Faced with a shortage of veterinarians, animal telemedicine is gaining ground in B.C.
The veterinary world has long resisted the use of telemedicine, according to Dr. Koharik Arman, who is the app’s chief veterinarian, but the pandemic has changed everything.
Between the shortage of veterinarians that already existed before the pandemic and the boom in animal adoption during the pandemic, we were forced to practice telemedicine explains the Vancouver veterinarian.
A consultation that is sometimes more effective, says Dr. Arman
The veterinary community has realized that some non-emergency issues are easily resolved virtually, as Dr. Arman notes.% of issues were resolved without the need for an in-person visit to the vet”,”text”:”About 75% of issues were resolved without the need for an in-person visit to the vet”}}”>Approximately 75% of issues were resolved without the need for an in-person visit to the vetshe says.
Veterinarians can treat many non-emergency health issues such as ear infections, eye infections, allergies, minor gastrointestinal issues, and offer preventative care or nutritional advice.
Dr. Arman also found that in some cases she could diagnose problems, such as mobility issues, more easily than in the clinic.
« The animals are so little stressed, being at home, that the owners manage to show us things very closely and to handle their animals as it would be impossible to do in a clinic. »
Telus Health has launched its new app by partnering with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of British Columbia. Owners of new animals from seven centers in the SPCA
An inevitable turn, according to a veterinarian
Erinne Branter of WAVES Veterinary Hospital in Victoria agrees the use of veterinary telemedicine is inevitable.
For fairly simple things, I think it’s very useful says the veterinarian, who has sometimes used telemedicine, but to contact another veterinarian.
However, Dr. Branter believes that the limits of telemedicine must be clearly expressed. This model will never replace a real appointment during which a veterinarian can feel the animal. “After a while, this animal should be examined by a veterinarian,” she says.
The Victoria veterinarian is curious to see how a new initiative like Telus Health’s will ease the burden on veterinarians while providing needed care for animals.
« We do not know. I think the initiative is interesting, I think it has the potential, if done well and well managed, to be positive for animals. »
She expects some faults in the system to appear over time.
And hopefully the people who are in the system will be able to be willing to change with the needs of the system.
With the application, virtual consultations cost substantially the same price as a consultation in a clinic. Telus confirms that several French-speaking veterinarians are available on the app for residents of British Columbia.