A lot has changed during the global pandemic this year, including the way people interact with their veterinarians. For example, telemedicine, once considered a novelty in veterinary medicine, has been a life-saver.

Before March 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required veterinarians to examine pets in the flesh before interacting with clients by telemedicine. But once COVID-19 limited face-to-face encounters, the FDA dropped that requirement.

Thanks to telehealth, veterinarians can see pets and talk to their parents before deciding if animals need further evaluation. The technology even facilitates sharing photos and videos as well as dispensing prescriptions.

While there’s no guarantee that these relaxed requirements are permanent, they’ve certainly highlighted the importance of telemedicine for pet and their parents.