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Bengaluru-based telemedicine giant Practo has announced the launch of veterinary telemedicine services on its platform. As a part of these services, the company is partnering with licensed veterinarians across India to offer 24×7 online consultation services for pets. 

The service, which was launched as a pilot project last month, recorded two lakh search queries regarding diet management, medication for fleas and ticks, food allergies, and behavioural problems among pets.

According to Practo, they received queries from over 40 cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai. After receiving a massive response, the service has now been officially launched as a part of Practo’s telemedicine services.

“Our foray into virtual veterinary care aligns with our larger vision of improving access to quality healthcare. With many people taking care of pets for the first time during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, and several others anxious about visiting a clinic amid this pandemic, we want to enable them with a convenient yet reliable solution,” Siddhartha Nihalani, VP – Product of Practo said in a statement.

Pet parents can now connect with verified veterinarians via audio, video, or text anytime and anywhere via the mobile app or website. This will help pet parents get timely advice, allowing faster diagnosis of harmful ailments.

With over 20 million households with pets in India, this service will help people get medical attention for their pet children from the comfort of their homes, the company said.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic related fears and work from home, this service will be able to help pet owners get the right and timely advice. 

Last year, as the lockdown was announced, many local vet care startups such as Pawshbox and Wiggles extended their services such as quick delivery of food and medical supply, as well as online consultation as many pet owners were concerned about their pets’ immunity and grooming.