Central Veterinary Services COVID-19 Action Plan
Starting Wednesday, March 18th, 2020 Central Veterinary Services will not be permitting any clients to enter our clinic directly.
To minimize client’s and staff member’s likelihood of exposure to COVID-19, we now offer curbside pick-up and drop-off for all appointments where staff members will be wearing a mask at all times.
When you arrive at Central Veterinary Services, please call or text 204-275-2038 and inform our receptionist of your name and pet’s name and what you are here for (an appointment vs. medication refill). Please also let them know the make/color/license plate number of your vehicle.
To our clients,
We cannot thank you enough for being so wonderful during these difficult times. Your cooperation in adhering to our new procedures and your words of gratitude and encouragement are appreciated more than you know. Our team takes refuge in our focus on being there to help our clients and patients during these uncertain times.
We hope to continue to be a safe place for you and your animals to turn during times of distress. We plan to continue to provide our clients and patients with the quality of veterinary care you have learned to expect from Central Veterinary Services. We will continue to keep you updated on our hours and services and any changing procedures you can expect in your interactions with us. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in helping us do our part in our communities to adhere to social distancing and flattening the curve.
In addition to the previous weeks’ developments of closing our clinic doors and offering car-side service, we have now made a change in how we will handle any non-urgent appointment requests such as wellness examinations where there are no health concerns, and routine spays and neuters.
Our recommendations will be case by case, where we will work with you to determine if a visit to the clinic with your pet, at this time, is necessary. This is in the effort to preserve valuable medical supplies, as well as limit the risk of the spread of COVID-19 even further by further limiting in person contact.
To facilitate this change, we will expanding our virtual health program and taking advantage of telemedicine video consults to help us better determine the best course of action in less urgent cases. Furthermore, this service will be valuable for situations where our clients are unable to readily visit the clinic.
Via these virtual appointments with your veterinarian, we hope to be able to prescribe needed medications, perform annual wellness appointments for preventative health recommendations, and make individualized medical care plans for you and your animals. If a visit into the clinic is deemed necessary after the virtual appointment, it should be quick and directed.
We are happy to be able to offer this service to ensure our continued presence for our patients and clients. And we will continue to update you as the outbreak develops in our community.
Our ultimate goal during this time is that our clients, our patients and our Central Vet team members stay physically and mentally healthy as possible. We recognize that we have some control over this situation by acting to minimize risk where we are able. We feel the measures we have put in place have allowed us to do this, and we will continue to adapt as needed.
Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts. We are stronger together in all of this, and we are grateful to have an amazing Central Vet team, and you as our clients, during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Dr. David Snell, Dr. Stephanie Van Deynze-Snell and the entire Central Vet team.
FOR STANDARD companion animal APPOINTMENTS:
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We will be using the decision tree below, created by associate vet Dr. Samyra Stuart-Altman in conjunction with the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association, to decide how all future appointments will be booked.
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For all non-emergent cases we ask that you fill out the “Summary of Patient’s Health for Exam” prior to your appointment.
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For all telemedicine appointments we will be sending a preparatory document via email prior to your appointment for you to read. This document will explain the things you need for the appointment (ie. the link to the ZOOM appointment, your pet, a well lit area, etc.) and the process of a telemedicine appointment.
FOR SURGERY DROP-OFFS & PICK-UPS:
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A veterinary team member will come out to your car wearing a mask to chat with you during the drop-off. You may be given a final estimate for the procedure and a consent form to sign.
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The surgery team will contact you and coordinate a pick-up time for your pet.
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Please call our office at 204-275-2038 when you arrive to pick-up your pet. The veterinary team member to take your call will collect a method of payment at that time and will transfer your call to the surgical team to discuss any discharge or follow-up instructions. The surgical team will then bring your pet out to your vehicle wearing a mask.
FOR MEDICATION REQUESTS & REFILLS:
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Medication for your pet may be requested through our Pet Desk App or via email to info@centralvet.ca.
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A veterinary team member will call, text or email you when your pet’s prescription is ready for pick up.
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Please call our office at 204-275-2038 when you arrive to pick-up the medication and we will collect payment over the phone. A veterinary team member will then bring the medication out to your car wearing a mask.
FOR LARGE ANIMAL APPOINTMENTS:
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Although we are happy to see our clients, we will be following a “no hand shaking” policy at this time and all staff members will be wearing a mask at all times.
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We will request that all clients limit the number of people present during an appointment to ONE owner or handler per horse.
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All treatments performed will be requested to occur in a well-ventilated area away from a large group of people.
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If you are feeling unwell, please cancel your appointment with us, whether it be on farm or in clinic. If it is an emergency but you (the client) are in isolation or sick, we will ask you NOT be present and have a trusted individual present for the procedures (friend, barn manager, etc) and we will get a formal update thereafter via phone or email.