Why Pets See an Online Vet: RexVet Visit Data 2025-26

Original RexVet data on why owners booked video vet visits, which pets were seen, when, and how often a visit ended with a prescription.

Quick answer: Skin trouble was the top reason pet owners booked a RexVet video visit: 27% of visits named skin problems, itching, allergies or hair loss. Ear and eye problems came second, named in 22% of RexVet video visits. About 1 in 8 RexVet video visits (12.5%) ended with a prescription; the rest ended with the veterinarian's advice and care plan. Trouble breathing or collapse needs an emergency hospital now.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. If you think your pet is in danger, go to the nearest emergency animal hospital.

Key findings

1. Skin trouble was the top reason pet owners booked a RexVet video visit: 27% of visits named skin problems, itching, allergies or hair loss.
2. Ear and eye problems came second, named in 22% of RexVet video visits.
3. After skin, urinary health was the most-selected specific concern, named in 14% of RexVet visits. That is more than vomiting, diarrhea and digestive problems combined (8%).
4. Skin was the top concern in RexVet dog visits (18%), followed by itching, ear problems and allergies.
5. Eye problems were the top specific concern in RexVet cat visits (17%), ahead of urinary health and breathing problems.
6. Cats made up 28% of RexVet visits but 61% of visits for respiratory problems.
7. Ear problems drove nearly half (48%) of RexVet visits for Goldendoodles, about three times the rate for all dogs.
8. Pit bull-type dogs and German Shepherds stood out for skin trouble: 41% of their RexVet visits named skin, itching, allergies or hair loss, compared with 30% of all dog visits.
9. 41% of RexVet video visits were for pets aged 7 or older.
10. Arthritis and joint concerns were named in 15% of RexVet visits for pets 11 or older, versus about 1% for pets under 7.
11. More than half of RexVet visits (52%) took place outside standard weekday hours of 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday.
12. 28% of RexVet video visits started between 6 PM and 11 PM in the pet owner's local time.
13. 90% of RexVet video visits took place the same day they were booked.
14. About 1 in 8 RexVet video visits (12.5%) ended with a prescription; the rest ended with the veterinarian's advice and care plan.
15. Of the main concern groups, visits for vomiting, diarrhea or digestive problems were among the most likely to end with a prescription (21%), while only 5% of skin and itching visits did.
16. Flea and tick concerns peaked in June, when 18% of RexVet visits named them, compared with 10-14% in each month from July to October.
17. Skin, itching, allergy and hair-loss concerns rose from 24% of RexVet visits in May-June to 31% in September-October.
18. Anxiety visits spiked around the Fourth of July: 15% of RexVet visits from June 28 to July 8 named anxiety, compared with 9% during the rest of the summer.
19. In Virginia, fleas and ticks were the most-selected specific concern, named in 19% of RexVet visits, compared with 13% in Florida and 8% in New York.
20. New York pet owners named anxiety, behavior problems or shaking in 15% of RexVet visits, compared with 9% in Florida.

The top reasons pet owners booked a video vet visit

Skin trouble was the top reason pet owners booked a RexVet video visit: 27% of visits named skin problems, itching, allergies or hair loss. After skin, urinary health was the most-selected specific concern, named in 14% of RexVet visits. That is more than vomiting, diarrhea and digestive problems combined (8%).

Concern	Counted as	Share of visits
Skin, itching, allergies, hair loss	Group	27%
Ear and eye problems	Group	22%
Urinary health	Specific	14%
Vomiting, diarrhea, digestive	Combined	8%

A visit can name more than one concern, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Specific means one checklist concern; Group and Combined rows join several.

The Merck Veterinary Manual lists outer ear infections among the most common reasons dogs are brought to a veterinarian, and lists allergies among the primary causes. A dog or cat that strains and passes little or no urine may be blocked and needs an emergency hospital now; male cats are at greatest risk. See dog peeing blood but acting normal.

Top concerns in dog visits and cat visits

Skin was the top concern in RexVet dog visits (18%), followed by itching, ear problems and allergies. Eye problems were the top specific concern in RexVet cat visits (17%), ahead of urinary health and breathing problems. Cats made up 28% of RexVet visits but 61% of visits for respiratory problems.

In the 18% figure, Skin is listed separately from itching, ear problems and allergies; the 27% (all visits) and 30% (all dog visits) figures count the wider group of skin problems, itching, allergies or hair loss.

The Cornell Feline Health Center calls conjunctivitis the most common feline eye disorder and says respiratory infections are common in cats. A cat that breathes with its mouth open or struggles to breathe at rest does not have a cold and needs an emergency hospital now.

Breeds that stood out

Ear problems drove nearly half (48%) of RexVet visits for Goldendoodles, about three times the rate for all dogs. Pit bull-type dogs and German Shepherds stood out for skin trouble: 41% of their RexVet visits named skin, itching, allergies or hair loss, compared with 30% of all dog visits.

Breed groups are reported only when they have 30 or more visits. The data shows what owners picked when booking, not why. An ear problem with severe pain, a head tilt, loss of balance, flicking eye movements or a drooping face needs an in-person exam, not a video visit.

Older pets made up a large share of visits

41% of RexVet video visits were for pets aged 7 or older. Age figures use the visits where the pet's date of birth was on file (95% of visits). Arthritis and joint concerns were named in 15% of RexVet visits for pets 11 or older, versus about 1% for pets under 7.

The American College of Veterinary Surgeons says osteoarthritis commonly affects young large-breed dogs with developmental bone disease and older, overweight large-breed dogs. The Cornell Feline Health Center says arthritis is common in older cats. See signs of arthritis in dogs and what helps. A dog or cat that suddenly cannot stand or walk, or drags its legs, needs an emergency hospital now. Never give a dog or cat a human pain reliever on your own; if your pet swallowed one, call a poison line (listed below) or go to an emergency vet.

When pet owners book

More than half of RexVet visits (52%) took place outside standard weekday hours of 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday. 28% of RexVet video visits started between 6 PM and 11 PM in the pet owner's local time. 90% of RexVet video visits took place the same day they were booked.

These figures describe past visits, not a promise of a same-day visit. RexVet offers live video visits from about 8 AM to 11 PM Eastern (ET). There are no overnight visits, and emergencies belong at an in-person emergency hospital. The booking page shows the next open time.

How often a RexVet video visit ended with a prescription

About 1 in 8 RexVet video visits (12.5%) ended with a prescription; the rest ended with the veterinarian's advice and care plan. Of the main concern groups, visits for vomiting, diarrhea or digestive problems were among the most likely to end with a prescription (21%), while only 5% of skin and itching visits did.

These are RexVet's own rates, not industry rates. A visit can also end with a home-care plan, a review of past test results or advice to see a vet in person. Prescribing depends on the pet and state law: Florida law limits telehealth-only prescriptions, Virginia allows the exam to be done electronically, and New York's rules are still unsettled. No prescription is promised.

What a video visit cannot do, and when to go to an emergency hospital

A video visit cannot replace an emergency hospital: a dog or cat with trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, heavy bleeding, a major injury or straining with little or no urine needs in-person emergency care now.

A video visit cannot feel the belly, joints or lumps, check the eardrum (the Merck Veterinary Manual says the eardrum should be examined with an otoscope), stain the eye or measure eye pressure, test urine, run bloodwork, skin tests or cytology, take X-rays or do an ultrasound, test deep pain or do a full neurologic exam, or give injections or vaccines. In Florida, a vet also cannot issue a travel certificate by telehealth.

Go to an emergency hospital now, and call ahead, for:

• Open-mouth breathing in a cat, struggling to breathe at rest, or blue, gray or pale gums.
• Collapse, loss of consciousness, sudden weakness or a seizure.
• Straining with little or no urine.
• Heavy bleeding, a major injury, severe burns, heat stroke or difficult labor.
• Suddenly unable to stand or walk, dragging the legs, or a limb the pet cannot move.
• A dog retching without bringing anything up, or a swelling belly (possible bloat).
• A swollen face, hives with vomiting, or hard breathing.
• Twitching, trembling, unsteadiness or a seizure after a flea product, especially in a cat exposed to a permethrin dog product (put on the cat, or on a dog it lives with); call a poison line on the way. Use only flea products labeled for that species.

A cloudy or blue, bulging or injured eye, unequal pupils, pawing at an eye, or sudden loss of vision needs an in-person exam straight away; if your regular vet is closed, go to an emergency hospital now. For a suspected poisoning, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply) or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (a per-incident fee applies), or go straight to an emergency vet. A pet that already has seizures, collapse or trouble breathing goes straight to the emergency hospital.

Seasonal patterns, March to October 2026

Flea and tick concerns peaked in June, when 18% of RexVet visits named them, compared with 10-14% in each month from July to October. 98% of the visits took place between March and October 2026, so the seasonal findings cover those months only.

Skin, itching, allergy and hair-loss concerns rose from 24% of RexVet visits in May-June to 31% in September-October. Anxiety visits spiked around the Fourth of July: 15% of RexVet visits from June 28 to July 8 named anxiety, compared with 9% during the rest of the summer.

Concern	Period	Share of visits
Flea and tick	June	18%
Flea and tick	Each month, Jul-Oct	10-14%
Skin group	May-June	24%
Skin group	Sep-Oct	31%
Anxiety	Jun 28-Jul 8	15%
Anxiety	Rest of summer	9%

The Merck Veterinary Manual says fear of fireworks is a common noise phobia in dogs. See dog scared of fireworks and cat itching but no fleas. Shaking with weakness, collapse, a seizure, trouble breathing or after a possible toxin is not simple anxiety: go to an emergency hospital now.

Differences between Florida, New York and Virginia

In Virginia, fleas and ticks were the most-selected specific concern, named in 19% of RexVet visits, compared with 13% in Florida and 8% in New York. New York pet owners named anxiety, behavior problems or shaking in 15% of RexVet visits, compared with 9% in Florida. State is the state on the pet owner's account.

How the study was done

This study covers every paid, completed RexVet video visit scheduled between October 1, 2025 and October 31, 2026 (Eastern time). Each visit is one live video appointment for one pet with a veterinarian licensed in the pet's state. Visit volume grew sharply during 2026, and 98% of the visits took place between March and October 2026, so the seasonal findings cover those months only.

When booking, pet owners pick one or more concerns from a checklist (Allergy through Weight, plus "Other"), so the shares add up to more than 100%. Times are in the pet owner's local time zone, taken from their booking or account. A visit counts as having a prescription when the veterinarian wrote one linked to that visit. State is the state on the pet owner's account. Age figures use the visits where the pet's date of birth was on file (95% of visits).

Breed groups are reported only when they have 30 or more visits. Any figure based on fewer than 20 visits was suppressed. Comparisons between groups were checked for statistical significance (p < 0.05). The study used only aggregate counts from RexVet's booking records. No names, contact details, visit notes or free-text answers were exported, and no individual pet or pet owner can be identified.

Limits of this data

These figures describe RexVet's own video visits for pets in Florida, New York and Virginia, not all US pets or all vet visits. Concerns are what owners picked from the booking checklist, not what the veterinarian diagnosed. RexVet sends emergencies to an in-person hospital, so this data says little about emergencies.

How to cite this study

You may quote these findings with a link to this page. Suggested citation: RexVet, Why Pets See an Online Vet: RexVet Visit Data 2025-26, rexvet.org, November 2026. Media questions: press@rexvet.org (RexVet press page). For vet care costs, see the RexVet pet care cost index.

What this means for pet owners

RexVet, a nonprofit online vet service, serves pets located in Florida, New York and Virginia by video visit. If your pet is in one of those states during the visit and has no emergency signs, you can book a $64.99 live video visit with a licensed RexVet vet. Live video slots run about 8 AM to 11 PM ET, with no overnight visits, and the booking page shows the next open time.

The veterinarian reviews the history, the problem on camera and any photos or past results, and says what can be handled at home and what needs an in-person exam. No prescription is promised; any medicine is the veterinarian's decision, within state law. RexVet is not a pharmacy: if the veterinarian writes a prescription and you ask RexVet to send it to a pharmacy, a pharmacy transfer fee applies, and the medicine itself is paid for at the pharmacy.

Not a fit for video: go to the nearest emergency vet hospital now for trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, heavy bleeding, a major injury, or a dog or cat straining and passing little or no urine. For a suspected poisoning, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply) or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (a per-incident fee applies), or go straight to an emergency vet.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common reason people book an online vet visit?

Skin trouble was the top reason pet owners booked a RexVet video visit: 27% of visits named skin problems, itching, allergies or hair loss. These are RexVet's own visits, not a national figure.

Can an online vet help with my dog's or cat's itchy skin?

Yes, for a first look: a veterinarian licensed in your pet's state can look at itchy skin on video, but some cases need in-person tests. For a pet located in Florida, New York or Virginia during the visit, a licensed RexVet vet can look at the skin and ears on camera, review photos and suggest a home-care plan; skin tests, allergy testing, bloodwork and an otoscope ear check need an in-person visit. If medicine comes up, any prescription is the veterinarian's decision and is never promised. For a pet located in Florida, state law limits a prescription based only on a telehealth visit to FDA-approved animal drugs used as labeled, for up to 14 days of treatment (up to 1 month for products labeled solely for flea and tick control); it cannot be renewed without an in-person exam, and human drugs, controlled substances and compounded antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral or antiparasitic drugs need an in-person exam first. In every state, federal FDA rules require a veterinarian who has examined the pet in person or visited where it is kept before a human drug or an off-label animal drug can be used. Virginia allows the exam to be done electronically, and any prescription is still the veterinarian's decision; New York's rules for veterinary telehealth are still unsettled. A swollen face or lips, hives with vomiting, or hard breathing is an emergency: go to an emergency hospital now.

How often does an online vet visit end with a prescription?

About 1 in 8 RexVet video visits (12.5%) ended with a prescription; the rest ended with the veterinarian's advice and care plan. This is RexVet's own rate, not a figure for online vets in general, and no prescription is promised.

Do online vet visits happen in the evening or on weekends?

Yes. 28% of RexVet video visits started between 6 PM and 11 PM in the pet owner's local time. More than half of RexVet visits (52%) took place outside standard weekday hours of 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday. RexVet's video slots run about 8 AM to 11 PM Eastern (ET), with no overnight visits. Emergencies belong at an in-person emergency hospital.

Is this data about all pets in the US?

No. These figures describe RexVet's own video visits for pets in Florida, New York and Virginia, not all US pets or all vet visits.

What can an online vet help with?

A veterinarian can often take a first look at itchy skin, ear, eye, urinary and joint concerns on video, but some need an in-person exam. Trouble breathing, collapse, seizures or straining with little or no urine needs an emergency hospital now, and a cloudy, bulging or injured eye or sudden loss of vision needs an in-person exam straight away.