Pet owners want more virtual consultations

Asurvey of pet owners has revealed over 80 percent believe veterinary consultations should be available online.

The survey, conducted by You Gov on behalf of

Joii Pet Care, an app-based veterinary service, suggests that cost is a significant factor for owners when it comes to accessing vet care, with just over a quarter of British dog and cat owners admitting they had not taken their pet to the vet's, despite believing their pet might need care in the past two years (26 percent), citing the worry of cost had stopped them.The survey also revealed 92 percent have registered their pet with a vet, but only 60 percent of those registered were satisfied with cost and value for money at their physical practice, and the availability of an out of hours service.

Meanwhile, eight in 10 (82 percent) cat and dog owners support the availability of online veterinary services and believe they should be available to those who wish to use them. In addition, 74 percent of cat and dog owners said online care can complement the services offered in a physical vet practice, and that they would be more likely to use an online service over visiting a vet surgery if it were cheaper (75 percent), quicker than waiting for a physical appointment (74 percent), or available 24/7 with no extra cost (80 percent).

Video consultations and responsible remote prescribing by experienced vets can offer pet owners a high quality, affordable, and safe alternative to visiting a veterinary practice, opening up services to owners who were previously excluded or who find it difficult to access vet care.

At the start of the pandemic, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) were quick to revise the guidance allowing remote prescribing of prescription only medications resulting in access to cheaper, safer, and more affordable care for millions of pet owners across the UK.

With the easing of lockdown, this temporary guidance has now been largely removed meaning that in most cases, pets will need a consultation in a vet practice to be able to access veterinary prescriptions.

Before the rules changed back, it meant online veterinary providers, like Joii Pet Care, could manage less urgent cases with remote consultations and prescriptions.

Robert Dawson, vet and co-founder of Vet-AI

(Joii Pet Care), says: “Affordable online vet and prescription services are a lifeline to many clinically, socially, and financially vulnerable owners, and will continue to be needed long after the pandemic is over."