A lot can happen between knowing a pet needs more help and getting it. When diagnosed with a complex health problem requiring specialist input, pets can face a lengthy wait for an appointment, with limited local options adding to the challenge. Telemedicine offers another way. It gives owners access to the necessary expertise without having to rely solely on what’s available in Adelaide. It’s changing the game.

At Nexus Emergency Vet Hospital, we offer comprehensive, transparent emergency and urgent care 24/7, including specialist services supported by a telemedicine model. It’s already improving access for local pets and removing unnecessary delays. For some patients, this direct route not only saves considerable time but may prove more cost-effective too.

Most pets begin their care with their family veterinarian, but there are times when additional expertise is needed. Family veterinarians may see patients with ongoing concerns such as persistent diarrhoea, vomiting or unexplained weight loss. They’ll assess them, conduct initial investigations and, where possible, begin treatment. If the problem persists, or diagnostics point to a condition that requires more advanced investigation or care, the vet may recommend a referral to an internal medicine specialist or another appropriate discipline.

Internal medicine in particular is in high demand, and there are relatively few specialists available locally, often resulting in long wait times for appointments. While waiting for their appointment, family veterinarians do a fantastic job of maintaining existing treatment plans, managing symptoms and adjusting medications where appropriate. However, without a full specialist assessment or further testing, there may still be limits to how far treatment can progress.

Typically, once the pet is finally able to see the specialist, they may need further procedures such as an ultrasound, endoscopy or colonoscopy before a diagnosis can be confirmed. These may need to be scheduled for a return visit, followed by another wait for results. The individual timeframes may be reasonable, but together they can prolong the process. Telemedicine can reduce many of these delays.

Our telemedicine service is still hands-on, formal veterinary care. Owners are not left having a video consultation with a specialist themselves, and we’re not simply calling a colleague for informal advice. One of our vets will assess the pet in person, take a full history, perform a physical examination and review any records or results provided by the family veterinarian. From there, we speak directly with the relevant specialist and discuss the case in detail. We’re essentially their eyes and ears, so they have the clinical detail they need to advise on the case. Our vet remains with the patient throughout and can provide the recommended care where appropriate.

With access to an extensive network of specialists, such as internal medicine, on the same day, the patient no longer has to wait for days to weeks for an in-person appointment. What happens from there will always depend on the individual patient, but once we know what’s required, we can often get straight to work.

For example, a family veterinarian could refer a dog after blood tests reveal persistent anaemia that they have been unable to explain. We assess the patient and can involve an internal medicine specialist within hours. From there, the specialist may identify what further investigation is needed, such as a specialist evaluation of the patient’s blood. We can then consult with another telemedicine specialist, such as a clinical pathologist, and have a diagnosis within hours. In the traditional model, this pathway would likely have taken days, not hours and often the cost is equivalent or even more economical.

Our purpose-built, modern hospital is equipped with advanced diagnostic technology, so when further testing is recommended by a specialist, we can begin straight away. Depending on the patient, this can include ultrasound and echocardiography, advanced blood testing and pathology, surgery, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, cystoscopy and more. Nexus also has comprehensive imaging and an in-house laboratory.

Nexus also uses innovative systems such as the Imagyst, an in-house diagnostic system that allows us to submit samples digitally for expert review immediately, eliminating the need for laboratory pick-up, processing, shipment to specialists, and finally, publication of results (often taking days). For example, if we’re investigating a suspicious mass, we could potentially have answers within hours rather than waiting for material to be sent to an external laboratory. Our imaging can also be reviewed remotely by specialist radiologists. This gives us access to expert interpretation when we need it, without requiring every specialist to be physically present at the hospital.

Efficiency in life usually saves time and sometimes money, too. Telemedicine is no different. The overall cost is typically comparable to the usual referral process and, in many cases, it can work out cheaper. For example, while waiting for an appointment via the traditional referral route, there may be repeat visits to the family veterinarian, along with the ongoing cost of medications that aren’t adequately controlling the problem. Those extras can quickly add up.

Another benefit is keeping the patient’s family veterinarian closely involved in their care. With an in-person referral, the specialist may take over ongoing rechecks and management, but through our telemedicine model, we can provide clear guidance moving forward. This means the pet can then return to their family veterinarian, who already knows them, their history and their individual needs.

Support is still available once your pet returns to their family veterinarian. If their condition changes or the vet needs further input, we can assist and facilitate a recheck consultation where needed.

While we’ve focused largely on internal medicine here, our telemedicine network also extends across areas such as cardiology, radiology, surgery, neurology, oncology and emergency and critical care.

Is your pet waiting to see a veterinary specialist? At Nexus, telemedicine involves hands-on care right here in the hospital with the added benefit of specialist expertise. For most patients, it can provide a more direct route from referral to answers, without so many stops along the way.

Pet owners and referring veterinarians are welcome to contact us to discuss whether telemedicine may be suitable for a particular case.

Learn more about our specialist services here.