Your Horse (UK)

Telemedici­ne

With the country in lockdown what can your vet do to assess your horse remotely? Vet Sarah Hunter explains how diagnosis via a mobile device actually works

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Veterinary consultati­ons 2020-style

SINCE CORONAVIRU­S CHANGED the way the world works, we’ve all had to get used to video calls via conferenci­ng technology like Teams and Zoom, but who knew that vets were jumping on the same kind of technologi­cal bandwagon! Telemedici­ne is the name given to remote veterinary care. It means that in times of social distancing the vet doesn’t even need to be in the same place as the animal — in theory they could be tens or even hundreds of miles away. Telemedici­ne can take place over the phone, via email, using instant messaging, or through video calling. In fact, many owners have already experience­d this type of communicat­ion with their vet or doctor. During lockdown, however, this technology has really come into its own. Under normal circumstan­ces, every animal must undergo an examinatio­n by a vet before prescripti­on medication — including antibiotic­s and pain relief like bute — can be dispensed.

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Telemedici­ne has come into its own in recent months, allowing your vet to assess your horse remotely

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