Veterinary Telemedicine and Virtual Pet Consultations
Arbor View Animal Hospital offers virtual consultations for new and established clients. Telemedicine provides a convenient way to discuss your pet’s needs, receive reliable guidance, and determine the best next step—without beginning with a trip to the hospital.
What Can Telemedicine Help With?
Virtual consultations may be helpful for:
- Exotic-pet husbandry and enclosure setup
- Nutrition, lighting, temperature, humidity, and enrichment
- General wellness and behavior questions
- Certain follow-up concerns and rechecks
- Reviewing photos or videos of a concern
- Discussing how your pet is responding to an existing treatment
Helping determine whether your pet needs an in-person examination or diagnostic testing
The guidance we can provide will depend on your pet’s needs, medical history, physical location, and whether one of our veterinarians has examined your pet in person within the past 12 months.
What Cannot Be Done Through Telemedicine?
Although telemedicine can be a helpful part of your pet’s care, it cannot replace a hands-on physical examination, diagnostic testing, or emergency treatment.
If your pet is located outside Indiana, virtual consultations are generally limited to education, husbandry, nutrition, and other general guidance. Because our veterinarians are licensed in Indiana, we cannot diagnose, prescribe medication, or provide medical treatment for pets located in other states.
For pets in Indiana, an in-person examination is required before our veterinarians can prescribe medication. Some symptoms or changes in your pet’s condition may also require a physical examination, even if we have seen your pet within the past 12 months.
If we determine that your pet needs a physical examination—or if we have not examined your pet within the past 12 months—we can schedule an in-person appointment at Arbor View Animal Hospital. When scheduled within 48 hours of the telemedicine consultation, the telemedicine fee will be applied toward the cost of the in-person examination. Any additional diagnostics, treatments, or medications are charged separately.
Eligible pets may also benefit from our mobile veterinary care and house-call services.
How Virtual Appointments Work
Call or text Arbor View Animal Hospital at 219-762-7267 to ask whether a virtual consultation may be appropriate for your pet.
Before the appointment, we may ask you to provide:
- A completed appointment form
- Recent photos or videos of your pet or the concern
- A list of current medications and supplements
- Previous veterinary records
- Information about your pet’s food and routine care
- For exotic pets, photos and details about the enclosure, diet, lighting, temperature, humidity, substrate, and enrichment
At your scheduled appointment time, our team will send instructions for joining the consultation. Depending on your pet’s needs, the appointment may use live video, text, photographs, or recorded video.
Please choose a safe, well-lit location where your pet can be observed. Never restrain or handle an animal in a way that could cause unnecessary stress or injury for the sake of showing something on camera.
When Your Pet Needs In-Person Care
We may recommend an in-person appointment if:
- Your pet has not received an in-person examination at Arbor View within the past 12 months
- A hands-on physical examination or diagnostic testing is needed
- Your pet has new, worsening, or serious symptoms
- Medication may need to be prescribed or changed
- Your veterinarian cannot safely assess the concern virtually
If your pet is experiencing an emergency, please do not wait for a virtual appointment. Contact Arbor View during regular business hours or visit the nearest veterinary emergency hospital.
Learn more about our urgent and sick-pet care and after-hours emergency options.
Request a Virtual Consultation
Our team can help determine whether telemedicine or an in-person examination is the best place to begin.
Contact Arbor View Animal Hospital or call or text 219-762-7267 to get started.
Caring medicine for all animals.
If you live in Valparaiso or the surrounding area and need a trusted veterinarian to care for your pets – look no further. Arbor View Hospital Team is a licensed IN veterinarian, treating all types of pets. Your pets’ health and wellbeing are very important to us, and we take every possible measure to give your animals the care they deserve.
Location
244 West U.S. Highway 6
Valparaiso, IN 46385
Click here for directions.
Hours
Monday: 8:00am – 8:00pm
Tuesday: 8:00am – 8:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Thursday: 8:00am – 8:00pm
Friday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am – 1:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Contact Info
Phone: (219) 762-7267
Fax: (219) 763-9425
Email: arborviewah@gmail.com
Get in touch!
