As a veterinarian, you have probably felt the increase in pet ownership more than anyone. In the 1970s, approximately 67 million households in the U.S. had pets, and that number has more than tripled to 164 million as of 2012. With the drastic increase in the number of pets owned it comes as no surprise that there has also been an increase in pet illness. This is just one of the many reasons that it is so important for pet owners to have readily available access to your veterinary advice.
In today’s technology laden society, often times the first thing that pet owners think to do when they have pet health concerns is look online. They will type their pet’s symptoms into a generic search engine and read the top three or four articles that they see. Obviously pet illness can cause people to panic, but in reality what they should be using that search engine to locate is online vet advice. Having access to an online veterinarian is a huge benefit to pet owners when it comes to pet illness. Here are a few ways it benefits the virtual veterinarian as well:
Simplicity )- When you are providing veterinary care in a brick and mortar office every day things can get a bit complicated. Perhaps you know the client’s who take as long as possible to tell you the details of their pet’s illness? The good news about being a web veterinarian is that the questions come to you in a clear and concise written form. If you don’t have enough detail then you can ask the person who provided the question.
Ability to Work Remotely )- Can you imagine getting paid to be sitting in an easy chair in your living room? Not everyone can be that lucky, but as an online veterinarian you have that option! Even though vets typically suggest checkups twice a year for older pets, that isn’t always possible with every pet owner. In those cases having access to veterinary advice can be the next best thing. As a veterinarian online you can use the education you attained to help ease the stress of pet owners everywhere.
Earn Extra Income During Downtime )- In 2012 the American Pet Products Association found that Americans spent over $50 billion dollars on their animal companions. As a veterinarian you know that quite a bit of that money is due to pet illness and the costs of veterinary care associated with it. Providing online veterinary advice is a great way to earn supplemental income all while doing what you love.
Whether you are answering a question for a worried pet parent who’s pet ate chocolate or simply advising a curious pet owner on the best diet for their furry friend you will be making a difference as an online veterinarian.