Vet visits during COVID

misschoo

Hi all I’m just wondering how you are dealing with vet visits in the last few weeks. My dog has been quite unwell with two overnight visits to UCD pet emergency and follow up visits to my own vet. I’ve been finding the vet consults extremely difficult and stressful not being able to be there while the vet is examining my dog and forgetting to say things at the start and the end because it’s a quick consult at the car or the door of the surgery. I’m finding it hard that vets can’t allow one person per dog in the surgery while maintaining social distancing and both of us wearing masks.

tk123

I’m finding it ok... Bailey is not! If I walk him to the door he’ll go in with them if they have a dental stick to bribe him! His favourite treat! He’s very anxious even waiting in the car at this stage - he used to like sitting in the waiting room with his football and asking everyone to pet him. I’ve been lucky that we’ve just had routine kind of things - tummy upsets and his weekly laser therapy. What I usually do when it’s a planned visit, is make a list on my phone so I don’t forget anything I wanted to ask or mention. I want to see our vet when she’s back from leave in Sept and I need her to show me some stretches to make sure I’m doing them right - I don’t know how that will work because we both need to be kneeling beside Bailey? The vets around the corner from us are letting people wait in the waiting room now but ours is still carpark. I’m ok as the car has air con but there was one day when it would have IMO been dangerous to sit waiting in a hot car so I wonder if they’ve allowed for that?
I don’t know what I would have done if this had happened last year and having to go back and forth with Lucy as I think it would have added to the stress of it all? So I understand how you must be feeling I hope your dog is feeling better?

tiredblondie

I've found my vets great to be honest throughout it all.
I had to do an emergency visit after my dog was bitten, she also had maybe 4 other visits since too for various health reasons, blood tests, surgery, more blood tests!!
New dog also had to go and get his vaccinations.

I ring when i am outside and they check me in, then the vet will ring me and go through any issues and what the plan for the visit is. Then they ring me when they are done and go through what they done, what they need to do etc. I pay them, they return the dogs!

All in all i have been very happy with how it has gone!
Obviously i'd rather go in with the dogs to give them comfort, but it's also good for them to learn that the vet isn't the big bad monster they all seem to think they are!!

AryaStark

Our vet never changed the way he works and lets people in the back room with him. The waiting area is large and he let people wait in with some seats blocked off and the toilet closed.

I wore a shield and a mask while in the room with the vet and didn't touch any surfaces.

I was glad because my dog would be quite shy without me. But not great that he is ignoring protocols.

tk123

AryaStark wrote: »

I was glad because my dog would be quite shy without me. But not great that he is ignoring protocols.

I wouldn’t like that he was ignoring protocols tbh. I stopped B’s laser for a good while as I felt I could be putting staff at risk as well as myself. Our practice is big enough with vets, nurses and other staff on site. I’m very lucky that he’s quite relaxed there as he’s been going every week for about a year so even though he’s anxious he’s ok going in with them. I’d like to get him some acupuncture but atm it’s not doable - there’s no way he’d go into the practice that does it without me so would be too stressful for all involved!

AryaStark

tk123 wrote: »

I wouldn’t like that he was ignoring protocols tbh. I stopped B’s laser for a good while as I felt I could be putting staff at risk as well as myself. Our practice is big enough with vets, nurses and other staff on site. I’m very lucky that he’s quite relaxed there as he’s been going every week for about a year so even though he’s anxious he’s ok going in with them. I’d like to get him some acupuncture but atm it’s not doable - there’s no way he’d go into the practice that does it without me so would be too stressful for all involved!

I have been with this vet for years and he knows my girl very well and is a great vet. That is the only reason I didnt change vets because of this. I found it hard to get a vet I trusted.

I wish he would follow protocols and be more careful. One day I had to say it to him as he wasnt wearing his mask.

bertiebomber

I wear a mask and am allowed to accompany the dog. Have the mask on when you arrive and insist. My sighthound is a diva and he needed a small procedure i had to be there as he screams very loud and its sounds like he is being tortured but hes just a big baby. So wear the mask before you reach the reception desk instills a feeling of responsibility on your part.

Springwell

It depends on the clinic - the one I'm doing some work for currently will absolutely not allow you in especially as two of the vets are in the vulnerable category. If you tried insist they'd offer to send your records to another clinic for you.

Funny lots of pets are actually better behaved without the owner present!

sekond

Our vet (as of 3 weeks ago, we're new to the whole pet ownership thing) allows one person in with the animal, so long as they are masked, use hand sanitizer and keep to the 2m distance (which was possible for us as it was just kitten vaccinations - the vet would have just taken them inside herself, but I had 1001 questions to ask. I'll probably just let her take them in while I wait outside for the next lot). You wait in the car park until they come to get you (and payment etc is all done in the car park afterwards too).

As I said, I'm new to the whole thing, but it seems to work quite well.

em_cat

We’ve been in and out several times with a Esmae, as she has yet again stepped on some glass that was hiding in the grass, nasty cut to the metacarpal pad. Another set of sutures, more stinky vet wrap etc... I’m let in without a mask, simply because with asthma, wearing one is very difficult & anxiety is high enough on normal days. They let me in with her as she is very skittish & fearful and she will only let one of the vets somewhat handle her. Once she’s out and in post op, they give her back to me for monitoring. I’ve made a heap of masks for the practice so at least they can be protected.