In this exclusive in-depth interview with TeleMedTrends, we had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Cherice Roth, Chief Veterinary Officer of Digital Pet Health at Mars Veterinary Health. Dr. Roth shares her remarkable journey into veterinary medicine; the transformative impact of technology on pet healthcare; the integration of telemedicine in clinical practice; and even her inspiring work advocating for diversity in veterinary medicine and writing children’s books about the field. Read on as we explore her insights and experiences that are shaping the future of digital pet health.

Key Takeaways

Dr. Cherice Roth discusses her journey in veterinary medicine, the transformative impact of telemedicine, and her advocacy for diversity in the field.

  • Dr. Roth’s career highlights the importance of mentorship and technology in expanding access to veterinary care.
  • Telemedicine is seen as a crucial tool for improving access to care, especially in underserved areas.
  • Dr. Roth advocates for diversity and representation in veterinary medicine through mentorship and children’s books.

A Journey Rooted in Mentorship and Self-Discovery

Dr. Ruth’s journey into veterinary medicine was anything but conventional. Growing up as a first-generation college student, she “didn’t meet a veterinarian until my third year of undergraduate school,” so for a long time, the profession remained out of sight—and out of mind. It wasn’t until she was in graduate school, working on animal models in her own research, that she “recognized the work being done in veterinary medicine.”

Around this same time, a married couple of Black veterinarians stepped in as mentors, offering her guidance for the required animal contact hours and supporting her vet school application process. Their help paved the way for her eventual graduation from Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

She started out as a general practice veterinarian, gradually building confidence in her clinical skills. Soon, she was performing advanced surgical procedures and yearned to stay informed about her patients’ recoveries. “I shared my contact information, so that I could perform what’s now called ‘asynchronous telemedicine,’” she says, referring to how she encouraged pet owners to send photos, videos, and updates on their pets. According to Dr. Ruth, “The families told me they LOVED this access.” Recognizing the value of these interactions, she began to document the benefits and identify areas for improvement.

She then discovered the power of virtual support while she was up at night with her first son. “I found a company called Vet 24 Seven that had veterinarians providing teletriage for pet owners,” she says, “and I realized I was already doing this with my clients.” This revelation led to her joining the company as a teletriage doctor; by the time she moved on, she had become their VP of veterinary operations.

Across both roles, she noticed how “pet owners were extremely grateful to have access to veterinary professionals during their time of need.” These experiences fueled her desire to expand digital veterinary services and “have more pet owners gain peace of mind by increasing access to veterinary professionals.” It’s a vision she continues to pursue—and one that traces back to those first glimpses of a field she never knew existed until, in her words, she “recognized the work being done in veterinary medicine.”

Transforming Pet Healthcare Through Technology

Dr. Ruth has witnessed firsthand how emerging technologies are breaking down barriers between pets, their owners, and veterinary professionals. “Technology has expanded access to veterinary care,” she tells us. Telemedicine, in particular, has enabled veterinarians to “connect with pets and their owners in ways we couldn’t easily do so before,” addressing the challenges of rural living, transportation hurdles, or simply the constraints on a pet owner’s schedule.

She also anticipates even greater strides in the coming years. “In the future, I expect to see more interoperability in technology and pet care,” she says, describing a scenario in which veterinary teams can seamlessly access a pet’s medical history without relying solely on an owner’s recollection. She points to wearable devices as another area of promise, noting how they help providers gather “more objective information and insights about what’s happening in the pet’s body.” For Dr. Ruth, these advancements signal not just an upgrade in convenience, but a more profound shift toward personalized, proactive veterinary care.

Navigating Challenges in a Rapidly Evolving Landscape

Dr. Ruth points out that one of the biggest hurdles in veterinary telehealth “is that regulations and legislation are disparate.” In other words, a pet’s ability to receive care remotely can change drastically depending on the state they call home. Still, she believes there are clear steps we can take to address these issues:

Understanding Local Regulations: “Telehealth providers must understand their local regulations and legislation.”

Establishing Clear Guidelines: “Veterinary medical boards must talk with real telemedicine providers to help establish clear guidelines around trusting the veterinarian to make the right clinical decision for pets in their care in telehealth scenarios, just like we allow veterinarians to make the choice of whether surgery is needed for a patient in the clinic.”

Veterinary professionals must be empowered to use the right tool at the right time

Dr. Cherice Roth

Empowering Veterinary Professionals: “Veterinary professionals must be empowered to use the right tool at the right time – including being able to create a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) remotely especially if it is to prevent or stop a pet from suffering.”

Listening to Pet Owners: “We must listen to pet owners who crave greater access and options for pet healthcare.”

By coming together—policymakers, practitioners, and owners—Dr. Ruth believes we can “contribute to solutions for current access-to-care barriers.” It’s a vision in which every pet, regardless of location, receives the care it needs when it’s needed most.

Integrating Telemedicine into Routine Veterinary Care

In her role at Mars Veterinary Health, Dr. Ruth has been spearheading new ways to bring veterinary expertise directly to pets and their families. “As part of our efforts to increase access to high-quality care across our connected Mars Veterinary Health network,” she explains, “we continue to explore teletriage, teleadvice, virtual care, and telemedicine options for our clients and their pets.”

These initiatives focus on providing accessible, on-demand care, no matter where a pet owner might be. “For example,” Dr. Ruth says, “we’re innovating to virtually meet pet owners where they are through offerings like Banfield Pet Chat™ and Virtual Petcare, and VCA Live Chat for 24/7 tele-triage and virtual office visits.”

This strategy not only ensures continuity of care but also helps reduce the anxiety pet owners often feel when deciding whether to bring their pets into the clinic. The flexibility and immediacy of telemedicine can be especially beneficial during emergencies or for routine follow-ups that may not require direct physical intervention.

Telemedicine’s Role in Expanding Access for Underserved Communities

According to Dr. Ruth, “telehealth has generally expanded access to veterinary care for underserved areas, particularly by enabling pet owners to interact with veterinary professionals virtually.” This is a game-changer for communities in remote locations or places where transporting pets to a clinic can be complicated. As she puts it, “it’s crucial for a pet owner to know whether they truly need to bring a pet into the clinic or if their veterinarian can virtually come to them.” Even just clarifying that point can significantly reduce stress and eliminate barriers like a lengthy drive or limited clinic hours.

She also highlights that telemedicine offers financial accessibility. “Pet owners may have a lower-cost alternative,” she notes, because they “don’t have to take time off work to get questions answered.” Beyond cost, telemedicine is invaluable during emergencies—particularly in disaster scenarios where in-person care may be impossible. In these moments, immediate virtual support can assist with urgent needs, whether it’s after-hours crisis help or just knowing how to keep a pet safe until a clinic visit is possible. Dr. Ruth believes that telehealth services “help pet owners understand the best next steps for their pet,” including whether a problem is dire or can wait until morning. The same virtual channels also serve as platforms for educating owners about vital preventive measures—like flea, tick, and heartworm prevention or timely vaccinations—allowing for early intervention the moment a symptom appears.

Balancing Telemedicine with In-Person Care

Dr. Ruth firmly believes that “telemedicine isn’t about replacing in-person care; rather, it serves as an additive method to achieve the best outcomes for pets.” In her view, this new tool should enhance—rather than overshadow—traditional clinical visits, offering an alternative way to support pets when physical appointments might be impractical or delayed.

She points out that each state or country “has established quality care standards through their veterinary medical examining boards or equivalent governing bodies,” making it vital to follow these guidelines in direct-care scenarios. But she also stresses that veterinary professionals should have “the flexibility to utilize telemedicine when appropriate.”

Dr. Ruth likens telemedicine to using a scalpel in surgery: “Not every procedure in veterinary medicine requires a scalpel, and we trust our veterinarians to know when it is appropriate to use one and when it isn’t. We should extend that same level of trust to the use of telemedicine.” By granting veterinarians this professional judgment, she explains, telemedicine can seamlessly complement in-person care without compromising quality.

Practical Advice for Veterinarians Embracing Digital Health

Dr. Ruth believes that successfully introducing telemedicine into a veterinary practice starts with a plan. “Offering telemedicine within a practice should make financial sense for your practice while advancing access to care and enabling high-quality care,” she says. For her, that means creating a clear business strategy—one that accounts for local legislation and regulations and pinpoints the types of cases that can be well-served through digital care. She also notes, “It doesn’t always have to be a veterinarian providing virtual care; veterinary technicians are well-equipped to engage in meaningful conversations with pet owners about their pets’ health.”

Once the plan is in place, she urges practitioners to “take action.” The key, she advises, is to start small. “Begin by identifying the types of cases you want to handle through telemedicine,” Dr. Ruth suggests. “You can start gradually by offering appointments via Zoom or Google Meet, or by conducting asynchronous telemedicine check-ins for spays and neuters.” Even if you’re new to this technology, she points out that the entire team can learn together. Over time, as pet owners offer positive feedback about these virtual services, it will fuel further expansion of telemedicine capabilities.

Embracing Emerging Technologies: Wearables and Artificial Intelligence

When considering the future of digital pet health, Dr. Ruth lights up at the prospect of two powerful forces: wearables and artificial intelligence. “I’m most excited about how wearables and artificial intelligence are positively shifting how we gain insight on our patients’ health,” she says, noting that this type of technology can fill a gap in communication. After all, our pets can’t tell us what’s wrong in words—but these tools can collect and analyze crucial data to complement the observations of the people who know them best.

Dr. Ruth believes these technologies will allow veterinarians to “diagnose and address hidden pain in our patients,” uncovering issues that might otherwise go undetected. She is also hopeful that AI and wearables will work hand in hand to identify patterns in early disease processes, “allowing us to detect disease processes even earlier than currently possible.” By merging a pet owner’s intuition with quantifiable information, digital pet health could transform preventive care and the overall well-being of our furry companions.

Advocating for Diversity and Representation in Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Ruth’s dedication to ensuring that veterinary medicine better mirrors the communities it serves goes hand in hand with her telemedicine work. “There’s a clear opportunity gap for opportunities to enter veterinary medicine,” she says, noting that despite the growing diversity of pet owners, “this change has not occurred among our veterinary professionals.” As a first-generation college student—and the first doctor in her family—she understands this reality all too well. Now, she sees it as her mission not only to serve as a mentor but also to demonstrate that “if you can see it, you can be it.”

Her telemedicine experience has brought her into contact with a wide variety of families, some of whom tell her, “You’re the first Black doctor I’ve ever met.” Dr. Ruth recalls seeing children’s eyes light up, confident that they’re getting an earlier start on discovering the possibilities of a veterinary career than she did. “Our profession needs to reflect the diversity in our world so we can take care of pets and pet owners,” she says. And for those in underrepresented communities who might struggle to access a veterinary clinic, telemedicine can be the first point of contact—perhaps their first glimpse into a field that desperately needs more voices like theirs. Through these digital encounters, Dr. Ruth hopes to “draw new hearts and minds into this incredible profession.”

I’ve had the privilege of interacting with all types of families through veterinary telemedicine, some of whom have expressed that I’m the first Black doctor they’ve ever met. Seeing their children in the background and watching their eyes light up reassures me that they are starting in a better place than I was in my third year of college.

Dr. Cherice Roth

Inspiring the Next Generation Through Literature

Dr. Ruth’s love of reading began early, and for her, books were a window to new experiences: “I used books to explore the world around me, get to know people, and see faces that I had never seen before.” Once she became a veterinarian, she recognized that her own childhood was more common than she realized—countless children had “never interacted with or even been exposed to veterinary medicine,” and thus, rarely considered it a career path.

“I watch my colleagues explain why being a veterinarian is a real doctor and decided to write it down,” she explains. That decision turned into a series of children’s books designed to show kids that veterinarians are indeed doctors—and that doctors can look like everyone. “It was also very important to me that the people in the book reflected my story,” she says, describing how her stories highlight doctors of every background, color, gender, and ability level.

By putting these inclusive images on the page, Dr. Ruth hopes children will see themselves in the faces of the doctors who care for animals. “The takeaway is to hopefully inspire any child to become a doctor, like I did,” she adds. Her message is simple yet profound: if they can see it, they can be it.

Conclusion

Dr. Cherice Roth’s journey into digital pet health is a powerful illustration of how innovation, mentorship, and diverse representation can reshape an entire field. As a first-generation college student who only discovered veterinary medicine during graduate school, she has blazed a trail for others who may not fit the traditional mold. Through telemedicine and other virtual solutions, Dr. Roth expands care to communities once considered out of reach, ensuring that technology serves as a bridge rather than a barrier.

Her commitment to listening to pet owners, empowering veterinary teams, and elevating diverse voices runs parallel to her advocacy in every sense—whether she’s advising practices on the logistics of telehealth or writing children’s books to inspire the next generation of veterinarians. Dr. Roth’s insights remind us that with careful planning, an inclusive mindset, and a spirit of collaboration, veterinary medicine can continue to evolve in ways that benefit practitioners, pets, and their families alike. Here at TeleMedTrends, we look forward to the continued growth of a field that is more accessible, innovative, and representative than ever before.

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