Petcort: Your Pet's Best Friend for Health
Introduction
Our furry friends enrich our lives in so many ways. As pet owners, we want to provide the best care for our cats, dogs, and other animals. This includes staying on top of their health needs. At Petcort, we make it easy for you to partner in your pet's health journey. Our full-service veterinary telehealth app connects you to veterinary experts for on-demand support. Learn how Petcort can help you monitor your pet's wellbeing from the comfort of your home.
Benefits of Telehealth for Pets
Telehealth and telemedicine services have boomed for human healthcare, providing safe, convenient access to medical support. Pet parents can also benefit from veterinary telehealth platforms like Petcort in the following ways:
- Convenience. Consult veterinarians 24/7 without leaving home. Ask quick questions when issues crop up.
- Peace of mind. Have an experienced vet promptly assess symptoms during late-night emergencies or when your vet's office is closed.
- Enhanced preventative care. Discuss wellness concerns, medication questions, and behaviour issues early before they escalate.
- Quick answers. Get trusted insight on common concerns like skin problems, appetite changes, limping, vomiting, etc.
- Overall health monitoring. Regular check-ins help identify changes requiring further veterinary evaluation.
- Post-visit follow-ups. Discuss how to implement your vet's at-home treatment plans.
- Second opinions. Get another qualified veterinary perspective on your pet's diagnosis and treatment options.
- Affordability. Potentially reduce costly vet ER trips by early assessment of non-critical issues.
How the Petcort App Works
Petcort makes caring for your pet's health remarkably simple. Here's an overview of how our telehealth app works:
Quick Account Set-Up
Download the Petcort app and set up your account in a few minutes. Input your pet's details, such as name, age, medical history, etc., to create their Petcort health profile.
On-Demand Veterinary Access
Whenever a health concern pops up, use the Petcort app to connect to a licensed veterinarian within minutes. Describe symptoms, share photos/videos, and get professional guidance.
Follow-Up with Your Vet
Petcort veterinarians review your pet's health profile and make recommendations on the next steps. They advise on what diagnostics to request for an in-person vet visit.
Monitor Health Between Visits
Check-in periodically with Petcort vets to monitor chronic conditions, discuss medication effects, identify subtle symptom changes, and support at-home recovery.
Secure Messaging and Record-Keeping
The app stores all communications securely. Refer to previous consult details, upload new photos, and message vets with updates on your pet's condition.
Prescription Requests
If medications are recommended during a consultation, Petcort vets coordinate electronic prescriptions directly with your chosen pharmacy.
Top Health Concerns to Discuss
While Petcort can assist with all aspects of your pet's wellbeing, these common health issues are ones pet parents frequently consult telehealth vets about:
Skin Problems
Itchy skin, rashes, hair loss, scaly patches, suspicious growths, wounds, and other dermatologic issues often benefit from quick telehealth assessments before determining if an in-office exam is required. Describe symptoms in detail and submit photos.
Diet and Nutrition
Discuss diet adjustments for obesity, food allergies, gastrointestinal problems, and kidney disease. Also, get guidance about nutrition for pets with certain deficiencies, fussy eaters, and those on therapeutic homecooked diets.
Dental Care
Ask about home dental care, signs of dental disease, treating periodontal infections, post-dental procedure instructions, and mouth pain relief options. Share images of tooth/gum issues.
Behavior Problems
Veterinary behaviourists can offer tips for correcting many common issues like separation anxiety, aggression/reactivity, house soiling, compulsive behaviours, fearfulness, and excessive vocalization/destruction.
Mobility Difficulties
Telehealth assessments help determine if limping, stiffness, decreased activity level, and difficulty rising require an urgent orthopedic exam or can be managed conservatively at home with rest, medication adjustments, mobility aids, etc.
Ongoing Health Conditions
For pets with chronic illnesses like kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, scheduled telehealth check-ins supplement regular in-person monitoring between visits with your family vet.
Medication Inquiries
Discuss medications recently prescribed by your vet, including proper administration, expected effects/side effects, dosage questions, prescription refills, suggestions for administering pills to resistant pets, and alternatives if cost is an issue.
Emergency Situations
Connect instantly during medical crises like traumatic injuries, breathing trouble, seizures/collapse episodes, serious vomiting/diarrhea, possible poisonings, and other situations requiring urgent veterinary attention.
Unique Features of Petcort
In addition to convenient veterinary access, Petcort offers many features designed specifically to support your pet's health journey:
Personalized Pet Health Profiles
Detailed profiles include your pet's full medical history, vaccine/testing records, medication list, allergy info, past issues, and other vital health data to inform telehealth consultations.
Preventative Care Reminders
Stay on schedule with reminders about upcoming vaccine and test due dates, heartworm/flea-tick medication refills, wellness exam reminders, and tips for proactive health management.
Secure Video Calling
Live video consultations let vets visually assess your pet's condition in real time. Take advantage of visual demonstrations for administering medications, therapeutic techniques, wound care, and more.
Electronic Prescriptions
Petcort seamlessly sends required prescriptions to your preferred pharmacy after consultations. Avoid delays in getting important medications started.
Referral Coordination
If an in-person exam is recommended, Petcort can assist with coordinating referrals, transferring medical records, and scheduling with nearby partner practices.
Health Report Summaries
Receive summarized visit reports outlining symptoms, diagnosis, treatment plan, prescription info, discharge instructions, recommended follow-up, and other key details. Easily share with your family vet.
Custom Treatment Plans
Veterinarians create tailored treatment plans with home nursing instructions, dietary recommendations, administration techniques, physical therapy exercises, and other therapeutic interventions personalized for your pet and your needs.
Pet Health Monitoring Made Easy
With Petcort, proactive health management becomes much simpler by using services like:
Wellness Checks
Schedule routine wellness consultations to discuss important topics like nutrition, grooming/dental care, managing chronic conditions, early disease detection, preventative screening recommendations, and improving quality of life.
Home Test Kits
Petcort provides home test kits to screen for common conditions. Collect small samples using the provided materials and send them to partner labs for analysis. Results are shared directly with Petcort's veterinary team.
Health Trackers
Monitoring tools like fitness monitors, calorie counters, blood glucose loggers, heart rate trackers and more help you safely track indicators at home between vet visits. Sync data with your Petcort account.
Medication Reminders
Struggling to remember if you gave today's medications. Petcort provides customizable medication schedules, dose info, usage instructions, and reminders for each prescription.
Telehealth Follow-Ups
Check-in with vets post-surgery, after an ER visit, following hospitalization, or whenever you need extra support managing recovery and discharge instructions at home.
Lab Result Consultations
Unsure what your pet's latest lab results mean? Petcort vets review diagnostics ordered by your family vet (like bloodwork and urinalysis) and explain results, treatment recommendations, and next steps in easy-to-understand language.
Petcort Vet Selection and Credentialing
At Petcort, we partner exclusively with licensed veterinarians who meet rigorous selection standards:
- Graduated from accredited veterinary schools and colleges
- Completed clinical rotations and residency requirements
- Currently licensed and in good standing in their state(s)
- Minimum of 3 years clinical experience
- Specialized training in telehealth medicine
- Excellent communication skills and bedside manner
- Commitment to compassionate, high-quality care
We regularly review provider performance using client satisfaction surveys and quality assurance measures to ensure optimal experiences.
Pet Health Topics We Can't Address via Telehealth
While telehealth offers amazing benefits, some health concerns still require an in-person veterinary visit:
- Emergencies like severe injuries, severe bleeding, seizures, high fever, shock, bloat, paralysis, difficulty breathing
- Surgery, dentistry, imaging, and hands-on treatment procedures
- Illness or injury requiring hands-on exam, diagnostics or urgent treatment
- New medical issues without an established veterinarian
- Signs of pain, changes in vision/hearing, weakness, or loss of sensation
- Significant changes in vital signs like temperature, pulse, respiration rate
- Issues affecting multiple body systems
- First occurrence of vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, collapsing, etc.
- Medical problems are not improving as expected with the current treatment
- Pets too young to be fully vaccinated
- Chronic serious conditions without a recent in-person recheck
If any of these situations apply, we'll advise you to consult your primary veterinarian or emergency vet clinic promptly. The Petcort app can support you with preparation, record sharing, and follow-up.
Conclusion
Petcort streamlines proactive pet health management by providing on-demand access to veterinary expertise. Whether you have a quick question about minor symptoms or need urgent guidance during a late-night crisis, Petcort empowers you to be your pet's best health advocate. Our app facilitates early intervention, helps prevent small issues from becoming serious, and bridges the gap between in-office veterinary visits. With Petcort as your partner, your pets enjoy happier, healthier lives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Petcort
How much does Petcort cost?
Petcort offers affordable month-to-month subscriptions. Basic plans start at $12/month. There are also unlimited ask-a-vet plans and wellness care bundles. Prescription requests and home test kits have additional fees.
Do I still need a regular vet?
Yes, Petcort provides supplementary telehealth services, not in-person primary veterinary care. We partner with your family vet.
Are medications guaranteed to be approved?
Vets can only prescribe medications they deem clinically necessary. Certain controlled drugs have restrictions. Approval is not guaranteed.
How are prescriptions sent to my pharmacy?
Prescriptions are electronically submitted to your chosen pharmacy for hassle-free pickup after approval.
Do vets have access to my pet's records?
The app stores your detailed pet health profile, including medical history. You can also upload documents. Vets review this before consultations.
How do I submit photos or videos?
The Petcort app allows unlimited photo and video uploads, securely attached to your case for vet review.
Can I request a specific veterinarian?
For follow-up inquiries, you can request the same vet. For new issues, you'll be connected to the next available veterinarian.
What hours are vets available?
Vet access is 24/7, 365 days a year, with extended hours for return users. Non-urgent issues may have brief delays during peak periods.
Can Petcort diagnose illnesses?
Petcort vets can make suspected diagnoses but cannot definitively diagnose without hands-on veterinary exams and on-site diagnostics.