Online vet programs can be harmful to animals, Vancouver vet says

While people may see doctors virtually instead of waiting to see one in person, a Vancouver veterinarian says it’s a bad idea — and can even be dangerous — to do the same for your pets.

This comes as more vets are offering their services online, such as through My Telus Health.

Dr. Hakam Bhullar with Atlas Veterinary Hospital in Vancouver says he’s turned down many offers to provide online diagnoses for pets.

“Morally, for me, as a doctor, this is not right because I’m not helping the pet,” he told CityNews.

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Bhullar says while people can describe what they are feeling, pets cannot. That makes it nearly impossible to diagnose an issue without seeing and feeling the animal.

“They cannot tell what’s going on. [If] they have abdominal pain, where the pain is, they have a heart issue, they have some other problem going on with the body,” he explained.

Doing an in-person exam, Bhullar says, allows vets to better assess the problems with an animal. This is something he says can get lost if the assessment is done virtually.

“I can see the wound, then I don’t know how deep it is. A human can tell. An animal cannot tell these things,” he said. “It’s very important to do a proper physical exam to find out what is going on with the pet.”

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When it comes to price, Bhullar says online consultations can actually cost more. It’s about $70 for a virtual session, while in-person visits can cost about $60.

“So, with the same amount, the doctor can examine your dog, he can do a proper physical exam, then he can tell you,” said Bhullar.

Bhullar adds as these programs expand, he’s seen firsthand how delaying treatment because of a misdiagnosis online can cause more pain to pets increase costs for owners.