Is veterinary telemedicine legal?Updated 3 months ago

Most states require what’s known as a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) to be established in order for a veterinarian to diagnose and prescribe medications for them. A VCPR basically means that the vet knows an animal well enough to treat them.

Many states allow veterinarians to form a VCPR remotely and prescribe medication if they feel they have the information they need to do so safely. Other states don’t allow vets to diagnose and prescribe medication remotely if they haven’t seen the pet in person, but do allow them to provide general advice and non-prescription treatment options. To see if prescriptions are available where you live, please select your state at the beginning of registration and we’ll let you know if we can't prescribe medication there.

Dutch has built telemedicine technologies to enable veterinarians to take care of pets remotely. If you’re in a state that allows a VCPR to be established virtually, the vet you work with will be licensed in your state and will provide care in accordance with state law unless you opt for an advice-only appointment to get a faster appointment. In states that don’t allow a VCPR to be established virtually or if you choose an advice appointment, the vet you talk to may be licensed in a different state and can only offer general advice as well as non-prescription treatment options.