Telehealth Virtual Vet Consult
Skip the Trip!
Get Expert Vet Care at Home with Telehealth.
Does your pet hate going to the vet? Are you too busy to schedule an appointment? Southern Cross Vet now offers convenient Telehealth consultations that allow you to connect with Dr. Sam Kovac, our experienced founder and director, from the comfort of your home.
Telehealth consultations are perfect for:
- Routine checkups
- Prescription on refills on medications
- Behavioural concerns
- And more!
It’s a great way to save time and stress for both you and your pet.
Virtual or Telehealth consults allow you to get a Vet consult from the comfort of your home without the need to physically bring your pet to a clinic.
All you need is access to a laptop, phone or tablet with video calling capabilities and an active internet connection. Whether you are stuck at home without proper means of transport to bring your pet to us, are too overwhelmed with work to travel, or simply do not have a reliable vet nearby, just click here or call us at 1300 DOC SAM (1300 362 726) to book a virtual/ telehealth consult with us.
Our telehealth consults connect you with Dr Sam Kovac, the founder and Director of Southern Cross Veterinary Clinic, Sydney, who ensures that while your consult might be virtual, it’s still very much personal!
Why we Offer Telehealth
During the pandemic, apart from being closed down by NSW Health on 2 occasions for 2 weeks, many of our clients became ill or were unable to leave their homes to go to the vet for routine things like vaccinations, heartworm injections and de-worming, but also for consultations for when their pets got sick.
We decided to keep our staff, who were locked up at home, busy and to provide care for our patients, by launching telehealth vet services at the clinic via Zoom. We provided consultations over video call and delivered any medications via our affordable Pet Concierge service. Through our pet concierge service, we also came and picked up your pets and drove them to the clinic (and back home after treatment) when they needed hands-on care such as vaccinations, dental cleanings, and more detailed procedures.
According to a recent study, as many as 58% of cat owners and 38% of dog owners report their pets hate going to the veterinarian, and 38% of cat owners and 26% of dog owners are stressed thinking about it. Pet owners report that they would visit the veterinarian more frequently if it wasn’t so stressful. Something we don’t often think about with telehealth also is that with telehealth we see animals generally earlier in their disease course, than when they come to the clinic. Our vets have sometimes reported ‘When the pet owners finally make an appointment to physically come in, we’re seeing them three days sicker’. Telehealth makes seeing pets earlier, much more possible.
Expert Care, Every Time
All our telehealth/ virtual consults are done by the Founder and director of our clinic, Dr Sam Kovac. You can rest assured knowing your fur baby is in great hands when you opt for a Virtual Consult at Southern Cross Vet.
Expats, FIFO and global overseas vets
We offer telehealth to not only Sydney families but also to remote communities that are physically isolated. Some of these families do not trust the advice of local vets who experience little competition (and so sometimes service suffers) – and clients have very little choice, therefore.
It’s well recognised that Australian veterinary medicine is among the most advanced in the world and when expatriate families living in countries like Indonesia, Thailand or the South Pacific –specifically Fiji, have pets that become unwell, or they need a good foreign vet, they turn to Southern Cross Vet.
After the veterinary telehealth consultation, we pack up the Australian pharmaceuticals (if any are required) and courier them to you for you to administer.
Getting Ready for Your Telehealth Appointment
What You Need
All you need is a mobile phone or a computer. We mostly do Zoom video calls and encourage clients to install the Zoom app, however, in low-bandwidth areas or with poor internet, phone calls suffice.
Access to your pet’s records – ideally, we will have your pet’s records (if they have any) prior to the telehealth appointment, but we can request these from the vet after the appointment.
Save Time and Money
At $89 at the time of publishing, it is about 15% less costly than a vet hospital visit. Our vet telehealth can also save you money on transportation, parking, and other fees associated with visiting the vet. It can also reduce the need for unnecessary or repeated visits, as well as prevent complications or emergencies that may require more expensive treatments.
Making the Most of Your Telehealth Appointment
It’s a really great opportunity to share with your veterinarian photos, videos and any diary notes of what you’ve noticed in the lead-up to the telehealth. This allows the veterinarian to personalise the care for your pet’s condition.
During the telehealth, your veterinarian will ask you questions about your pet – things like when the symptoms started, and more details about the symptoms – the answers to all these questions help the vet to work out what is going on and possible ‘differential diagnoses’ (possibilities of what’s wrong).
Once the vet has asked these questions, they may ask you to send some videos or photos, if you’re comfortable to do so.
After reviewing these, your veterinarian may offer suggestions or strict directions – for example, what to feed, what medications to give,
The telehealth consultation normally closes with your veterinarian advising what to watch out for that signals your pet isn’t getting better – or getting worse, and at what point you should be concerned and contact the vet again. Hopefully, the treatment plan and advice worked though, and your pet improves.
Will My Pet Insurance Cover Telehealth?
Yes – but double-check with your provider.