Walmart’s New Telehealth Is New Competition For Amazon

Walmart
WMT
is partnering with veterinary telehealth provider Pawp. They will offer Walmart+ (extra service subscribers) free access to virtual veterinarians for a year. It started this week. The program to go into telehealth is in direct competition with Amazon
AMZN
.

Some veterinarians say that telehealth could be risky for animals while others say that there is a big shortage of veterinarians and this could bring more care for needy animals. Walmart+ members have until November 19 to opt into the program. After that there will be a fee. Currently Pawp charges start at $99 for an annual membership.

The new program comes at a time when the $123.6 billion U.S. pet market explodes with more American households acquiring dogs of every size. Pets often become part of a family and they are cared for with devotion and love. People are willing to spend a lot of money on a cherished pet. One observer said that “when an animal has a serious health problem or a disease, it is likely that owners will spend money to keep them alive.” Walmart’s partnership with Pawp shows how eager retailers are to grow their share of the pet market.

“Walmart has become a one stop destination for all needs of pet parents” a company spokesman told CNBC “By providing simple, convenient shopping and affordable solutions to take care of pets across all areas – from food, treats, toys, apparel, durables and services – Walmart delivers real value, especially during the current inflationary time.”

Traditional pet-only retailers such as Chewy and Petco have already been investing in pet-health care to better compete with big-box stores. It will be interesting to see whether they can make a higher profit over time.

Walmart’s partnership with Pawp will give the company the ability to compete with Amazon and it could boost sales of its pet products. It will also help Pawp to acquire more customers.

There has been concern that a virtual examination does not necessarily detect all illnesses. Veterinarians told CNBC about the difficulties to asses health concerns and there is no substitute for a physical examination. However, others have argued that pet telehealth helps bridge the access for care as pet owners contend with a nationwide vetinary shortage especially in rural America.

Most states forbid veterinarians from diagnosing conditions or prescribing virtually unless they have previously examined the pet in person and established a veterinarian client relationship (VCPR). The guidelines were rolled back during the pandemic and some states have made the change permanent.

POSTSCRIPT: The shortage of veterinarians is serious, and dogs on farms often contract curable diseases. Telehealth certainly is an answer to help ailing animals. It is also a service to citizens and their pets in cities. Medical teams constantly review medications to insure what is safe for animals. While we have the manpower shortage telehealth is a big help.