u/DutchVet

Short answer: It depends on the condition. Telehealth works well for non-emergency issues like anxiety, allergies, itching, and behavioral concerns, where a vet can get enough information from a video call and photos. It's not a substitute for physical exams, lab work, vaccinations, surgery, or anything emergency-related.

What can an online vet actually diagnose?
Conditions where a vet can get a solid history and visually assess symptoms over video, like skin issues, allergies, itching, and behavioral or anxiety-related concerns. If the vet can't safely assess something remotely, they should recommend an in-person exam or diagnostics instead of guessing.

Are online vets actually licensed and legitimate?
Yes, when it's a real platform. A proper online vet visit establishes a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR), the same legal foundation as an in-person visit, just done remotely. In most states, that VCPR can be established over video, and the vet needs to be licensed in your state.

Can a vet really prescribe medication without seeing my pet in person?
In most states, yes, once a VCPR is established through the video visit. The vet reviews history, symptoms, and visual signs, and can prescribe the same day if it's appropriate. If the case needs a hands-on exam or testing, a legitimate service will say so rather than push a prescription anyway.

What are the actual limitations of telehealth for pets?
No surgery, vaccinations, imaging, bloodwork, or hands-on physical exams. Not for emergencies. Image quality or tech issues can occasionally delay assessment. And right now, most of these services only cover dogs and cats, not other species.

Should I use telehealth instead of my regular vet, or alongside them?
Alongside, for most people. Telehealth is strong for convenience, faster access, and reducing clinic stress for chronic non-emergency conditions, but a regular vet is still essential for exams, vaccines, diagnostics, and anything urgent.

If you're not sure which way to go for your situation, a vet at Dutch can help you figure out whether telehealth can handle it or you need an in-person visit.

Short answer: Healthy cat poop is firm, sausage-shaped, and chocolate-brown. Watery stool usually means diarrhea, and hard pebble-like stool means constipation. Unusual colors are worth watching: orange/yellow can signal liver or gallbladder issues, black or red can mean GI bleeding, and green can mean infection.

What does normal cat poop look like?
Brown or dark brown, firm but pliable like modeling clay, sausage-shaped and segmented, no blood or mucus, and it should leave little to no residue when picked up.

What does it mean if my cat’s poop is orange or yellow?
Usually a sign of gallbladder or liver problems, often from a bacterial infection that’s moved to the bile duct or bloodstream, though sometimes a tumor or bile duct obstruction. Contact a vet right away if you see this.

What does black or red poop mean in cats?
Red usually means bleeding near the anus or rectum, sometimes from a bacterial infection like Salmonella. Black can mean bleeding higher up in the GI tract and may come with vomiting, weakness, or weight loss. Both warrant contacting a vet immediately.

What does green poop mean in cats?
Could be a bacterial or parasitic infection, or just from eating grass. Worth monitoring, and if it doesn’t return to normal, call your vet.

What does watery or runny poop mean?
Diarrhea, most often from bacterial or viral infection, dietary sensitivity, inflammatory bowel disease, or a lack of digestive enzymes. Don’t use over-the-counter remedies, since some are toxic to cats. Call a vet if it doesn’t resolve in a few days.

What does it mean if my cat is straining or can’t poop at all?
Straining with hard, pebble-like stool usually means constipation, which can come from stress, allergies, dehydration, IBD, or nerve issues, and a higher-fiber diet often helps. If your cat can’t pass any stool at all, that’s severe constipation, possibly from hairballs, a foreign object, a pelvic injury, obesity, or diabetes, and needs a vet right away.

How many times a day should a cat poop?
Most healthy cats go once or twice a day. Notably more than that is worth mentioning to a vet.

Dutch put together a cat poop chart with all these appearances and what each one means.
Not sure if what you’re seeing is a reason to worry? A vet at Dutch can take a look and help you figure out next steps.

Short answer: Any dog can develop anxiety, but a 2020 study of 13,700 Finnish pet dogs found some breeds show it more often: Lagotto Romagnolos and Wheaten Terriers for noise sensitivity, Spanish Water Dogs and Shetland Sheepdogs for fear of strangers, and mixed-breed dogs across nearly every category. Treatment combines environmental management, behavior modification, and medication when needed.

Which dog breeds are most prone to anxiety?
Lagotto Romagnolo (highest noise sensitivity, especially thunder), Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier (also noise-sensitive), Spanish Water Dog (fear of strangers; per Dutch's own data, 24% of Spanish Water Dog consults were for anxiety), Shetland Sheepdog (fear of unfamiliar people), Miniature Schnauzer (aggression and social fear), Border Collie (compulsive behaviors like staring and "fly snapping"), and German Shepherd (hyperactivity, impulsivity, compulsive pacing). Mixed-breed dogs showed some of the highest rates overall, likely partly due to how many mixed breeds were in the study.

Common causes of anxiety in dogs
In that study: 32% had noise sensitivity, 29% feared strangers, 24% feared heights or uneven surfaces, 20% were inattentive when triggered, 17% showed repetitive behaviors, 16% were hyperactive/impulsive, 14% were aggressive, and 5% had separation-related behavior. Overall, 72.5% of dogs showed at least one of these traits.

Signs your dog has anxiety
Excessive drooling or panting, out-of-context yawning, pacing in circles or lines, attempts to flee (including chewing or digging at doors/windows), persistent howling or barking, house-soiling despite training, and destructive chewing or digging.

Is anxiety genetic, or does environment play a bigger role?
Both. Genetics sets the baseline risk (breeds showed large prevalence differences across every trait studied), but socialization gaps, trauma, and age (noise sensitivity tends to increase as dogs get older) all shape whether that risk turns into an actual problem.

How to help your dog with anxiety
Three approaches, usually combined: environmental management (a sanctuary space, food puzzles, mental stimulation, exercise), behavior modification (counterconditioning and desensitization, ideally not fear-based), and medication, since anxiety is a behavioral condition that rarely resolves on its own.

Finding the right anxiety treatment for your dog
Worth a vet visit especially if you're seeing destructive behavior, self-injury, house-soiling despite training, or worsening symptoms. A vet can rule out medical causes that mimic anxiety and build a plan, usually combining medication with training rather than one alone. A vet at Dutch can also do this over video and prescribe medication if appropriate, often within a day.

Short answer: Diet, dehydration, lack of exercise, and underlying conditions can all cause constipation in cats. It’s usually not serious, but untreated cases can worsen. Dietary changes, exercise, and laxatives are the most effective treatments when surgery isn’t needed.

What is constipation?
Stool isn’t moving through the bowels at a normal rate. It’s common in older, overweight cats, and can also happen if a cat eats something indigestible like hair, bones, or litter.

Symptoms
Straining in the litter box with no stool, excessive meowing or pain sounds while trying to go, and lethargy as it worsens. Going more than two or three days without pooping is the key warning sign.

Causes
Too little (or too much) fiber, not enough water, certain medications, lack of exercise, arthritis or a narrowed pelvic inlet from injury, stress, and toxin ingestion. Chronic dehydration from kidney disease can lead to megacolon, where the colon gets too stretched to contract properly.

Diagnosis
A vet does a physical exam (including abdominal palpation) and reviews history. X-rays or bloodwork may follow to rule out an obstruction or underlying condition.

Treatment
Wet food, more water, and exercise first. Laxatives (bulk-forming, lubricant, emollient, osmotic, or stimulant) if that’s not enough, prescribed in about 310 of roughly 6,783 digestive consults in Dutch’s own data. Manual removal, enemas, or in rare cases surgery for more severe blockages.

Is it an emergency?
Yes if it’s been more than 48 hours without stool, especially with vomiting, pain, or a swollen belly. Canned pumpkin can help mildly, but always check with a vet before giving any laxative, since human products aren’t safe for cats.

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EDIT: I have to run for now, but I hate leaving questions unanswered. I will be popping back into this thread over the next day or two to reply to the rest of these. Feel free to keep dropping questions!

Hi Reddit! I'm Dr. Kate Elden, DVM, Chief Medical Officer at Dutch. I went to vet school at UC Davis and trained in equine medicine before moving to small animal care. I worked my way up from associate vet to medical director and opened a new hospital during the pandemic, which is where I got deep into telemedicine.

Why I do this: I grew up with a sibling with special needs, and the service dog that came into our lives changed things for my whole family. That's a big part of why I became a vet. What I didn't expect was how many pets would go without care entirely, not because their people didn't care, but because the visit cost too much, the clinic was too far, or work and life just didn't allow for it. That's most of what I think about now.

I still see patients, and a lot of those visits happen over video, which means I'm meeting pets in their own homes instead of on a cold steel table. You notice different things that way.

Let's dig into all things pet health. Anything is fair game, but here's what I get asked most: the itchy dog nobody can figure out (and the ear infections that follow), fleas and ticks, senior cats hiding illness until it's advanced, anxiety, dental, nutrition, grain-free vs. raw, and seasonal stuff like blue-green algae in ponds or why you shouldn't shave your husky in July.

The thing I could talk about all day is longevity, and the honest answer is that the boring stuff wins. Keep them lean. Move them every day, since consistent walks beat the big weekend hike. Take care of their teeth. Treat pain early, because pain stops movement and movement is what keeps an older pet going. Supplements support the plan, they shouldn't become the plan.And old is not a disease. When a senior dog starts "acting stubborn" on walks or a senior cat gets "lazy," they're usually hurting or confused, and there's almost always something we can do.

I'll be here Wednesday, August 26, starting at 9am PT / 12pm ET, answering questions for about 2 hours. Whether it's a dog who won't stop scratching, a senior cat who's slowing down, or something you've been meaning to ask a vet for months, ask away. Bring me your ruffest questions. I'm all ears.

Joining me in the photo: Molly (lab) and Alex (cat), who tolerated exactly one take.

The information I share here is general education only. I can't diagnose conditions or give specific medical advice without examining your pet. If something feels urgent, please get your pet seen right away.

Short answer: The best allergy medicine for a dog depends on the cause and severity of the itch. OTC antihistamines like Benadryl can help mild, occasional symptoms, while prescription options like Apoquel and Cytopoint work better for ongoing allergic itch. A vet can match the treatment to your dog.

What kind of allergy does my dog have?
Most dog allergies fall into three groups: environmental (atopic dermatitis) triggered by pollen, dust mites, or mold; flea allergy dermatitis, a reaction to flea saliva; and food allergies, usually to a protein like chicken or beef. Flea allergies call for year-round flea prevention, food allergies call for a vet-guided diet change, and environmental allergies are where allergy medicines do most of their work.

OTC allergy medicine for dogs
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), cetirizine (Zyrtec), and loratadine (Claritin) are sometimes used under vet guidance and may offer modest, variable relief for mild or seasonal itch, but they're generally less reliable than prescription therapies. Soothing topicals like anti-itch shampoos or mousses can help calm irritated skin alongside other treatment. If your dog is itching most days, losing fur, or getting infections, OTC usually isn't enough.

What is the best prescription allergy medication for dogs?
There's no single best option. Apoquel is an oral tablet that can reduce itch within hours, labeled for dogs 12 months and older. Cytopoint is a vet-administered injection targeting the itch-signaling cytokine IL-31, lasting roughly four to eight weeks. Steroids work fast for severe flares but are meant to be short-term. Atopica is a daily capsule that takes a few weeks to reach full effect. Immunotherapy builds actual tolerance to allergens and is one of the most effective long-term approaches, though it takes months to show results.

How vets choose the right allergy medicine for dogs
It comes down to how severe the itch is and whether infection is present, your dog's age (puppies under 12 months rule out Apoquel), whether daily pills or periodic injections fit your routine better, and how your dog responds, since allergy treatment is often iterative.

Which is better, Apoquel or Cytopoint?
Both treat allergic itch effectively; they differ in how they work and how they're given. Apoquel is a daily or as-needed pill, Cytopoint is a longer-acting injection given at a clinic.

How much Benadryl can I give my dog?
Dosing depends on your dog's weight and health history, so check with a vet before giving it rather than guessing based on a general chart.

What medication doesn't replace
Medication controls the allergic response, it doesn't remove the cause. The plan usually works better alongside year-round flea prevention, regular bathing to wash allergens off the coat, and treating any skin or ear infections that have taken hold.

Can I get prescription allergy medicine through an online vet?
Depending on your dog's location and state law, a vet can often prescribe an oral medication like Apoquel through a video consult, with delivery to your door. Cytopoint requires in-person administration, but an online vet can still help you decide if it's worth pursuing.

Dutch put together a full comparison of OTC and prescription allergy options, including how vets actually decide between them, in "OTC vs. prescription allergy medicine for dogs".