Terms & Conditions

1. Scope of Services

Vet Clinical Consulting provides independent veterinary case analyses, second opinions, and advisory services on a remote basis.

Our services are informational and educational in nature. No on-site veterinary treatment, physical examination, diagnosis, or emergency care is provided.

2. No Treatment and No Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship

The services offered do not constitute direct veterinary treatment in a legal sense and do not establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) under Swiss, EU, U.S. state, or any other applicable law.

Our assessments are based solely on the information and materials submitted by the client and are intended to support — not replace — the attending veterinarian who examines the animal in person. All diagnoses, prescriptions, and treatment decisions remain the exclusive responsibility of the attending licensed veterinarian on site.

3. Professional Qualification and Jurisdictional Scope

The services are provided by a veterinarian qualified in Germany/the European Union and operating from Switzerland.

Vet Clinical Consulting is not licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the United States or in other jurisdictions where the client may be located, and does not purport to do so. Services are offered only as independent, informational second opinions and must not be relied upon as locally licensed veterinary practice.

4. Nature of Advice and Client Responsibilities

Our assessments do not include prescribing medication, providing emergency care, or directing hands-on treatment.

The client remains responsible for consulting a locally licensed veterinarian before acting on any information provided, and for all decisions concerning the animal’s care. In an emergency, the client must contact a local veterinary practice or emergency clinic immediately.

5. Duty to Cooperate and Client Warranties

The client is required to provide complete, accurate, and timely information as well as all available relevant medical records.

The client warrants that they are entitled to share the submitted materials, that the information is accurate, and that, where records concern another person (such as the animal’s owner), the necessary consent has been obtained. Our assessment relies on the accuracy and completeness of the materials provided.

6. Limitation of Liability

Consultations are provided to the best of our knowledge and belief based on the information submitted. We do not guarantee any particular clinical outcome, diagnosis, or result.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Vet Clinical Consulting’s total liability arising out of or in connection with any case or these Terms is limited to the fees actually paid by the client for the specific service concerned.

We shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages, nor for any loss arising from treatment decisions made by the attending veterinarian or from decisions made solely on the basis of the information provided. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot be excluded under applicable mandatory law.

7. Indemnification

The client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Vet Clinical Consulting from and against any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses arising out of the client’s use or misuse of our assessments, the client’s breach of these Terms, or treatment and other decisions made by the client or the attending veterinarian.

8. Intellectual Property

All reports, written assessments, and materials prepared by Vet Clinical Consulting remain our intellectual property. The client is granted the right to use them for the purpose of the specific case and the animal’s care. They may not be resold, published, or distributed for commercial purposes without our prior written consent.

9. Payment Terms

Fees are charged according to the prices agreed before the service is provided and are stated in Swiss Francs (CHF) unless otherwise agreed. Payment is due as indicated at the time of booking or on invoice.

As our services are delivered as individually prepared assessments, once work on a case has begun fees are generally non-refundable. Any cancellation or refund arrangements will be agreed in writing on a case-by-case basis.

10. Confidentiality and Data Protection

All submitted information and records are treated confidentially.

Personal data is processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including information on international data transfers for clients located outside Switzerland.

11. Use of Digital & AI Tools

Vet Clinical Consulting may use digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) solely for supportive and operational purposes, including the organization and formatting of submitted records and assistance with scientific literature research.

AI is an auxiliary tool and is not used to make final clinical judgments, diagnoses or treatment recommendations. All clinical assessments, conclusions and client reports are independently reviewed, authored and approved by a veterinarian.

AI may assist with organization and research; VetCC does not outsource veterinary judgment to AI.

By submitting documents, the client confirms that they are authorized to provide them for the purpose of the requested case review.

12. Force Majeure

We are not liable for any delay or failure to perform caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including illness, technical failures, or disruptions to third-party services.

13. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect, and the invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid provision that most closely reflects its intended purpose.

14. Amendments

We may amend these Terms from time to time. The version published on this website at the time the service is requested applies to that service.

15. Applicable Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and all services are governed by Swiss law, excluding its conflict-of-law rules and the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), regardless of the client’s location.

The exclusive place of jurisdiction is Thurgau, Switzerland, to the extent permitted by applicable mandatory law.