Veterinary Telemedicine as Facet of Tech-Driven Transformation

Telemedicine is the poster child for the dispersal of veterinary care outside of the brick-and-mortar veterinary practice context. (Telemedicine specifically entails live video – not phone calls, emails, or texts. “Telehealth” is a very general term that includes health education and training. “Teletriage” refers more narrowly to a virtual session to assess symptoms and conditions, determine the urgency of getting treatment, and direct pet parents to appropriate care providers.  “Telemedicine” refers to virtual version of clinical care consultation with a veterinarian for the purposes of consultation, diagnosis, and determining treatment plan.)

The emergence of veterinary telemedicine followed that of human telemedicine, and like telemedicine as a whole, was spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Like e-commerce, therefore, telemedicine exemplifies how larger medical contexts, technological and commercial innovations, and consumer trends are reshaping the veterinary sector.

Resistance from Traditional Veterinary Professionals

National veterinary associations have opposed telemedicine consultation initialized through virtual care interactions. Their standard, in line with traditional professional regulation, is that the veterinarian-client-patient-relationship (VCPR) should begin and be grounded in person-to-person consultations with a veterinarian, including the veterinarian’s physical, hands-on examination of the pet patient. Otherwise, there are no regulatory issues with veterinarians providing virtual consultations to existing VCPR clients.

By extension, veterinary associations have opposed “virtual VCPRs” (VCPRs initiated through virtual care), and therefore a pet parent’s option of consulting with a with virtual veterinarian other than as the existing client of a local brick-and-mortar veterinary practitioner. At a time when foregoing veterinary care for affordability reasons has become routine, prohibiting virtual VCPRs removes a potential veterinary care option for pet parents. The veterinary profession is largely regulated at the state level, so the battle for or against virtual VCPRs is being fought out in state legislatures. As of June 2025, measured by the share of veterinary clients living in states that allow VCPRs, the battle is half-fought and the tally close.

Opportunities to Expand Access

Veterinary profession and associated legislative battles aside, pet owner usage of telehealth options remains somewhat niche, but with significant potential. Packaged Facts’ January 2025 Survey of Pet Owners shows that 10% of those who have used veterinary services in the last 12 months have used telemedicine. However, half (51%) agree that they “like having the option of a telemedicine consultation with a veterinarian when an on-site vet visit might not be necessary”, and 45% agree that they “like having the option of a telemedicine consultation with a non-veterinarian pet health advisor when seeing a vet might not be necessary”.

Levels of Agreement with Selected Statements Related to Veterinary Telehealth, 2025
(percent of veterinary customers)

Source: Packaged Facts January 2025 Survey of Pet Owners

National health and technology trends, in conjunction with pet parent (and especially Gen Z/Millennial) preferences, will ultimately be the main drivers of telehealth in the veterinary sector.

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About the blogger: The former publisher and research director at Packaged Facts, a division of the Freedonia Group, David Sprinkle continues as market analyst as part of the Packaged Facts pet market team.  His research focuses on pet population trends, pet owner demographics, pet industry retail/e-tail trends, and veterinary services.  Sprinkle also provides monthly columns to Pet Care Weekly and to Petfood Industry, along with contributions to trade publications including PETS International and The Fountain Report. He has presented extensively at pet & vet market conferences, including Global Pet Expo, GlobalPETS Forum, Petfood Forum, VMX, the NAVC Veterinary Innovation & eCommerce Summit, and the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor Market Insight Seminar.