Can I still take my pet to the vet during the pandemic?
As the COVID pandemic continues to surge globally, accessing in-person veterinary care has become increasingly challenging. Pet owners struggle with quarantine and stay-at-home orders as veterinary facilities are juggling an overwhelming volume of new pet adoptions and keeping their teams physically and mentally safe during this crisis.
Long In-Clinic Wait Times
Veterinary practices across North America have adopted new safety protocols and measures contributing to delays and long wait times. Veterinarians are using new safety procedures like curbside drop-off and telehealth calls, which increase safety but have disrupted how practices are run. The average appointment wait time has nearly doubled, with emergency clinics facing up to over 8 hours in wait times. Non-urgent appointments such as wellness visits are also being scheduled out more than normal.
A Surge in Pet Ownership
A spike in pet ownership during the pandemic means more pets that need care. And many already established pet owners have spent more time at home with their pets, giving them a greater opportunity to notice potential health issues they otherwise may have missed.
Turning Away New Patients
Due to appointment volume overflow, some clinics are not accepting new patients at all. This makes it increasingly difficult for anyone who adopted a pet during the pandemic to access quality veterinary care for their animals, especially those who are first-time pet owners.
How Telemedicine Can Help:
Vet clinics are so over-booked that animals needing access to prescriptions and treatment plans are having to wait weeks, which has the potential to impact survival rates. Pet owners shouldn’t let wait time concerns get in the way of booking a vet appointment for a sick pet. The good news is, many appointments and medications can be performed and administered from home!
Whether your regular vet is fully booked or is not accepting new patients at the moment, get peace of mind knowing Vetster is here for you around the clock for all of your pet wellness needs. Connecting with a licensed and experienced, veterinary professional from the comfort of your own home is an enormously valuable tool. We are pleased to be helping pets and pet parents during this difficult time.
More questions about accessing pet care? Book an appointment with one of our licensed veterinary professionals today!
