Sick Pet? These Are the Best Virtual Vet Services
These days, your pet can get medical help without leaving home. These are our favorite televet services….
Virtuwoof, like TeleVet, connects you to your current vet. If yours isn’t in the network yet, you can use the Ask Virtuwoof option for advice and recommendations, without prescriptions or diagnosis as there isn’t a valid VCPR. The process is just as easy as TeleVet. You make profiles for each of your pets, adding information like age and breed. When you need to talk to your vet, click “Start a New Visit” on their profile and select a reason from a drop-down menu of 11 common options, including “other” for anything not mentioned.
You can see exactly how much the vet charges for new issues, follow-ups, and general inquiries. Virtuwoof says its average response time is between 5 and 10 minutes. I also like that the company donates a portion of every visit fee to groups helping animals, as well as to veterinary suicide prevention organizations.
Best for: People with vets in-network, for organizing your pet’s medical information
Available on: iOS, Android
Cost: Varies by practice; app organization features are free
PetDesk is a telemedicine app with a perk. Not only does it connect you to your pet’s vet via video chat, but it also offers an easy way to keep track of your pet’s medications, appointments, and other needs.
All of your pet’s information is in one spot, including name and contact information for vets, preferred emergency animal hospitals, and groomers. From the homepage, you can see what’s open, make calls, visit respective websites, and in some cases, request an appointment directly in the app or start a video call.
Once you create a pet profile, you can save health records and prescriptions. In the To-Do tab, you can create reminders for giving your pet medication, restocking food and supplies, and scheduling checkups, or ask for notifications on their birthday. While you will need to have a vet in-network to make virtual appointments, you can use the service as a free medical dashboard for your pet’s records.
Best for: Emergencies—when you need answers to general questions instantly
Available on: iOS, Android
Cost: $20 or $36 a month options available
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