COVID 19 Update 16th April 2020

 

Covid 19 Update

Provision of veterinary care

This weekend our regulatory body the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the BVA have updated their guidance for veterinary professionals on how we can continue to undertake veterinary work after the government's initial three-week lockdown period comes up for review this week. 

As a result of these guidelines the BVA have stated

 

• Treatment should only go ahead if there is a real animal welfare justification within a two-month time frame.

This change primarily impacts vaccinations and neutering which previously we had been unable to perform.

Vaccinations

In these strange times, it’s natural to worry about the people and pets in your life but please above all remember that the primary advise in the U.K. is STAY AT HOME, essential travel only.

As a practice we are here for urgent and emergency cases but we are trying to do our bit towards minimising the spread of Coronavirus (SARS-2), therefore we ask you to consider if your pets vaccinations are ESSENTIAL and consider if there are alternatives to keep them safe in the short term whilst life cannot continue ‘as normal’

For those customers who believe there is a real welfare justification that their pet requires a vaccination then we will be running a vaccination only clinic in our Porthcawl branch from Monday 20^th April 2020.

When making this decision remember

• Unvaccinated kittens can be kept as indoor cats.
• Unvaccinated puppies can be kept within your house and garden. Most importantly avoiding contact with other dogs (especially if you don’t know their vaccination status) and keep them away from water and rats.
• If it’s not too late then consider if now is the right time to get a puppy if you can’t achieve this.
• If you dog/cat has just turn 1 year old and their vaccines have lapsed you should treat them as unvaccinated kittens/puppies.
• If your cat is older then they have some longer-term immunity and can wait up to 3 months for their booster. If your dog is older it will have longer term immunity to everything (distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus) except Leptospirosis. So, if their vaccine has lapsed then you should keep them away from water and rats.

 

If you do not feel that you can make these alterations to keep you pet safe in the, hopefully, short period of Lockdown, then please contact us and we can try to arrange a social distancing vaccination at our Porthcawl branch.

Neutering

Neutering is now available where there is a genuine welfare requirement.

Our suggested best practice is

Dogs

The first option would be a chemical implant for dogs. Therefore, dog castration and bitch spay should only be considered where a chemical implant is not an option for the male dog.

Cats

We would only suggest neutering for outdoor cats which cannot be kept in doors for welfare reasons or an indoor cat in a mixed sex cat household.

Rabbits

We would suggest neutering for rabbits being kept with rabbits of the opposite sex.

We will be having capacity for a limited number of neutering surgeries that fit within these criteria.

Amended Opening Hours

To keep the footfall within the practice as small as possible we have made the following amendments to our opening hours

- Our Port Talbot and Pontyclun branches will be closed until further notice. All treatment will be given in our Bridgend hospital.

 - Our Bridgend hospital will be open to Monday to Friday 8am until 6pm to provide urgent and emergency treatment. Normal consultation fees apply.

-  Our Porthcawl branch will re-opened from Monday 20^th April to provide

 - Our out of hours service will be available from 6pm each evening and on Saturday/Sunday. Our normal OOH fees apply.

Repeat Prescriptions

we ask that clients continue to order as normal, our vets will continue to prescribe with the same “prescribing rules” and we will still require 72 hours to order the medicines in for you.

After the vet has prescribed the medication one of our team will call you to process payment over the phone and arrange a collection time, this is to ensure low numbers in our waiting room.

Client Request

Please ensure you closely follow the current government advice at https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

To ensure your safety and that of our staff while enabling us to continue to care for your pet we would request that you take the following steps.

1. Do not visit the practice if your household is currently self-isolating.

2. If your pet is attending an appointment at the practice, he/she can only be accompanied by one person.

3. If the pet is from a self-isolating household please make our team aware of this to ensure they can take the appropriate precautions and ensure that the pet is brought to us by a third party e.g. friend, neighbour etc who is not self-isolating.

4.On please use the buzzer on our intercom and a member of our team will come and open our door, which will remain locked at all times

4. When you visit us, please use hand sanitiser and wash your hands where possible when you arrive and leave the practice.

5. While you are in the practice please try to maintain a safe distance from people while waiting in reception for your appointment and please limit all physical contact.

 

Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

 

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