COVID-19 - What are we doing?

Posted: 29th July 2020

Lockdown part 2

09 | 11 | 2020

What you need to know

England’s second lockdown started on Thursday 5th November 2020. Since the announcement, Vale Vets have been working hard to balance the government guidelines, protect the health and wellbeing of staff, support the business and ensure we keep our clients safe and our patients healthy.

The guidance from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) is for veterinary practices to remain open during the lockdown for the provision of essential animal health and welfare services.

Our teams would like to thank you for your continued support and co-operation during this time. Your compliance is so vital for Vale Vets to remain open and care for pets.

Vale will continue to offer the wide range of services we do with the following modifications to help us protect staff, clients and business:

Vaccination of dogs: Vaccinations will continue to be offered; this service is currently offered at our Pet Rehab facility in Uley. Kennel cough vaccines are to be suspended until after the lockdown ends (unless your dog is coming in for its annual booster in which case kennel cough can be given at the same time).

Vaccination of cats: Vaccinations for cats are to be suspended until after the lockdown ends unless doing so will mean the cat goes more than 3 months over its due date.

Vaccination of rabbits: Vaccinations for rabbits to continue as normal.

PHC 6-month checks: These checks are to be suspended during lockdown. If you have a question or query regarding your pets' weight, diet, teeth etc. please contact us and we can organise for our fab clinic nurses to call and discuss.

Nail clips: This service is suspended until after lockdown, unless your pet is having difficulty walking or a nail is curling in towards the pads.

If you call to request an appointment we will advise accordingly. If we are unable to provide the service during lockdown then we can provisionally book your appointment for December.

Online consultations: If you are unable to travel to us, but you require advice from a veterinary professional, we can offer you a telephone or video consultation – please note this is charged at our normal consultation fee of £49.99.

We ask that if you are isolating or a member of your household is isolating, or if you are displaying any symptoms of COVID-19, that you do not attend the practice.

What are we doing?

29 | 07 2020

After government advice and advice from the BVA and RCVS Vale Referrals made the decision back in March to see only urgent and emergency cases. These rules have now been relaxed and we are now running our referral service as normal. We are still offering telemedicine consultations to discuss your pets' condition and from here we can help make a plan and assess what can or should be done. Our telemedicine calls can be done either over the phone or via a video link!

We ask that if you are self isolating or shielding you let us know and we can ensure this is the consultation route we provide for you.

For our referring vets we offer this same service where we can aid you in managing patients if clients are unable to travel to us or are perhaps self isolating. We have put together a service for you on our website here Telemedicine

If you have been asked to have your consultation at the referral centre, then please let the reception team know you are here and wait back outside in the car park. On hot days please ensure your pet is not left in the car, but stand outside with them. We ask that you all cat carriers are secure and that all dogs are on their lead.

*Please note all telemedicine consultations are payable at the time of booking. For referring vets we can invoice your practice.

** Should our referral clinician wish to prescribe treatments these must be paid for prior to postage

Should you be attending the practice or requiring a video consultation the following rules apply:

Our door is now open but our waiting area inside is not for use just yet.
Please wear a mask when onsite.
Some consultations are to be done over the telephone or via a video consultation link.
Telephone and video consultations must be paid for at the time of booking.
Medications prescribed over the phone by your vet will be required to be paid for before they are collected or posted to you.
Please check in at reception and complete / hand in any paperwork required. Such as insurance forms.
Your Vet will then come out into the car park and to consult with you and collect your pet.
We advise only one person to travel to the practice with their pet. We do not want our vets to meet additional members of the public.
If you are collecting repeat medications please visit our click and collect window.
Please use the hand sanitiser provided
Our team will continue cleaning contact points hourly along with other touch points.

These are unprecedented times and we thank you for your support. Your cooperation means our teams can provide care for your sick and injured pets for as long as possible.

To contact us call 01453 542092 - our phone lines are very busy currently.

Making your visit as safe as possible

We ask clients who are showing symptoms (fever, dry cough and high temperature) to NOT come into our hospital. Where possible please ask a friend or relative who is symptom free to bring your pet instead.

When phoning to book your appointment you will be asked some “screening” questions to ensure, in the interest of public health, that you are not at risk. To aid with this process it will no longer be possible to book via our online booking system.

We ask that face masks are worn. Please allow additional time for your visit in case of small delays.

We ask that only one person comes to the practice with your pet. This is to limit numbers of people in the waiting room and reduce the number you come into contact with. We have made more space between seats in the waiting room to help you keep a healthy distance from one another.

We ask that clients continue to use hand sanitisers on entry to the practice and again at check in at our reception desk. We ask that where possible please pay by debit card to avoid exchange of money - this is a known vector of the virus so reducing your need to handle money is a good way of safeguarding yourself.

Home visits

At this moment in time we do still offer home visits but we ask you consider the urgency for this. There may come a point over the next days / weeks that this may be a service we can no longer provide should things change. We will keep you posted. If you are self isolating or do not pass the screening process we are unable to visit your home.

Client and pet events

As many of you know we hold various client events for you and your pets, such as Puppy Parties and Tortoise Parties and other informative client events. During this time, we are sadly having to put these gatherings on hold. Stay tuned for upcoming articles from our team offering advice on healthy tortoises to well socialised puppies! Visit our page New Puppy Information

Repeat prescriptions

We would advise owners to ensure you are adequately supplied with long term medications. Please allow 48hours notice when ordering these. Consider having enough medication for 1-3 months. If you would like your prescription posted by recorded delivery for the additional postage fee we are happy to do this and save you coming out.

Your pet and COVID-19

This article from Idexx explains how no cats or dogs have tested positive for COVID-19:

What about our four legged members of the family?

Coronavirus: are pets at risk?

The frightening virus is spreading rapidly, but will it affect our pets?

Coronavirus continues to cause upset and unrest among the human population, but does it pose a risk to our pets too?

Can the virus affect pets/animals?

Not at the moment. There’s no evidence that pets can catch the disease, or that they can transmit COVID-19 between humans.

Will this always be the case?

At the moment, it’s difficult to be sure. The coronavirus outbreak has sent the UK and the rest of the world into uncharted territory and it’s unclear what the next steps will be.

It’s important to be on the lookout and to contact a medical professional if you feel unwell. Likewise, give us a call if your pet seems unwell.

If I’m poorly, should I worry about spreading illness to my pet?

COVID-19 is not yet known to affect pets, but similar viruses can be transmitted from humans to pets and vice versa.

To be on the safe side, stay as hygienic as possible. Wash your dog’s paws thoroughly after a walk and wash your hands regularly. At home, clean your pet’s sleeping/living area regularly and if you’re ill, keep physical contact to a minimum… and avoid letting your pet lick your face altogether.

Concerns about exposure to the virus…

If your pet is ill and you think exposure to coronavirus is the cause of their symptoms, give us a call before your visit. It’s important to make your veterinary team aware.

Symptoms of illness may include:

Coughing and sneezing
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Reluctance to eat, drink or move
A change in personality
Lethargy or tiredness

Keep up with the news…

The COVID-19 virus has caused a great deal of unrest and uncertainty, but do your best not to panic. Keep an eye on the news, both for trusted advice and for what is happening in your area.

Meanwhile, stay as hygienic as possible and be sure to give your doctor a call if you’re feeling at risk. As ever, if you’re worried about your pet, don’t hesitate to;