With Video Vets Now, owners can chat to a vet on their mobile, computer or tablet from their preferred location between 8am and 11pm.
It’s a triage service, helping owners decide whether their pet needs to see a vet in clinic.
With consumer behaviour changing, telehealth is on the rise owners are now looking for instant healthcare advice online. The Video Vets Now service was designed with this in mind. Responding to pet owners’ needs and offering a versatile, responsive service is important to us.
We always direct visitors to their registered practice, regardless of that practice’s group or owner. When we refer clients, we refund the cost of their video consult, so they don’t lose out financially. Our video vets can’t prescribe medication, and the service is for non-emergencies only.
Find out more from the FAQs and podcast below.
We’ve worked with the Vet Times to produce a podcast series where we discuss all things telehealth. Topics will include dispelling myths and alleviating concerns around telehealth, the future of telehealth and its impact on the veterinary industry overall.
The service offers reassurance and advice in non-emergency situations only. Before booking their appointment, the owner must review a list of life-threatening clinical signs to make sure their pet isn’t in immediate danger.
Our online vets cannot prescribe medication during a video consultation.
The outcome is binary: the owner is told that their pet is fine, or they need to see a vet in person at a clinic. We always refer owners to their current registered practice, with two crucial exceptions:
Clients are charged £24 for a video chat but we’ll refund this if they’re referred to a clinic within 48 hours. In other words, clients never pay twice – we only charge if they’re not referred to a clinic after their video chat.
We direct clients back to you – we’ll never try to steer clients away from their registered practice.
Clients don’t pay twice – they won’t be disgruntled about paying again when they’re referred to your practice.
We don’t prescribe medication – we always direct clients to their existing practice for prescriptions.
It’s not for emergencies – if it’s an emergency, we direct clients straight to their registered practice. If the emergency occurs out of hours, we’ll direct clients to their nearest Vets Now clinic.
Virtual consults are getting more popular, just like in human medicine. It’s important for us to adapt to client demand in a changing world, and also with pet parents’ behaviours changing. We want to help clients however possible, whether they’re unable to get to their daytime practice for advice, or they’re worried about their pet and need that peace of mind.
This is to extend the service we offer our clients. Many users visit the pet advice section of our website during the day, which indicates they have questions about their pet and are looking for advice. Video Vets Now offers owners advice and reassurance that’s specific to their pet and they can access it quickly and easily, without leaving the house.
If we advise clients to visit a vet in person, we always refer them to their current registered practice – unless it’s closed, and the animal’s condition is an emergency. In these cases, we’ll refer the pet to their nearest Vets Now clinic or ECC care provider as appropriate (based on location).
If the client isn’t registered with any practice, we’ll help them to locate one.
The service is strictly for non-emergencies only. Before booking their appointment, clients will see a list of life-threatening clinical signs and must confirm their pet isn’t displaying any of them.
It’s not part of our plan for video vets to be able to prescribe medication. Video Vets Now is a triage service only, designed to help owners decide if they need to visit a vet in practice or not.
Yes, all clients will be emailed the follow-up notes after their consult. If they’re referred to a practice, they’ll be encouraged to show the notes to their vet.
If the client is referred to a Vets Now clinic, the notes will be sent to the practice directly.
In this interview, Dave discusses Vets Now’s involvement in telehealth, the importance of embracing technical solutions within the veterinary sector, and the positive effects that video consults can have for pet owners and partner practices alike.
Dave joined Vets Now as a senior vet in 2004 and since then, he’s held several clinical and managerial roles. His professional interests include clinical standards, innovation and technology.
I got a video appointment within the hour, the vet filled me with confidence and asked many questions. The email I received confirming what was said and what to look out for was fantastic. I was very impressed and wouldn’t hesitate to use this service in the future.
Ash was very friendly and helpful, reassured us about our dog and gave us useful advice which solved the concern almost immediately!
Laura was perfectly on time for the appointment and straight away was trying to see what she could do to help! She was kind, polite and personable; and she really helped to put my mind at ease. I really feel like she cared and wanted the best for my pet. Will definitely use & recommend this service in future.
We were a little worried about our puppy. Once we spoke to the vet through the video call it really helped us to calm down and know what we should do about his condition. Really great service and really nice people.
Laura graduated from the USC in 2013, where she completed a rotating small animal internship. She has worked for Vets Now since 2017 and thoroughly enjoys emergency and critical care.
Raquel graduated as a veterinary surgeon in 2000. She has spent the last 20 years working in ECC and as a senior orthopaedic and soft tissue surgeon across the UK, Spain, and Germany.
David graduated from Cambridge Veterinary School in 2011. He’s passionate about ECC and has been the lead veterinary surgeon at our Sheffield clinic for the last few years.
Eleanor graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 2017. She then completed a small animal rotating internship at our Glasgow hospital and has worked across Scotland since – with a continued passion for emergency medicine.
After graduating from the University of Liverpool, Ash worked in small animal practice until she joined Vets Now in 2014. She’s currently studying for her certificate in emergency and critical care with BSAVA.
Elise graduated from the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School in 2013. She worked as a small animal first opinion vet in London for several years before returning to Edinburgh, where she started working for Vets Now. She’s currently pursuing a postgraduate certificate in ECC.
Louisa has been working with Vets Now for 5 years. She finds her role very fulfilling and enjoys all aspects of emergency and critical care.
Diane graduated from the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School in 1998. She completed a certificate in Small Animal Medicine in 2015 and is registered as an advanced practitioner. She joined Vets Now in 2019 and enjoys the varied and challenging workload that comes with the role.
Hi, my name is Amanda and I graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1999. I started my career working in mixed practice for two years and have worked in small animal practice since. I have worked in both busy hospitals and quieter small animal clinics and thoroughly enjoy being able to help animals.
Ana graduated from Portugal in 2005. After 5 years working in a busy first opinion hospital there, she moved to the UK to complete a 1 year rotating internship in a referral center. She then spent several years in the UK further expanding her experience in emergencies and critical care, internal medicine, and acupuncture and physiotherapy. Ana has a certificate in Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy and is also an RCVS Certificate Holder in Small Animal Medicine. She enjoys all aspects of Veterinary Medicine and is currently based in Portugal, where she found the right work-life balance to allow her to spend quality time with her family, while still continuing to develop her career in the UK through telemedicine.
Hi, my name is Lara. I graduated from Bristol Vet School in 1994. I worked in general small animal practice for 17 years before joining Vets Now in 2010. I live in the South West of England with my own menagerie of animals and fish. I enjoy being able to help pets and their owners with emergencies that happen outside of normal hours- both in the Vets Now Chippenham clinic and now by video link too!
Hi, my name is Rebekah. I graduated from Edinburgh Vet School in 2011. I worked in general practice in Fort William then South Lanarkshire before joining Vets Now in 2017. When I’m not working I can usually be found in the gym, Munro bagging or traveling across the globe
Hello, my name is Shelley and I graduated from the Royal Veterinary Collage in 2002 and have worked in small animal practice ever since. I joined Vets Now just over 7 years ago as a locum to top up my work in general practice and to be able to continue to work in emergency medicine.
I now split my time between working at the Winchester Vets Now clinic as well as Video Vets Now during the weekends, but still spend some time during the week working in general practice.
I live on a farm with my family and a menagerie of animals who keep me busy in my spare time.
My name is Gosia. I graduated from Wrocław Veterinary School in Poland in 2012 and shortly after I began my career in the UK. I worked at a mixed practice for about 4 years before joining Vets Now Lincoln in 2018. Then, I completed a rotating internship programme at Vets Now Hospital in Manchester before moving back to Lincoln to join a first opinion small animal hospital and rejoining Vets Now clinic and most recently the Video Vet Team.
I really enjoy helping animals and their humans with all sorts of pet health issues and I’m excited about the opportunity to bring my expertise to your own home when it’s needed urgently.
Dog owner Bill's labradoodle puppy Maisie had a bout of sickness and diarrhoea. Looking for some advice, he booked an appointment with Video Vets Now. He shares his experience here.
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Willow, who was choking and gasping for breath, turned out to have a 20cm blade of grass wedged solid in her throat. The surprise diagnosis came after her owners used Video Vets Now.
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Cavapoo Bailey fell ill after a trip to the beach. Worried about his health, his owners called Video Vets Now and during the video call, it became clear Bailey needed urgent treatment at a clinic.
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