Veterinary telehealth service, Vetster reports that over a half (55%) of British pet owners regularly worry about their pet’s health and found that one in five people delay taking their pet to the vet by nearly three weeks.
Over a third cited lack of funds as the top reason for delayed appointments. Those surveyed also stated that unforeseen expenses (37%) and questioning the severity of the issue (33%) were top reasons to delay seeing a vet.Compounding the decision is the unavailability of booking an appointment in a timely manner (22%), a direct correlation to the global veterinary shortage crisis*.
“Pet telehealth addresses pet owner concerns by improving access to care with up-front and transparent pricing, providing teletriage services to ascertain the severity of an issue, as well as offering pet owners choice in which vet and at what price point they desire,” said Mark Bordo, CEO and cofounder, Vetster.
Vetster found that scratching (42%), followed by allergies/itching (38%), and vomiting (27%), were the top symptoms pet parents delayed treating, followed bydiarrhoea (29%) and odour (16%). These common ailments are ideally suited to be seen by a virtual veterinarian to assess the issue and help the pet parent determine next steps.
Furthermore, one in four (25%) owners feel guilty, and over a third (37%) feel anxious about delaying their pet a visit to the vet, with dogs (63%) and cats (54%) still being Britain’s favourite pets, followed by fish, reptiles and hamsters.
Top 5 Reasons People Delay Taking Pet to Vet:
- Cost of living expenses – 37%
- Problem not deemed serious enough – 33%
- No appointments available – 22%
- Taking pet to the vet is stressful for the pet – 19%
- They don’t have pet insurance – 13%
To make it more convenient to put your pet’s health first, Vetster, has launched to connect pet owners with hundreds of licensed UK veterinarians based on their speciality via video, voice and online chat to address non-urgent pet care issues where you can see their flat-rate fee upfront. Appointments are set by the veterinarians and generally range from £40 to £70.
Mark Bordo, CEO and Co-Founder of Vetster, comments, “We are leading the way in pet telehealth in North America and are excited to now be making a difference in the UK. Vetster has treated more than 20 common pet health concerns with 97% of appointments resulting in a positive outcome for the pet. By improving access to care, we reduce anxiety for the parent by supporting when clinics are closed or not nearby, to answer any non-urgent questions, and to improve health outcomes.
“Many cases such as dermatology, gastrointestinal, respiratory, urinary tract, ophthalmology and musculoskeletal issues can be treated through telehealth, so pet parents can put their mind at ease from the comfort of their homes”.
Vetster’s service aims to help reduce the critical shortage to pet healthcare facing the UK, where one in two veterinary clinics are overbooked and unable to take on more patients.
To find out more or book an appointment for your pet visit, please visit: www.vetster.com
