Covid19 and Your Veterinary Clinic

The emergence of Covid19 created some unique challenges in Veterinary medicine. How could we keep our staff safe, our clients safe, and still provide excellent care to our patients. It’s very hard to provide high quality medicine without putting your hands and eyes on a patient. There is a place for telemedicine, but often it is just answering the question of “does my pet need to be seen?” Many times, in order to truly get to a diagnosis, the answer is yes. So working from home was not an option.

Veterinary clinics across the country then had to decide what changes needed to be made to still provide essential care to our beloved pets, while not risking a potentially deadly virus spreading through the clinic. A small number of clinics have chosen to not make any changes. I suspect these are clinics located in more rural communities with very few cases. But as things change and evolve these policies will need to be adjusted.

Some clinics have opted to allow a limited number of clients in to the clinic. For example they may limit families to 1 adult per visit. They are usually taking these clients directly in to the exam room, requiring that masks be worn, and limiting time spent in the lobby. Unfortunately this can limit the number of patients who can be seen as it takes time to keep a lobby clear and disinfected.

But a large majority of clinics, including the one I work at, have adopted a “curbside” approach. The clients are asked to call from their cars, a technician wearing a mask steps outside to take a history, and then the pet is collected and brought in to the clinic alone. Once I perform my exam I call the client with my findings and recommendations. They are then checked out and the pet is brought back out to the car, or I do further testing and call again with results. It has been, in my opinion, a much safer way to practice during this period of time. But there are some negatives of course.

For the clients, this may be stressful and scary. They aren’t there to offer comfort to their pets and are left to wonder what is happening inside. In my experience, most of the pets are handling the separation from their people fine, but for some it is a scarier experience. I can promise you that anyone who chooses to work in a veterinary clinic loves animals. We are loving on your pet and trying to minimize any discomfort that they may feel. I observe my technicians and assistants offering lap cuddles and belly rubs while I talk with clients on the phone. The kitty patients, who are usually the most nervous, are given a quiet room to settle in while I step away to talk with their owners.

So while we know you are nervous, I would ask that you remember your veterinary clinic, and so many other essential workers, are doing their best in a very difficult and stressful time. A little bit of patience and grace will get us through to whatever normal we will have on the other side.