Pet apps have become a familiar sight for modern pet owners, and as more people turn to virtual pet care services, veterinary apps are becoming more popular to meet the growing demand.
Veterinary apps offer pet telemedicine services and some are designed to improve communication between veterinarians and clients. Although veterinary apps cannot completely replace in-person veterinary consultations or annual checkups, they offer significant benefits to many cat owners. This list of the most popular veterinary apps will help you understand what types of apps are currently available and whether they might be useful to you.
How are veterinary apps classified?
There are many different types of veterinary apps designed for different purposes. The most common veterinary apps offer remote triage services, telemedicine services, and veterinary clinic running software.
Teletriage apps typically put you in touch with a veterinary care professional, such as a veterinarian or veterinary technician, to answer general health questions about your cat. While they can’t diagnose or prescribe medication, they will let you know if your cat needs immediate veterinary care or if the veterinarian appointment can wait until the next day. They also provide information on how to care for your cat until the next appointment.
Telemedicine apps offer more thorough care for your cat. While they can’t completely replace in-person visits or annual checkups, they do allow you to connect with a veterinarian to check on your cat’s condition. Some telemedicine apps also allow a veterinarian to diagnose and prescribe medication for your cat. However, these services vary by app and depend on state laws. So not all telemedicine apps guarantee that a veterinarian can make a diagnosis over the phone.
Finally, veterinary clinics may choose to use apps or software that can help their offices run more smoothly. These apps typically allow users to book or change appointments, request medical records, and get in touch with the veterinarian on duty for after-hours emergencies.
The 10 most popular veterinary apps
1. Pet Desk
| Number of ratings: | Over 378,400 ratings |
| Rating score: | 4.9/5 stars App Store; 4.7/5 stars Google Play Store |
| App type: | Veterinary medical services |
Pet Desk is a veterinary app designed to make communication between veterinarians and clients easier and seamless. Once clients are entered into the system, they can make appointments, fill out forms, make payments, etc. The app can also automatically send appointment reminders and checkup notifications.
Veterinary clinics can benefit from PetDesk’s digital marketing and custom loyalty program features that help them attract new clients, retain existing ones, and encourage repeat visits. The app also features two-way text messaging, allowing clients to communicate with on-call veterinarians for follow-up questions after appointments or quick health inquiries.
2. Pet Apps
| Number of ratings: | Over 35,000 ratings |
| Rating score: | App Store 5/5 stars, Google Play Store 4.7/5 stars |
| App type: | Remote Triage |
Pet App It provides remote triage and booking services for veterinarians and their existing clients. Veterinarians’ clients who use PetsApp can schedule appointments and pay for medical care through the app. The app can also send reminders for appointments and health goals.
PetsApp allows customers to communicate with veterinarians through text or video calls. By sending photos and videos of their cat, the veterinarian can determine the best course of care for the cat or whether they need to bring the cat into the clinic.
3. Air Bed
| Number of ratings: | Over 8,300 ratings |
| Rating score: | 4.9/5 stars App Store; 4.8/5 stars Google Play Store |
| App type: | Remote Triage |
Air Bed is a remote pet triage company that serves over 200,000 pet owners and has thousands of veterinarians using its app and software. While any pet owner can benefit from using a remote pet triage service, the app offers unlimited usage to its members, making it especially useful for cat owners with older cats who have chronic health issues.
The app requires a $35 monthly subscription, and with a member subscription, you get 24/7 access to pet teletriage services from Airvet-registered veterinarians, with fast, real-time responses via text, phone, or video call, and unlimited number of times you can contact and connect with your veterinarian.
4. Pope
| Number of ratings: | Over 7,300 ratings |
| Rating score: | App Store 4.8/5 stars, Google Play Store 4.7/5 stars |
| App type: | Remote Triage |
Paup is a popular pet remote triage app that offers subscribers 24/7 on-demand support. Subscription membership costs $19 per month and provides unlimited communications to Pawp’s veterinarian network. Cat owners can connect with veterinarians to ask questions about sudden illnesses, behavioral changes, and breed-specific health conditions. Follow-up appointments and communications are also at no extra cost.
Another benefit of using Pawp is that it offers a one-month free trial. Pawp also has an emergency fund, which is an optional add-on that provides financial assistance of up to $3,000 for life-threatening emergency medical situations.
5. Otto: Your Pet App
| Number of ratings: | Over 3,500 ratings |
| Rating score: | 4.8/5 stars, App Store; 4.7/5 stars, Google Play Store |
| App type: | Veterinary Clinic Management and Workflow |
Otto is software and apps designed to make managing and running a veterinary clinic much easier and less stressful. Key features include automated messaging and form submissions, ensuring your clients complete all necessary intake forms before booking. Otto also allows your clients to book online at any time, eliminating the need to create and confirm appointments during your clinic’s opening hours.
Additional services offered by Otto include a seamless payment system and post-appointment care options. Veterinary clinics can also take advantage of Otto’s 24/7 teletriage service, which connects clients with veterinarians outside of opening hours.
6. First Bet
| Number of ratings: | Over 1,800 ratings |
| Rating score: | 5/5 stars App Store; 4.4/5 stars Google Play Store |
| App type: | Remote Triage |
First Bet is a practical app that can help you deal with any accidents or illnesses your cat may encounter at home. Unlike many other pet remote triage apps, FirstVet does not require a monthly subscription to use. Once you have downloaded the app and registered your pet, you can choose to pay for a single session. Of course, you will get a discounted price if you choose a subscription plan, and these plans offer unlimited consultations.
7. Petco Pet Coach
| Number of ratings: | Over 1,500 ratings |
| Rating score: | App Store 4.6/5 stars, Google Play Store 3.6/5 stars |
| App type: | Pet Health and Wellness Advice |
Pet Coach is an app that gives general health advice for pets. It’s completely free and allows you to send questions to vets without paying a fee. The only drawback is that it takes a while for the answer to arrive, so it’s not recommended in case of an emergency.
One of PetCoach’s main features is its extensive article database: over 1 million veterinarian-reviewed articles on all kinds of questions about the health and wellness of different types of pets. So, if you’re waiting for an answer to a question you submitted, you can check PetCoach’s database to see if there’s an article related to it.
8. Doctor Tail
| Number of ratings: | Over 1,000 ratings |
| Rating score: | 4.7/5 stars App Store; 4.7/5 stars Google Play Store |
| App type: | Remote Triage |
Doctor Tail is a pet remote triage app that connects users to a veterinarian within 30 minutes. The vet answers general health questions and offers care advice if you’re concerned about your cat’s health. Like PetCoach, Dr. Tail has a database of previously asked questions that users can read if they need more information about a particular health issue.
The app requires a monthly subscription, but offers a one-month free trial, so you have plenty of time to try it out before purchasing a subscription.
9. Vetster: 24/7 online vet
| Number of ratings: | Over 800 ratings |
| Rating score: | App Store 4/5 stars, Google Play Store 3.9/5 stars |
| App type: | Remote triage, prescribing medications (in some states only) |
Vester We offer on-demand virtual vet appointments. With Vetster, you can communicate with your veterinarian via live chat or video call, day or night. Your vet can determine if your cat’s condition is urgent or non-urgent, helping you avoid unnecessary emergency room visits. They can also answer questions about your cat’s behavior and nutrition. In some states, licensed veterinarians are allowed to prescribe medications through the Vetster app.
10. Ask Bet
| Number of ratings: | Over 300 ratings |
| Rating score: | App Store 4.1/5 stars, Google Play Store 3.9/5 stars |
| App type: | Remote triage, veterinary care |
Ask a Veterinarian Leveraging data and AI, it helps veterinarians provide 24/7 remote triage services to their clients and also streamlines the running of veterinary clinics by booking appointments with clients, submitting forms and documents, and creating aftercare instructions.
AskVet is also designed for pet owners. When you sign up for a monthly subscription, you get 24/7 access to a licensed veterinarian to ask any questions you have about your pet’s health or behavior. AskVet also offers one-on-one consultations and guidance on pet health.
Conclusion
Veterinary apps are designed to give owners peace of mind and help them keep on top of their cat’s health in between annual check-ups. You can avoid unnecessary emergency room visits and get faster attention at any time. And if your vet is using the app in their clinic, you’ll get a more convenient and efficient service.
Of course, the Vet App is still relatively new and there is a lot of room for improvement, and we’ll need to continually track advances in technology and see how the Vet App continues to provide support to cat owners.
Featured image credit: Scharfsinn, Shutterstock
