Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR)

A Veterinary Client-Patient Relationship—VCPR for short, defines the relationship between you, your animal, and your veterinarian. While it may look slightly different across species, the core idea remains the same: your veterinarian must know you and your animal well enough to appropriately address medical concerns.

How a VCPR Is Established:

For small animals and horses, a VCPR is maintained through an annual exam. During this visit, Dr. Llanes performs a complete nose-to-tail examination and discusses important topics such as diet, exercise, and environment.

For livestock, a VCPR requires an annual site visit. During this visit, we review herd health, nutrition, and management practices, including breeding, sick-animal protocols, castration, and more.

Why an Up-to-Date VCPR Matters/ Telemedicine & Alaska’s Challenges:

Maintaining a current VCPR ensures we are doing everything possible to help your animals live healthy, productive lives. Whether your goal is keeping your heart dog on the trail for years to come or improving weaning weights in your calf crop, routine veterinary care has proven benefits.

A valid VCPR also allows us to offer telemedicine appointments when appropriate.

Dr. Llanes covers a very large practice area, and Alaska’s unpredictable conditions can sometimes make travel impossible. With a valid VCPR, we can discuss concerns over the phone and create a plan to address your animal’s needs while determining if and when an in‑person visit is necessary. This can be especially helpful during situations like colic in horses or the busy kidding/lambing season.

Preventative Care & Supporting Local Veterinary Services:

Preventative medicine is a cornerstone of Dr. Llanes’ approach. Establishing a VCPR includes equipping clients with the knowledge and tools they need to respond effectively in emergencies or illness.

A VCPR also supports the small business that is Interior Mobile Vet. Relying on emergency-only calls every few years is not sustainable for any veterinary practice. Supporting local means helping IMV remain available for years to come. Plus, Dr. Llanes genuinely enjoys seeing your animals when they are happy and healthy—not only when they’re sick.

Emergency Care & VCPR Requirements:

As mentioned above, relying solely on emergency calls is not healthy for the practice or the veterinarian. For this reason:

Emergency services are offered only to large-animal clients with an active VCPR.
IMV does not provide small-animal emergency services.

Dr. Llanes cares deeply for her patients and strives to be there when they need her. She will see a non-client—or a client with an outdated VCPR—for an emergency once, and only once. After that, you will be informed of this policy and expected to maintain a valid VCPR to continue receiving emergency support.

We’ll Help You Stay Current:

Life gets busy, and we know it’s hard to remember everything. You don’t need to worry about keeping track of your VCPR renewal—we’ll send reminders so you stay up to date😊.