AF
Online consultation

For animal owners

How to prepare for an online veterinary consultation

A practical checklist of information, records, and questions that can make a remote discussion about a dog or cat more productive.

An online consultation may help organise available information, review test results, and identify a well-founded next step. However, a remote format cannot replace a physical examination, emergency care, or diagnostic procedures that require the animal to be present.

Good preparation reduces the time spent collecting basic details and allows the discussion to focus on the information that matters most.

First check whether a remote format is appropriate

A remote discussion may be useful for:

  • reviewing existing reports and test results;
  • seeking a second opinion;
  • discussing the progress of a known condition;
  • preparing for an in-person appointment;
  • identifying questions to discuss with the primary veterinarian.

Do not wait for an online response if the animal has breathing difficulty, altered consciousness, ongoing or repeated seizures, severe bleeding, major trauma, inability to urinate, or rapid deterioration. Seek care at the nearest available veterinary clinic.

Read more: signs that need urgent veterinary attention.

1. Prepare a concise timeline

Describe events in chronological order:

  • when the animal was last behaving normally;
  • when the first sign appeared;
  • how the condition has changed;
  • which examinations and treatments have already been performed;
  • what changed after treatment;
  • which signs are present now.

Specific dates and observations are more useful than phrases such as “recently”, “for a long time”, or “getting worse”.

2. Collect the animal’s basic information

The following details are usually relevant:

  • species and breed;
  • age;
  • sex and reproductive status;
  • current body weight;
  • known chronic conditions;
  • previous operations;
  • known allergies or adverse reactions;
  • all current medicines, supplements, and therapeutic diets.

For every medicine, provide its name, dose, frequency, and start date. Do not stop or alter prescribed treatment on your own before the consultation.

3. Describe the current condition

Prepare notes about:

  • appetite and water intake;
  • urination and defecation;
  • vomiting or diarrhoea;
  • breathing;
  • activity and ability to move;
  • signs of pain;
  • temperature, if it was measured safely;
  • any new or unusual behavioural changes.

Include the frequency, duration, and progression of each sign, not only whether it is present.

4. Organise the records

Prepare complete copies of:

  • discharge notes and prescriptions;
  • laboratory reports with dates, units, and reference intervals;
  • ultrasound, radiography, CT, or MRI reports;
  • cytology, histology, and other diagnostic reports;
  • previous results when a trend needs to be assessed.

Avoid sending isolated or cropped values without the rest of the report.

The current application form on this website does not accept medical-file uploads. In the application, briefly list the records that are available. A suitable method for transferring necessary material can only be agreed after preliminary review of the case.

5. Prepare photographs or videos

Photographs and videos may add useful context, but they do not replace an examination.

To make them more useful:

  • use adequate lighting;
  • keep the camera stable;
  • record both an overall view and a closer view when relevant;
  • show several steps from different directions when recording movement;
  • retain the original file without filters or editing;
  • record the date and circumstances.

Do not provoke pain, breathing difficulty, lameness, or other signs merely to record them. Do not delay an in-person visit to obtain a video.

6. Define the goal and questions

Write down two or three main questions before the consultation. For example:

  • which available findings are most relevant;
  • which possible explanations should be discussed;
  • whether an in-person examination is needed and how urgently;
  • which investigations could change the next decision;
  • which warning signs should be monitored.

A remote consultation is more productive when it has a defined purpose rather than a general request to “look at all the results”.

What happens after the application

The process begins with an online consultation application. Submitting the form does not mean that the case has been accepted.

After preliminary review, the following are agreed separately:

  1. whether a remote format is appropriate;
  2. which records are actually required;
  3. the format of the work;
  4. the price and payment method;
  5. the boundaries of the consultation and the next actions.

This article provides general educational information and does not replace individual veterinary care.

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