limited time.
Is Telemedicine Right for Everyone?
Pet owners should only use telemedicine when their loving pets need a yearly checkup, or there is a small concern. Not all pet owners should use online vet visits for their pets. For emergencies, however, your pet should be brought to an in-person office. Telemedicine also isn’t right for everyone considering not everybody has access to a stable internet or cellular connection.
How Long Will Telemedicine be Available for Pet Owners?
Surprisingly telemedicine has been around since before the COVID-19 global pandemic. It is unlikely that telemedicine will go away because of its continuous popularity in the last few months. Over hundreds of different practices have created software that is easy to use and is enjoyed by pet owners and animal physicians alike.
Telemedicine is likely to continue and will not go away as the pandemic and Covid-19 is controlled. This is also most likely true because technology is only continuing to develop and grow. As technology develops and grows, stronger internet and cellular connections are provided to areas where there wasn’t availability.
Our Online Vets in Dallas, TX, Can Help
In conclusion, telemedicine does not appear to be going anywhere! While there are concerns about online vet visits in Dallas, TX, the option should still be available for vulnerable communities that don’t have access to a veterinarian’s office or are at risk for a serious complication of COVID-19.
To schedule an online vet visit for your pet with our veterinarians, schedule an appointment on our website or give us a call at (214) 826-4166.