The global pet market continues to grow, with specialty stores opening, kennels being created in parks, or new veterinary offices opening. Amazon who wants to enter this market with a telemedicine offer for dogs cats or a gift you have at home.
The e-commerce giant, which has already expanded into healthcare with its acquisition of One Medical, is a dominant player in the pet food and pet products market. But until now, the company has not made significant investments in pet health, which is expected to fuel growth in the $137 billion pet market, according to a CNBC report.
Veterinary telehealth allows pet owners to have virtual appointments with veterinarians and veterinary technicians. The service is similar to human telemedicine.
This is not new in the US, as Walmart+ has an agreement with veterinary telemedicine provider Pawp.
Amazon could use Pawp to promote a potential pet telemedicine offering for the holiday season, since Pawp has already proven it can scale with a major retailer. Amazon could also partner with one of dozens of other pet telemedicine startups or create its own practice.
Dr. Laurie Teller, former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association and a professor of telemedicine at Texas A&M University, said telemedicine for pets can be beneficial, but she worries about companies that might use it to boost product sales.
“That’s when we can run into problems with late treatment or misdiagnosis, especially when the emphasis is more on the product rather than what’s best for the animal,” Teller said in a recent CNBC interview.
Source: Digital Trends
I am Garth Carter and I work at Gadget Onus. I have specialized in writing for the Hot News section, focusing on topics that are trending and highly relevant to readers. My passion is to present news stories accurately, in an engaging manner that captures the attention of my audience.
