Starting telehealth in your practice for the first time can be a daunting task. We recommend starting small- and surgical rechecks are a great way to start.

From a medical lens, most post-surgical rechecks for spays and neuters should be simple and short. Other uncomplicated procedures such as small mass removals, dental extractions, laceration repairs, broken toenails, and umbilical hernia repairs could also be done easily through telehealth.

At the time of the surgery, ask the pet owner to download the Anipanion app. If they have questions on surgery day, they can reach out through the live chat. Upon discharge, ask the pet owner to send a photo of the incision or affected area, as well as a video of their pet while they are eating in three days and again in seven days (or whatever cadence your practice prefers). This way, you can ensure proper healing of the incision as well as the mentation and appetite levels. Your technicians can notify a veterinarian if they have a question about the pet’s incision healing or overall health, but the vast majority of these interactions will not require a veterinarian’s review if your technician is comfortable with spotting the signs of poor healing or infection. Some practices prefer to do live video for rechecks rather than live chat, which is fine- but remember, you’ll likely have higher compliance with an asynchronous method like chat since it’s more convenient for the client. Using chat is also far more efficient than synchronous methods like video, so your techs can do more rechecks in a shorter amount of time.

Questions about how to do rechecks via telehealth? Schedule a call with one of our telehealth coaches. These veterinarians would love to share their experiences!