Shed the stress! New in-home veterinary service aims to provide preventive pet care in a relaxed environment

Elwood was relaxing at home when his veterinarian came to call. For the eightyear-old labradoodle, it was a four-paws-up event compared to previous experiences heading out to a veterinary clinic. While he had enjoyed the car rides, he was always anxious and ready to turn tail as soon as he and his pet-parent, Brendan Koop, reached the clinic door. “It’s super convenient to have the vet come to us,” says Koop. “My wife and I have two young children and a busy work schedule, so being able to set appointments outside regular office hours is very helpful for us. “It’s also easier for Elwood,” he adds. “He’s comfortable at home in his own space and doesn’t get stressed out. This is definitely the way we’ll go from now on.” Combining convenience for busy owners with quality pet care was the main reason Dr. Mike Mossop set up a streamlined mobile vet practice. Mossop is the founder of Treatwell Pet Care, a new veterinary start-up whose services are provided by the Mobile Veterinary Services of Ottawa. “Everything comes back to how we can make it easier for the client,” he explains. “We’re not ignoring the pets here. Doing a house call serves the animals, too. It is certainly easier for them and less stress for them helps the client, too.” Further, he emphasizes, “If we can make veterinary care easier and more accessible for the customers, they will be able to take better care of their pets.” “Helping anxious pets also helps to deal with owners’ anxiety,” adds veterinary technician Connie Velten, whose duties frequently include sitting on the floor and stroking a worried pet to transform anxiety into the total calm of a social call for the animal. Because Treatwell’s primary target market is busy, tech-savvy professionals comfortable with eCommerce sites, the emphasis is on connecting electronically, says Mossop. “Our entire business runs through our website (www.treatwellpetcare.ca), so, while we’re happy to serve people who are housebound or who have accessibility issues, clients will need to have Internet access to enjoy the convenience of the service we provide. “The idea is to know customers, their pets and their pets’ needs really well and to focus on preventive health care,” explains Mossop, who has been in practice in the Ottawa area for the last decade. “Regular contact helps us in inhibiting illness and disease and makes it easier to manage symptoms or to slow progression if a disease is diagnosed.” This is why Treatwell is set up to serve its clients through a membership system, with the focus on the practitioners developing long-term relationships with pets and people. Members may choose either an essential or a premium package at a monthly fee of $39 or $89, so that veterinary costs are spread over the year. In addition to direct personal contact with Treatwell, members also receive reimbursement for 24/7 after hours calls to telehealth decision support services like Whisker Docs and Healthy Pets. “We chose the lower price point,” says Koop, “and we find it comparable to what we have paid over a year in the past. But I would definitely have been prepared to pay a premium for this great service in any case.” Mossop has tried “to make it very simple and affordable,” noting that while both plans include two examinations over the course of a year, all required vaccinations, fecal testing and food delivery, the premium plan also includes such extras as heartworm, flea and tick medication, additional testing and video conferencing. The Treatwell team is also available for additional visits to help deal with medical issues such as ear infections, urinary tract infections and other common ailments as they occur. “We are always thinking in terms of prevention. We can offer better pet care through preventive medicine, and we are ready to customize plans as we get to know members’ pets and can improve individual services. For instance, we are planning to give credits to members with more than one pet if they book a visit for two of their pets at the same time. “When we get into the more medically intensive side — emergencies or complicated problems that require specialized surgery — we refer the cases and help our clients in arranging the referrals and tailoring them to the right specialists because we know the pets,” says Mossop. “We’re positioned exactly like human general practitioners in terms of our relationship with clients and with specialists.” Treatwell also provides members with euthanasia service when it is time to say goodbye to a beloved pet. Here again, bringing the service to the home is the lowstress, peaceful option for both animal and client. “We take care of everything in whichever way the client wants,” says Mossop. To learn more about Treatwell Pet Care or to book a consultation to see the in-home advantage in action, call 613230-2106, email hello@treatwellpetcare.ca or visit www. treatwellpetcare.ca.

If we can make veterinary care easier and more accessible for the customers, they will be able to take better care of their pets.

supplied Dr. Mike Mossop, DVM, is the founder of Treatwell Pet Care, a new veterinary start-up providing in-home services to make vet visits easier for pet owners and less stressful for pets.

Elwood the labradoodle was comfortable at home in his own space during a visit from Dr. Mossop.