Online Vet Consultation FAQs: Questions Pet Parents Should Ask a Vet (India)

Online vet consultations can be extremely helpful for quick guidance, early triage, follow-ups, nutrition planning and report interpretation. But they do not replace a hands-on exam when your pet needs injections, imaging, emergency care or a physical assessment. This guide helps you ask better questions, share the right information and understand when to choose an in-clinic visit.

Important: This information is educational and cannot diagnose your pet. If your pet looks very unwell, seek urgent veterinary care.

➡️ Is my pet's problem safe to handle via online vet consultation or should I visit a clinic immediately?

A simple way to decide is to ask: “Is my pet stable right now?” Online consults work best for stable problems, early advice, and follow-ups. Clinic visits are better for unstable problems, emergencies or anything needing hands-on examination.

Usually suitable for an online consult (first step)

  • Mild vomiting or loose motion when your pet is otherwise alert and active
  • Skin itching, mild rashes, dandruff and coat issues (with clear photos)
  • Ear discomfort, mild smell or mild discharge (without severe pain)
  • Eye watering or mild redness (without injury or severe squinting)
  • Diet planning, weight management, picky eating, portion guidance
  • Behavior concerns such as anxiety, chewing, barking or litter box problems
  • Chronic condition monitoring (kidney, liver, diabetes, arthritis) and report interpretation
  • Post-surgery follow-ups and wound checks using photos/videos

Prefer a clinic visit (same day) or emergency care

  • Breathing difficulty, collapse, seizures, uncontrolled bleeding
  • Suspected fracture, paralysis, severe pain or sudden inability to walk
  • Bloated abdomen with retching, repeated vomiting or severe weakness
  • Poisoning, foreign body ingestion, heat stroke
  • Very young puppies/kittens or seniors who “crash” quickly

➡️ What are the emergency symptoms in dogs and cats that should not wait for an online consult?

If you notice any of the signs below, go to the nearest veterinary clinic or emergency service immediately:

  • Breathing trouble: open-mouth breathing in cats, very fast breathing at rest, blue/pale gums, choking sounds
  • Collapse/unresponsiveness or severe weakness
  • Seizures (especially first-time, repeated or lasting longer than a couple of minutes)
  • Uncontrolled bleeding or bleeding from mouth/nose/rectum
  • Bloat risk: swollen hard abdomen with repeated retching (often large-breed dogs)
  • Suspected poisoning (rat poison, chocolate, xylitol, pesticides, household cleaners)
  • Foreign body ingestion (bones, toys, cloth, string/thread, needles, batteries)
  • Unable to urinate or straining with little/no urine (male cats especially)
  • Severe trauma (hit by vehicle, falls, deep bites)
  • Heat stroke signs: heavy panting, vomiting, wobbling, collapse

➡️ How do I prepare for an online vet consultation to get the best diagnosis in one call?

The biggest reason online consults fail is missing context. Spend two minutes preparing. This helps the vet triage properly and reduces back-and-forth.

Quick checklist to share upfront

  • Age, breed, sex, neuter/spay status and current weight
  • What changed and when: exact start time and how symptoms progressed
  • Appetite, water intake, urine output, stool frequency and consistency
  • Diet type (brand/home food), any recent diet changes, treats, bones, table scraps
  • Exposure risks: garbage, plants, toxins, travel, boarding, new pets, street contact
  • Current medicines and supplements (with last dose time)
  • Vaccination and deworming history (even approximate dates help)

Tip: If your pet is anxious during calls, record short videos first while your pet is relaxed. Clear videos often improve accuracy more than longer explanations.

➡️ What photos or videos should I upload (vomiting, limping, skin issues, eye redness, breathing, stools)?

For the best remote assessment, upload: one wide photo, one close-up photo and a short video. Use natural light and avoid flash.

What to capture by symptom

  • Vomiting: photo of the vomit (foam/food/blood) and a short video of your pet's posture and energy level
  • Limping: 10–15 second video walking toward the camera and from the side; close-up of paw pads and nails
  • Skin itching: close-ups of lesions plus a wider shot showing distribution (ears/paws/belly/tail base)
  • Eye issues: close-up from side angle; include both eyes for comparison
  • Breathing/cough: video while resting (not after exercise); note gum color if visible
  • Stool: photo plus description (watery/pudding/formed) and note blood or mucus

Pro tip: Place a coin or scale reference next to swelling or skin lesions so the vet can estimate size.

➡️ Can an online vet prescribe medicines in India and how do I get the prescription?

In India, prescriptions should be issued by a registered veterinary practitioner and prescribing decisions depend on whether the vet has enough information to do so safely. In many cases, the vet may advise tests or an in-clinic exam before prescribing, especially for pain, fever, breathing problems or severe gastrointestinal illness.

If a prescription is provided, it is usually shared as a digital document (PDF/image) via the consultation platform, email or WhatsApp. Always follow the dosage, duration and monitoring instructions exactly. If your pet worsens, seek in-person care.

➡️ Can an online vet recommend dosage for a medicine my pet has taken before (safe repeat vs unsafe repeat)?

Sometimes, but only after reviewing your pet's current condition, weight and history. Repeat-use without review can be risky because dehydration, kidney/liver status and the cause of symptoms may be different this time.

Often safer to discuss repeating (with vet guidance)

  • Nutrition supplements previously recommended by a vet
  • Scheduled preventives (deworming/tick-flea) when weight and last-dose date are confirmed

Commonly unsafe to repeat without vet review

  • Human pain medicines or leftover veterinary pain medicines
  • Antibiotics, steroids, cough syrups and anti-vomiting drugs
  • Any medicine used previously for a different diagnosis

➡️ What details should I share about my pet's history (vaccination, deworming, diet, allergies, past illnesses)?

Share these details early to improve accuracy:

  • Vaccines received and approximate last dates
  • Last deworming date and product name (if known)
  • Tick/flea preventive used and last dose date
  • Known allergies (food/environment/medicine)
  • Past illnesses (UTI, kidney disease, dermatitis, parvo, etc.)
  • Any surgeries and current chronic medications
  • Diet routine and recent changes

➡️ How do online vet consultations work for puppies and kittens (age, vaccination, deworming, growth checks)?

Online consults are great for vaccination planning, deworming schedules, growth and nutrition guidance and early triage for mild symptoms. However, very young pets can worsen quickly, so vets may recommend in-clinic visits sooner when dehydration, low blood sugar or fever is suspected.

Symptom-based FAQs (what the vet will ask + what makes it urgent)

➡️ My dog is vomiting—what questions will the vet ask and what signs make it urgent?

Expect the vet to ask about frequency, ability to keep water down, exposure to bones/garbage/toys and energy level.

  • How many times has your dog vomited and over what time period?
  • Is your dog able to keep water down?
  • Any blood or dark “coffee-ground” material?
  • Any abdominal swelling, repeated retching or severe weakness?

Urgent: repeated vomiting, blood, severe lethargy, bloating/retching, suspected toxin or foreign body, vomiting plus diarrhea in a weak pet.

➡️ My cat isn't eating—how long is “too long,” and what should I monitor at home?

Cats can deteriorate quickly with prolonged appetite loss. Monitor water intake, vomiting, drooling, hiding and litter box output.

  • How long has your cat refused food?
  • Is your cat drinking? Any vomiting?
  • Is there normal urination and stool output?
  • Any signs of mouth pain, bad breath or drooling?

Seek same-day care: if refusal persists around a day or sooner if there is lethargy, vomiting, breathing changes or your cat is a kitten/senior.

➡️ My pet has loose motion/diarrhea—when is it dehydration risk and what diet is safe?

Dehydration risk increases with very frequent watery stools, blood, weakness or vomiting. Puppies, kittens and small breeds are more vulnerable.

  • How many stools in 24 hours and what consistency?
  • Any blood, black stool or mucus?
  • Is your pet drinking and urinating normally?
  • Any recent diet change, new treat or garbage access?

Ask the vet for a short-term recovery plan: what to feed, how much, meal frequency and whether probiotics are appropriate. Avoid self-medicating with antibiotics or human anti-diarrheals.

➡️ My pet is scratching a lot—how can I identify allergies vs fleas/ticks vs fungal infection online?

The vet will look at itch pattern (ears/paws/belly/tail base), seasonality, parasite exposure and photo clues such as flea dirt, circular hair loss, redness or crusting.

  • Where is the itching worst?
  • Is there hair loss, dandruff, scabs or redness?
  • Any recent grooming, new shampoo, new food or boarding?
  • Are other pets or people itchy too?

Many vets address parasites first (common cause), then reassess for allergy or fungal causes and recommend tests (skin scraping/fungal checks) when needed.

➡️ How can an online vet help with ticks, fleas and mange—what treatment timeline should I expect?

The vet can guide product choice based on age and weight, treatment schedule and home/environment cleaning steps. Improvement in itching may take time even after parasites are controlled.

  • Fleas/ticks may improve within days after correct prevention and environment control
  • Mange/mites often need weeks of treatment and follow-up
  • Skin healing can lag behind parasite elimination

➡️ My dog has ear infection symptoms (head shaking, smell, discharge)—what should I do before the consult?

  • Do not pour random drops, oils or home remedies into the ear
  • Keep the ear dry (avoid bathing/swimming until advised)
  • Upload a close-up photo of discharge and a short video of head shaking

The vet may ask about recurrence, pain, discharge color and any recent water exposure. Some ear cases require in-clinic ear exam and cleaning.

➡️ My pet's eyes are red or watery—what's safe first aid and what should I never put in the eye?

Safer steps while you arrange a consult:

  • Prevent rubbing (use a cone if you have one)
  • Gently wipe discharge with clean cotton and sterile saline if available

Never: use human eye drops, steroid drops or herbal liquids without veterinary advice. If there's severe squinting, cloudiness, injury or sudden vision concern, seek urgent in-person care.

➡️ My pet is limping—how can an online vet tell if it's a sprain vs fracture vs ligament injury?

Video gait patterns plus visible swelling, heat and the ability to bear weight help triage. Upload walking videos from two angles and close-ups of paw pads and nails.

Urgent: non–weight bearing, obvious deformity, rapidly increasing swelling or severe pain.

➡️ Can an online vet help with fever in dogs/cats and how do I check temperature correctly?

Yes. A vet can guide proper temperature measurement, interpret symptoms and decide whether testing or urgent care is needed. Avoid guessing fever based on a warm nose.

➡️ My pet is coughing or breathing fast—how do I know if this is asthma, infection or emergency?

Count breaths per minute while your pet is resting or asleep and upload a short breathing video. Cats with open-mouth breathing or pets that look distressed should be treated as urgent.

➡️ Can an online vet guide me for skin wounds, hot spots and minor injuries at home?

For minor superficial wounds, vets can guide safe cleaning, preventing licking and monitoring for infection. Deep punctures and bite wounds often need clinic care even if the surface looks small.

➡️ My pet swallowed something—what should I do right now and what should I never do?

  • Note what was swallowed, size and time
  • Watch for vomiting, drooling, belly pain or lethargy
  • Seek urgent care for string/thread, sharp objects, batteries, toys, stones or bones

Never: force vomiting without veterinary instruction.

➡️ Is it safe to give human medicines to pets (paracetamol, ibuprofen, cough syrup)?

In general, no. Many human medicines can be toxic to pets and cats are especially sensitive. If your pet seems to be in pain or has fever-like symptoms, consult a vet for pet-safe options.

Preventive care, nutrition and long-term conditions

➡️ Can an online vet help with pet nutrition and diet plans (weight loss, obesity, picky eating)?

Yes. Nutrition is one of the best use-cases for online consults. Vets can help calculate feeding portions, improve diet quality and create a realistic weight plan with check-ins.

➡️ What is the best diet during recovery from vomiting/diarrhea?

Ask your vet for a short recovery plan for 24–72 hours that includes food type, portion size, meal frequency and whether probiotics are appropriate. Avoid guessing with random home recipes when your pet is weak.

➡️ Can an online vet help manage chronic conditions like kidney disease, liver issues, diabetes or arthritis?

Yes. Online consults are useful for monitoring symptoms, adjusting routines, reviewing reports, planning diets and deciding when new tests are needed.

➡️ How can online vets support senior pets—pain management, mobility, supplements, quality-of-life checks?

Seniors benefit from structured check-ins. Online vets can guide mobility plans, safe activity levels, supplement choices and quality-of-life monitoring. If pain worsens suddenly, choose an in-clinic exam.

➡️ My pet is drinking a lot of water or urinating more—what could it indicate and what tests are usually needed?

Increased thirst or urination can signal several medical conditions. Vets often recommend urine tests and blood work to understand what's happening and then interpret the results with you.

➡️ Can an online vet recommend lab tests and interpret reports (CBC, LFT, KFT, stool test, skin scraping)?

Yes. This is a high-value online use-case. The vet can recommend the most relevant tests for your pet's symptoms and help interpret what matters versus what is mildly off.

➡️ How do I share blood test or X-ray reports during an online consultation for accurate interpretation?

  • Upload clear photos/scans of the full report (not cropped)
  • Include reference ranges and lab name if available
  • For X-rays, share the original images if possible plus any radiology notes

Behavior FAQs (often medical + emotional)

➡️ Can online vets help with behavioural issues like anxiety, barking, aggression, litter problems or chewing?

Yes. Online vets can help identify whether behavior changes may be linked to pain, infection, skin irritation or stress and can guide routines, enrichment and next steps.

➡️ My dog is suddenly aggressive or restless—could it be pain, hormonal changes or a medical issue?

Sudden behavior changes should always be treated seriously. Many cases have an underlying medical trigger such as pain. Share videos, context and a timeline and be open to an in-clinic exam if recommended.

➡️ My cat is peeing outside the litter box—how do I know if it's UTI, stress or territorial behaviour?

The vet will ask about straining, frequent small pees, blood in urine and home changes. If your cat is unable to pass urine or is repeatedly straining with little output, treat it as an emergency.

Post-surgery follow-ups and wound healing checks

➡️ How does an online vet consultation work for post-surgery follow-ups and wound healing checks?

Wound checks work well online when you share clear photos in good light, plus a short video showing how your pet is moving and behaving. Ask for an activity restriction timeline and warning signs.

➡️ What should I do if my pet's stitches look swollen, red or are oozing?

Share photos immediately and monitor energy, appetite and temperature. Rapidly increasing swelling, foul-smelling discharge, wound opening or lethargy often needs an in-clinic visit.

Vaccination, deworming and travel FAQs

➡️ Can an online vet guide vaccination schedules and travel requirements for pets?

Yes. Vets can tailor vaccination planning based on age, lifestyle, boarding/grooming exposure and travel needs. Always carry vaccine records when traveling.

➡️ How often should I deworm my dog/cat in India and what signs suggest worms?

Deworming schedules vary by age and exposure. Ask your vet for a calendar based on your pet's stage (puppy/kitten vs adult), outdoor access and local risk. Signs can include pot belly in young pets, weight loss, diarrhea or visible worms, but many pets show subtle signs.

➡️ Can an online vet help choose the right tick/flea preventive based on my pet's age and weight?

Yes. This is weight-based and age-dependent. Share your pet's exact weight, age and any past reaction history to choose a safer option.

➡️ Is my pet's weight normal for their breed and age and how do I calculate feeding portions?

A vet can guide body condition scoring and portion calculations. Share current weight, activity level, treat frequency and any recent weight change.

How online consultations work (late night, weekends, duration, follow-ups and privacy)

➡️ How do online consultations work late night or during weekends—availability, response time, follow-ups?

Availability varies by provider. Before booking, check whether service is 24×7 or “next available,” and whether follow-ups are included (and for how long).

➡️ How long does an online vet consultation usually take and what is included (chat, call, video, follow-up)?

Many consults take 10–20 minutes for common issues and longer for nutrition, behavior or chronic conditions. Ask what's included: chat vs video, prescription if appropriate and follow-up support.

➡️ What information is confidential and how is my pet's medical history stored and used?

Most platforms store your pet's records to support continuity of care. Read the platform's privacy policy and terms and only share reports and photos you are comfortable uploading.

Educational content only. For emergencies, seek immediate in-person veterinary care.