Case studies of fifteen novel species successfully aided with the use of a veterinary teletriage service.

Summary

# Editorial Summary Veterinary teletriage—remote assessment and guidance delivered via video conferencing—has emerged as a pragmatic solution for animal owners facing barriers to conventional clinical care, particularly those managing underserved species where specialist expertise is geographically inaccessible. Ireifej and Krol documented fifteen case studies managed through the VetTriage platform, detailing the presenting complaints, real-time clinical reasoning, therapeutic recommendations, and outcomes where follow-up data were available. The cases demonstrate that teletriage can effectively bridge critical gaps in veterinary provision, especially for equine practitioners operating in rural areas, alongside exotic species and wildlife where local expertise may be non-existent. For equine professionals—particularly farriers and physiotherapists working independently—understanding the scope and limitations of teletriage services is increasingly relevant as clients seek remote diagnostic and management options, and practitioners may themselves benefit from rapid specialist consultation on complex cases. This study suggests teletriage warrants integration into emergency triage protocols and routine referral pathways, though practitioners should remain mindful that remote assessment cannot replace hands-on examination where lameness evaluation, palpation, or immediate intervention is required.

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Key Findings

• •Teletriage service successfully provided medical advice to 15 cases across novel/underserved species including exotics, wildlife, and large animals
• •Telehealth services can effectively reach underserved animal populations where traditional veterinary care access is limited
• •Teletriage demonstrated capability to assess presenting complications and provide actionable medical guidance remotely

Conditions Studied

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