In the light of government advice to the nationwide lockdown, the Pets’n’Vets Family has brought forward the launch of its PetsApp, which provides video consultations to help pet owners throughout the current pandemic.
The Pets’n’Vets Family PetsApp is a bespoke version of PetsApp, a veterinary-specific client communications platform designed to bring vet practices and clients closer together by helping clients gain easier access to their vets.
A messaging system can support text chats – as appointment bookings, text consultations, and photo and video-sharing – and contactless payments can be taken via the app, which also offers video consults.
The launch has been brought forward in response to recent guidance from The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, rules have been relaxed on what vets can and cannot do with regards to tele/remote consulting in order to allow for this sort of interaction.
TEXT ADVICE
In order to help pet owners throughout the pandemic, as of yesterday (Monday), The Pets’n’Vets Family is offering veterinary text advice and video consult via the Pets’n’Vets Family PetsApp.
Pets’n’Vets Family partner Ross Allan, an award-winning RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Small Animal Surgery at the Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital, said: “Given the latest government advice, there is a pressing need to separate ‘essential’ from ‘non-essential veterinary’ visits.
“We fear that pet owners, particularly those more vulnerable members of the community, may find difficulty knowing what to do in the case that their pet is not well: they may either take a trip out of their home to seek veterinary help at a practice, exposing themselves to the possibility of infection, or may choose to delay seeking treatment for their pet, not knowing what to do.
AMBULANCES
“As a locally-owned practice and part of the Glasgow community for almost 50 years, we want to help! That’s why we have decided to put our resources into offering video consultations via our free-to-download app.”
Furthermore, The Pets’n’Vets Family will deploy its fleet of veterinary ambulances to offer a pet collection service should a pet’s health issue need further investigation at the Roundhouse Veterinary Hospital in Glasgow’s southside.
“Where the app, or telephone call can be used to update the owner, it will be the closest, safest alternative to bringing pets down to the vet practice,” said Allan.
“In addition, we have developed a robust medications delivery system whereby we can offer contactless payment via the app. We have also taken steps to ensure that we have all the medications and resources required to ensure that we are in a position to treat sick pets come what may.”
The app has also been designed to protect The Pets’n’Vets Family team by reducing footfall and enabling some team members to work from home.
Non-Pets’n’Vets Family registered pet owners struggling to access veterinary care for their pets during this time can download the app by following the link www.petsapp.com/vetTV on their mobile device for advice and veterinary video consultations.
