COVID-19 OSVS UPDATE

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought significant challenges to all of us. From the beginning of this crisis, we have chosen to remain open and fully staffed in order to provide the care needed by the pets in the region. Due to limited services being offered at other regional ER/Specialty centers, limited staffing at some area local veterinary practices, and circumstances we do not fully understand, our caseload during this period has been approximately 30% higher than our usual very busy summer caseload. We are also experiencing some staffing shortages due to the pandemic.

In an effort to ensure that those pets that require immediate and life-saving care can receive it, we have had to implement a system to determine which patients can receive treatment when the ER service is very busy. While we never want to deny care to any pet in need, we are forced to focus on those pets that cannot wait to see their regular veterinarian without significant risk of serious consequences. In some situations, we will be able to see any pet whose owner is willing to wait while we deal with the most serious cases first, but in some situations we will not be able to provide care for pets who we determine are clinically stable. We will always strive to provide some advice and guidance on how to best keep your pet safe until you can see your regular veterinarian.

If your pet needs emergency care:

    • Please first try calling your regular veterinarian to see if they can accommodate you.
    • Call OSVS before heading in – Our staff will be able to advise you on whether your pet’s condition is something that we are able to treat given how busy things are at the hospital at that time. They may also provide advice for care you can provide, or set you up with an appointment with one of our specialists if that is more appropriate.
    • During the Covid-19 pandemic, all client service is being handled curb-side. Your pet will be assessed and likely taken into the building for initial assessment and stabilization. You will be asked to approve initial care. Depending on what your pet needs, and whether it is likely to either take hours or require hospital admission, you may be able to leave instead of waiting to talk to a doctor.
    • The doctor will call you to discuss treatment options and costs. At that time, there will be some documents for you to review and either sign remotely or approve over the phone, and a deposit may be required.

Visitation and Update Calls: Because the staff is working hard to treat an unprecedented number of patients, we have had to limit the time that the staff spends on the phone with clients giving updates. We are also not able to allow pet owners to visit their pets while hospitalized. We know this is a hardship, but hope you understand the importance of protecting our staff from possible COVID infection. If your pet is hospitalized, you will speak with the doctor at least once a day and will receive a nursing update – usually before noon. We ask that you not call for updates before 11am or after 6pm as these are the times when the staff is the least likely to be able to leave their patients for phone calls.