Why can veterinarians advise, diagnose or prescribe over the phone and save me a whole lot of time and money?
A. Not only is it unethical and illegal to prescribe for an animal that hasn’t been physically examined by a veterinarian, it is also impossible to come up with an accurate diagnosis and rational plan of treatment. A veterinarian cannot make a diagnosis based only on symptoms observed and described by an owner. Your pet cannot verbalize its symptoms, and the outward signs may be an indication of any number of internal causes with a wide variety of clinical treatments. A complete physical examination is required to determine the cause of the symptoms and the best course of treatment. Asking a veterinarian to advise, diagnose and/or prescribe over the phone/e-mail is the same as asking your physician to prescribe medications for you over the phone/e-mail without ever examining you. If you were told to take an antacid for what turned out to be a heart attack, the results would obviously be disastrous! Your pet deserves more consideration.
A veterinarian often can’t make a diagnosis based on clinical signs only as observed by an owner. The outward signs may be an indication of any number of internal causes with a wide variety of clinical treatments. A complete physical examination is usually required to determine the cause of the clinical signs. It can be very difficult to come up with an accurate diagnosis and rational plan of treatment if the vet hasn’t seen the animal. It also can be unethical and illegal to prescribe prescription animal remedies (S4 drugs) for an animal that hasn’t been physically examined by a veterinarian.
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