a real vet, a real answer
Ask a Vet
Free. A licensed veterinarian writes back.
Last 30 days: half of questions had an answer within 6 hours.
Ask a question about your pet and get a written answer back from a person, never an algorithm. It is free for pet owners and there is no card required. Answers come from a US-licensed veterinarian, a veterinary student, or the PawsRx team, and every answer says plainly which one wrote it. Whoever it is, it is general guidance to help you decide what to do next, not a diagnosis, and nothing here should be used to change a medication without asking your own vet. If your pet may be in danger right now, contact a local emergency veterinary clinic instead.
Read answers other owners have already had, with the asker's details removed.
Questions a vet has already answered
Real questions from pet owners, with the answer they were sent. Every one says who wrote it. Reading them costs nothing and needs no account.
Hi, I have a dachshund who started whining when I lifted his back end off the furniture. He…
dogsSorry to hear about your dachshund. It definitely sounds like there is pain going on based on the signs. I would get to a vet as soon as possible. A slipped disc is an emergent situation.
Answered by Dylan Wilson
Over the past few days I’ve noticed my bird growing some bald patches, I didn’t think much o…
birdsSorry to hear you are concerned. That is definitely a dermatitis. It's fairly inflamed and could be yeast or bacterial. I would clean the area well with a gentle soap and find a vet to give…
Answered by Dylan Wilson
Hello, I’m looking for advice regarding my aquatic turtle. Its eyes appear irritated and red…
reptilesSorry to hear about your turtle. He needs an urgent examination. That's a significant amount of eye swelling. If it's an infection or severe vitamin A deficiency, you will need prescription…
Answered by Dylan Wilson
Hello, doctor. I need advice about my 7-year-old female cat, Lucy, who has been coughing for…
Sorry to hear about your cat. Unfortunately, there is a long list of respiratory conditions a cat can have. The best method would be a vet assessment with radiographs and bloodwork. You can…
Answered by Dylan Wilson
Painted turtle, possible shell rot. I’m just wondering if it’s worth bringing him in. I firs…
reptilesSorry to hear about your turtle. What is their basking set up? Do you know what temperature the water and basking area stays around? If this is shell rot, he needs to see a veterinarian for…
Answered by Dylan Wilson
Hello, I recently purchased a five-month-old female sugar glider. Since bringing her home, s…
otherI would definitely recommend a vet visit if you are observing open mouth breathing and wheezing. Moving is very stressful to a sugar glider, especially if they are by themselves and will sho…
Answered by Dylan Wilson
before you ask
What to expect from Ask a Vet
Does it cost anything?
- No. There is no charge to pet owners and no card is asked for.
Who answers?
- A US-licensed veterinarian on PawsRx, a veterinary student, or the PawsRx team, and every answer says which. The veterinarian is an independent practitioner, not a PawsRx employee.
How long does an answer take?
- There is no promised time. You can post at any hour, and a question reaches a licensed veterinarian on PawsRx the moment it is posted. An answer comes when the veterinarian is free, usually in daytime hours, and that can be the same day or several days. If your pet may be in danger now, a 24-hour emergency hospital is the right call, not a written question. Who actually answers at night.
Is the answer a diagnosis?
- No. An answer is general guidance to help you decide what to do next. Nobody here has examined your animal, so it is not a diagnosis, not a prescription, and not a reason to change a medication without your own veterinarian.
Which animals can I ask about?
- Any. Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, birds, reptiles, fish and horses all come through here. If you need a practice that sees your species, the directory lists more than 26,000 practices and can be searched by species. Search the directory by species.
Is my question public?
- Private, unless you choose to share it in the community. If you share it and a licensed veterinarian answers, the answer is posted on that thread under the veterinarian's name. Answers a veterinarian chooses to publish also appear in the answer library, without your account details.
Can I ask in Spanish?
- Yes. The form opens in Spanish for a Spanish-language browser, and a question written in Spanish is welcome.