As a dog parent, you hope your dog will never need medical care, beyond the basics. Your life is already busy enough just powering through your work days, and then dedicating precious time for your family and dogs! So I am about to share a new online vet service that allows you the flexibility to access convenient, exceptional online veterinarian services should you need them!
Please see my affiliate program disclosure at the end of this blog.
Why use online veterinarian services?
And you might be wondering: why go online for veterinarian services? Especially if you are aware of a number of clinics right in your own neighbourhood! One reason is the typical delay in getting an appointment quickly, especially if the need is not urgent. And another reason is the isolation and loneliness of people during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. This has sparked a sudden explosion of new pet parents and a corresponding scarcity of veterinarian services. In fact, many clinics are so booked up that they are not accepting new clients at all!
Online Veterinarian services can be useful in emergencies!
But there’s also another reason why an online service for your pet’s health is so useful! Whereas brick and mortar locations are limited in the hours they are open, you can go online to get quick medical advice any time you are worried about your dog’s immediate health!
Road trips where there’s no animal hospital
For instance, prior to COVID, my husband and I would take Roxy every year to a Bed & Breakfast in a small town about 2.5 hours away from our home. I always kept her on leash in the house because I didn’t want Roxy to get into trouble exploring. After all, the hosts didn’t have a dog of their own, so it was possible that Roxy would find items to play with that she shouldn’t–their house was not dog proof.
But the last time we visited, the hosts kindly offered to let Roxy roam around their home as she pleased. They assured me that all of the other guest room doors upstairs were closed. So we thought the coast was clear for her to explore safely! But sure enough, a door to one of the couples’ rooms was in fact open. And a baggie of pits from cherries they had eaten during their car ride to the Bed & Breakfast were in their baggage. Upon returning to the room, that guest noticed the baggie ripped open on the floor, and informed me Roxy had no doubt eaten some of the contents. So this was worrisome–cherry pits have iodine which can be toxic for dogs!
I needed to know what to do after Roxy swallowed cherry pits
Since I wasn’t aware of any online veterinarian services, I immediately googled the situation. And I learned that if my dog swallowed the pits whole, there would be no harm. In that case, the pits would simply go through her digestive system and be expelled in a stool within 24 hours. However, if Roxy chewed the pits and split them open with the iodine seeping into her system, that could be toxic! And if it was toxic, my dog would start foaming at the mouth. So I was very worried to say the least!
The guest couple did not witness Roxy actually consuming the pits (otherwise they would have stopped her – of course). But they found the baggie evidence and knew that Roxy was the only dog around! She thankfully did not show any initial signs of poisoning. And further, I knew Roxy well enough to conclude that she likely consumed the cherry pits in whole pieces to try to take in as many as possible before getting caught. She’s clever that way!
The nearest Emergency vet clinic was 1 hour away!
Yet, what if Roxy had started foaming at the mouth? I would have panicked! Because here we were in this tiny town with a population of about 5,000 people. Plus we were in the middle of farm land, one hour away from a 24/7 animal hospital. And it was 10pm on a Saturday night.
So I watched Roxy carefully for the rest of the night to assess if we needed to head on the road to find a hospital. And thankfully she was perfectly fine! But had this online veterinarian service existed at that time, I would definitely have contacted them to get immediate advice!
On Vetster, you can reach a veterinarian 24/7 across Canada and the United States
So you can see by my example how helpful an online veterinarian service can be in an emergency. Or indeed, for any of your pet’s health needs! And with the current shortage of veterinarians, it’s reassuring that any time of the day or night you can now reach a vet located in your area through Vetster. Plus you can book an appointment 24/7 across Canada and the United States!
What type of veterinarian services are available online?
According to the Vetster representative, their online licensed veterinarians can provide most medical services that you can receive at your local clinic including:
- Writing prescriptions
- Providing diagnosis for your pet’s health concerns
- Recommending treatment or management of acute and chronic illnesses or injuries
- Advising on proactive illness prevention
- Possibly avoiding the stress to you and your dog of going to an Animal Emergency Hospital
Online appointments are so convenient!
It’s so convenient to book an online veterinarian appointment because you can fit it into your schedule! So you can attend your virtual visit between meetings, when your work day is done, or after you have put your children to bed for the night. And you can talk to a licensed veterinarian from the comfort of your home or anywhere that is convenient for you!
Read Vetster’s client reviews:
In summary:
We are fortunate now to live at a time when online veterinarian services are available! And even though I have not yet needed to seek out urgent pet medical advice from Vetster, I am keeping their link handy in case. I certainly learned from Roxy’s dangerous cherry pit adventure. Unexpected pet emergencies do happen! Plus, I know if my vet is booked up, I can access a licensed veterinarian at Vetster whenever I need one!
bookmark this post for future reference!
So I recommend that you bookmark this post should you need medical advice for your dog in the future! And you can schedule an appointment any time to answer questions about your pet’s health. It doesn’t have to be an emergency!
Click the button below and save 25%% by using this promo code on your first appointment.
Yours in better dog care, Judy
Affiliate Disclosure:
Because of my mandate to provide only top notch, well researched, timely and helpful advice in all areas of dog care, I will only allow products and services on my blog which match my mandate. Please note, I will be paid a small commission for appointments booked through this blog about Getting Online Veterinarian Services. This will assist me to continue writing interesting and helpful blogs that will enrich your dog’s life. And I thank you for your support!
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