Even after the pandemic is over, telehealth practices will probably continue.

The way our pets receive veterinary care changed dramatically two months ago. One day we were in the exam room with them; the next, we were all driving to the clinic, calling from our cars to announce our arrival, and staying in them while masked vet techs came and took pets inside for exams. Intercoms at clinic entrances enable germ-free communication with the front desk. Telehealth is trending.

High-tech accommodations that veterinarians and pet owners have made to deal with the COVID-19 virus will likely remain in the future. Phone calls, video and social media may all play a role in the way pets receive care and the way we witness it.

For instance, if you can't go in with your pet, can you still see the exam and communicate with the veterinarian?

"Absolutely," said Peter Weinstein, a veterinarian and executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. Once the pet is in the exam room, he said, it's easy to initiate a Zoom, Skype or FaceTime call with the client so they can see what's going on.

Veterinarian Julie Reck, who practices in South Carolina, foresees using video and social media more frequently to let owners see what's going on if a pet has to "go to the back" for a procedure or is recovering from surgery.

"We do a lot on our social media for our veterinary page," she said. "We get video content of our patients all the time, whether that's while we're in the exam room or if they're in the back treatment area. If we're going to change that dynamic and separate the pet parent and the pet, we need to up the ante with that a little bit."

Anxious about letting your pet go into the veterinary clinic without you? It's not surprising that he might be weirded out by that masked and gowned technician and veterinarian. Separating pets and their people isn't ideal, but veterinary staff can ease pet anxiety by using low-stress or Fear-Free handling techniques, food rewards, stress relievers such as pheromone diffusers or soft music, and nonskid surfaces on exam tables to help them remain calm and comfortable.

Remote health care, or telehealth, may become more common for what were once routine in-clinic visits. Beyond a pandemic situation, it can benefit people who are sick but have a pet who needs to be seen or who don't have access to transportation. It's also useful in remote areas where specialist care or even general practice care isn't available.

Maybe your dog has a lump on his chin. If you have an already-established doctor-patient relationship, you can take a photo of the lump and email or text it to your veterinarian for advice on whether it can wait, or if needs to be treated immediately.

In some instances, you may not need an already-established relationship for your pet to receive treatment. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration temporarily relaxed some requirements regarding physical examinations to make it easier for veterinarians to prescribe drugs in certain situations without directly examining the pet. State veterinary medical association requirements may still be in effect in some areas, though.

Whenever the pandemic is over, lingering fear will likely affect the way veterinary medicine is delivered. We may see hybrid models combining traditional delivery of veterinary medicine with new drive-up, drop-off or telehealth services.

Weinstein counsels patience to pet owners and veterinarians who are navigating new territory and are concerned about their own health as well as that of their families and pets.

"If we can all respect one another's needs, we'll all come out of this just fine," he said.

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by veterinarian Marty Becker and journalist Kim Campbell Thornton of Vetstreet.com. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker.

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Veterinary medicine changing in wake of COVID-19: Pet Connection - GoErie.com