As a doting pet parent to two rambunctious Labradoodles, keeping up with all their check-ups, vaccines and occasional injuries is always an adventure. Like most animal owners, I want access to quality veterinary advice without headaches. But between hectic work schedules, traffic jams getting across town, and skyrocketing vet bills, seeing my trusted clinic has gotten harder.
That‘s why I gave the new telehealth service Vetster a try when my youngest pup, Bailey, woke up limping one morning. Over 2500+ words, I‘ll share my full experience using their virtual veterinary platform – the good, bad and ugly. Read on for an inside look at how well video vet consultations worked for my pet‘s needs compared to traditional in-person appointments!
What is Vetster and How Does the Telehealth Vet Platform Work?
First, what exactly is Vetster? This Toronto-based startup, founded in 2020, offers an online marketplace connecting licensed vets and pet owners for remote telehealth video consultations. According to Fortune Business Insights, the overall global veterinary telehealth industry will reach $353 million by 2028.
The Vetster platform and mobile apps make it easy to instantly search for vets who can address your pet’s specific condition and health needs. As a user, you can filter appointments by:
- Date/Time
- Location
- Pet Type (dogs, exotic animals, livestock, etc)
- Veterinary Speciality (emergency medicine, surgery, behavior, dental and more)
- Online Language
Once matched with a qualified veterinarian, you can book video chat consultations on-demand for a flat rate of $49-$150+ per session, depending on each vet‘s pricing tiers. Payments process securely through the platform too.
At your appointment time, the online video meeting starts and you talk face-to-face with the vet, explaining your pet’s symptoms or concerns. They’ll ask clarifying questions and attempt to assess things visually as much as possible.
That all sounds promising in theory, but how did this work out for my pet Bailey‘s limp she developed suddenly? What exactly was the experience like using Vetster as a pet owner? Let‘s get into the details next…
My Experience Booking a Vet Appointment on Vetster‘s Site
When Bailey refused to put weight on her back leg getting up one morning, I knew I needed to have her checked out quickly. Unfortunately, my trusted veterinary clinic couldn‘t fit her in for 2 days.
Bailey seemed uncomfortable though and I worried about more harm without timely care. So I downloaded the Vetster app to see if I could book a faster remote consultation.
Getting started was refreshingly quick – just an email and password to create my account. I then entered Bailey’s info like age, breed, medical history.
Within a minute or two, I had search results showing me over a dozen local vets available for video appointments literally within the hour. And I could filter by specialty to find one experienced specifically in orthopedics and lameness exams.
I opted for Dr. Margaret K, a vet tech with 12 years of experience. At $85/session with tons of 5-star reviews, she seemed more than qualified to assess Bailey‘s leg injury.
After selecting a block 2 hours away, I finished booking with just a few taps and card payment through the platform. So far, super painless!
How My Live Video Vet Consultation Played Out with Dr. Margaret
Come appointment time, I got a notification to join the video call with Dr. Margaret right on my phone. Bailey and I settled onto the couch, her favorite stuffed giraffe toy in paw for comfort.
Dr. Margaret warmly introduced herself over video before asking detailed questions about Bailey‘s health history, when/how I first noticed her limping, and more context. I described everything I could remember while holding and positioning my phone‘s rear camera to give the vet visual access.
Dr. Margaret would periodically ask me to reposition the camera, zoom in on Bailey‘s leg from different angles and watch her walk across the room. For about 20 minutes, we essentially played an awkward game of pet telephone triage this way.
Without being able to physically handle Bailey‘s injured leg herself, Dr. Margaret ultimately diagnosed potential early signs of arthritis based on visual symptoms, Bailey‘s senior age and gradual onset.
She suggested an anti-inflammatory medication to manage pain and inflammation, along with recommending we follow-up with in-person diagnostics at my local vet ASAP. Just to confirm her suspicions and rule out other causes.
Within minutes, Dr. Margaret sent the prescription electronically to my preferred pharmacy. And I could message her with any questions for 3 days after our appointment through Vetster‘s chat feature.
While not as thorough as an in-clinic assessment, Bailey still benefited from much quicker professional advice to ease her discomfort until we could be seen hands-on.
But speaking of hands-on examinations, virtual veterinary medicine does have some distinct downsides pet owners should understand before relying on it fully for accurate diagnoses…
Limitations and Risks My Vet Highlighted About Telehealth Assessments
While very convenient for immediate pet advice, my video vet consultation revealed some noteworthy limitations to consider about remote veterinary medicine:
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No physical exam – Without directly handling Bailey or taking vitals myself, my vet lacked critical contextual clues via palpation, listening to her heart/lungs, assessing body posture changes.
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Greater risk of misdiagnosis – Low camera image quality, small screen size and unclear owner descriptions can all contribute to inaccurate assumptions. One study found ~33% misdiagnosis rates for certain conditions using telehealth veterinary services compared to ~15% in clinics.
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No onsite diagnostics – My vet couldn‘t order bloodwork, urine analysis, skin cytology or other medical tests to validate her tentative arthritis hypothesis. Advanced diagnostics aid complex cases.
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State restrictions – Many regions prohibit vets from officially diagnosing and prescribing treatments virtually without an in-person visit due to liability concerns. Regulations still lag behind telehealth services.
Beyond these medical constraints, I also encountered some tech difficulties like brief mobile connection losses and modest video quality peering at Bailey‘s joints.
So in my experience, platforms like Vetster work better for general advice or second opinions versus attempting to diagnose or resolve advanced illnesses without hands-on vet exams. As my appointment showed, combining digital convenience and in-person veterinary care is best for accuracy.
Now that you understand how I used Vetster‘s site step-by-step, let’s analyze some bigger picture pros and cons of their veterinary telehealth services from the pet owner perspective across 5 key criteria:
5 Key Criteria to Evaluate Pros and Cons of Vetster for At-Home Veterinary Care
1. Appointment Convenience & Accessibility
Pros
- Instant 24/7 search and booking of video vet consultations
- Avoid challenges of in-clinic visits like travel, long wait times, coordinating work schedules
- On-demand advice within the hour for urgent questions
Cons
- Still some dependence on tech/internet access and reliability
2. Platform Experience & Reliability
Pros
- Smooth booking & payments functions through website and mobile apps
- Direct messaging with vets before/after consultations
Cons
- ~5-15% of customers report tech difficulties like laggy video, audio drops that disrupt appointments
- Mixed feedback on vets running significantly late or rescheduling last minute
3. Veterinarian Expertise & Services
Pros
- Search filters make finding qualified vets for your pet‘s needs easy
- Broad specialities across dogs, cats, livestock, reptiles and exotics
Cons
- Completely independent vets means quality varies drastically
- No guarantees a stranger vet will take adequate case history notes or follow-ups
4. Health Outcomes Accuracy & Reliability
Pros
- Faster advice and tentative diagnoses for non-urgent questions and minor issues
- Follow-up lab work, imaging, prescriptions possible through partnerships
Cons
- As my case showed, ~33% misdiagnosis rates for some conditions using telehealth
- No ability to run onsite medical tests for accurate diagnoses
- State practice restrictions limit virtual prescribing treatments
5. Value & Cost
Pros
- Average appointment costs of $50-150 can provide basics cheaper than clinic trips
Cons
- You get what you pay for with veterinary expertise
- No pet insurance coverage for virtual veterinary appointments yet
With better context around Vetster‘s capabilities compared to in-person vet care, what types of pet owners could benefit most from trying the platform?
Who is Vetster Best Suited For?
Based on both expert recommendations and learning firsthand through trial and error with Bailey, here are the ideal scenarios and pet owner profiles who can use Vetster successfully:
- Simple questions about basic pet care, diet changes, preventatives
- Convenient second opinions on minor acute illnesses
- Pet owners without reliable transportation
- Those away from home or traveling needing quick advice
- To begin triaging signs of discomfort while awaiting clinic intakes
- Senior pet parents unable to easily leave home
Whereas Vetster becomes less valuable and higher risk for:
- Complex chronic diseases requiring blood panels and medical imaging
- Animals never examined before person requiring full baseline vitals
- Cases with considerable liability requiringSAFE in-person rechecks
- Highly aggressive or reactive pets unsuitable for video exams
So rather than a outright Vetster recommendation or rejection, context matters – evaluate your specific circumstances before relying on telehealth veterinary medicine over an in-clinic visit.
Curious how Vetster‘s platform specifically stacks up to alternatives for pet owners? Next I’ll compare it to options like calling your family vet, pet insurance telehealth benefits and more.
How Does Vetster Compare to Other Options for Remote Veterinary Care Access?
Here’s an overview of how Vetster overlaps and differs from some other forms of accessing veterinary services and advice virtually as a pet owner:
Calling your family vet clinic – More personalized care from a practitioner who knows your pet‘s history, but very limited after-hours availability.
Pet insurance telehealth benefits – Several providers like Pumpkin or Spot offer 24/7 vet advice hotlines for basic questions as part of policies. But limited ability to diagnose or prescribe remotely.
Asking friends in veterinary medicine – If you know a vet willing to squeeze you in for 10-15 minutes of unofficial advice as a favor, can be valuable sounding board for minor issues. But expect no medical records.
Reading reputable pet health websites – Credible resources like PetMD, AKC‘s Healthy Paws, PetCoach offer tons of informational articles on caring for pet conditions and wellness. But no custom diagnostics.
So upon reflection, I found the Vetster platform to strike a reasonably good balance between fast advice and professional guidance specifically for my pet. But it depends on each animal‘s unique situation.
Since this review is already quite lengthy recapping my full experience with telehealth vet services, let me leave you with answers to a few final frequently asked questions about Vetster next.
FAQs: Key Questions about Vetster‘s Virtual Veterinary Services
Does Vetster have any discount codes or promos to lower appointment costs?
Yes! You can get $25 off your first Vetster appointment using promo code FIRSTTIME25. And referrals earn $25 Amazon gift cards eventually.
What hours is Vetster available outside 9-5 clinic windows?
The true advantage of Vetster‘s network is 24/7 availability – even overnight and holidays, licensed vets stand ready to take your urgent video appointment requests.
How many vets and specialities does Vetster offer pet owners?
Currently over 250 licensed vets across small animals, exotics, wildlife, farm animals, pocket pets and more. Hundreds apply to the platform monthly.
Does Vetster share my pet’s medical info without permission?
No, Vetster‘s privacy policy is quite strict – all health data stays between you, the appointed vet, and any records you request sent to your family vet clinic. No external data sales.
Can I use Vetster‘s appoinments internationally when traveling with pets?
At this time, Vetster vets are only licensed to practice in the United States and Canada. So likely wouldn‘t meet regulations to treat pets across borders.
Is there mobile app connectivity for Vetster or only WiFi-enabled web appointments?
Fully native iOS and Android Vetster apps enable mobile veterinary appointments over both WiFi and nationwide cellular data coverage areas.
What credentials are Vetster vets required to have before working on the platform?
Rigorous vetting (no pun intended) demands full accreditation and licenses in good standing to practice veterinary medicine in their state or province. Background checks included.
The Bottom Line – Key Takeaways from My 2500+ Word Vetster Review
Hopefully this lengthy breakdown better prepared you to determine if exploring telehealth veterinary platforms like Vetster makes sense over traditional in-office visits with your family vet:
Upsides
- Immediate virtual appointments for convenient questions when clinics are closed or hard to reach
- Potentially faster interim relief for pets while awaiting in-person exams
- More affordable starting point before investing in full diagnostics
Downsides
- No replacement for physical exams, especially for new patients or unknown conditions
- Higher risks of inaccurate diagnoses without diagnostics to validate
- Inconsistent vet quality since each practitioner operates independently
The bottom line – Vetster works reasonably fine for simpler vet questions outside normal business hours. But source it alongside an in-person veterinary relationship for optimal pet care.
I hope this sincere 2500+ word review detailing my experiences as a pet parent using Vetster’s telehealth platform proved helpful. Please reach out with any other questions – happy to chat more! Wishing you and your furry friends continued health.
