About 20% of Veterinarians Have Adopted It! Online Pet Consultations: 90% of Facilities Feel "Maintenance and Improvement of Consultation Quality"
The Japan Veterinary Telemedicine Society conducted a survey showing 18% of animal hospitals have adopted online consultations. While 90% of adopters feel it maintains or improves quality, non-adopters have strong concerns about misdiagnosis.
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- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 9, 2026 at 10:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 12:07 (265h 37m after Collected)
The Japan Veterinary Telemedicine Society (JVTS) conducted an "Awareness Survey on Online Consultations" targeting veterinary hospitals nationwide from December 9 to December 14, 2025, with the aim of "proper dissemination" and "ensuring quality" of online consultations in veterinary medicine. This survey revealed the implementation status of online consultations, real challenges in the field, and the impact on consultation quality. The results showed a significant gap between the positive evaluations from facilities that have already implemented it and the anxieties held by those that have not.
■ Implementation rate of online consultations is 18%. Over half including those interested
As a result of a questionnaire to 107 hospitals nationwide, 18% of veterinarians answered that they "already implemented" online consultations (including online counseling). In addition, when combining those who answered "under consideration (11%)" and "interested (27%)", it was found that more than half of veterinarians are interested in online consultations.
■ Evaluation of "consultation quality" completely reverses depending on implementation experience
The most characteristic finding in this survey was the view on the impact of online consultations on consultation quality.
Among veterinarians who have already implemented it, 90% in total evaluated it positively, answering "significantly improves (21%)", "slightly improves (32%)", and "remains unchanged (37%)".
On the other hand, more than half of the veterinarians who have not implemented it hold negative opinions, such as "slightly decreases (30%)" and "significantly decreases (24%)", suggesting that the presence or absence of experience leads to differences in evaluation.
■ The main reason for implementation is "efficiency". The biggest concern is "diagnostic accuracy (risk of misdiagnosis)"
As the reason for implementation, "efficiency of follow-up/observation" was cited the most at 16%. On the other hand, the barriers and concerns about implementation were as follows.
"Diagnostic accuracy (inability to conduct physical examinations)" is recognized as a highly common challenge by both those who have implemented it (31%) and those who have not (29%).
Regarding the point they feel most anxious about, "risk of misdiagnosis" is the most common (32% implemented, 48% not implemented).
■ Implementation rate of online consultations is 18%. Over half including those interested
As a result of a questionnaire to 107 hospitals nationwide, 18% of veterinarians answered that they "already implemented" online consultations (including online counseling). In addition, when combining those who answered "under consideration (11%)" and "interested (27%)", it was found that more than half of veterinarians are interested in online consultations.
■ Evaluation of "consultation quality" completely reverses depending on implementation experience
The most characteristic finding in this survey was the view on the impact of online consultations on consultation quality.
Among veterinarians who have already implemented it, 90% in total evaluated it positively, answering "significantly improves (21%)", "slightly improves (32%)", and "remains unchanged (37%)".
On the other hand, more than half of the veterinarians who have not implemented it hold negative opinions, such as "slightly decreases (30%)" and "significantly decreases (24%)", suggesting that the presence or absence of experience leads to differences in evaluation.
■ The main reason for implementation is "efficiency". The biggest concern is "diagnostic accuracy (risk of misdiagnosis)"
As the reason for implementation, "efficiency of follow-up/observation" was cited the most at 16%. On the other hand, the barriers and concerns about implementation were as follows.
"Diagnostic accuracy (inability to conduct physical examinations)" is recognized as a highly common challenge by both those who have implemented it (31%) and those who have not (29%).
Regarding the point they feel most anxious about, "risk of misdiagnosis" is the most common (32% implemented, 48% not implemented).