Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the veterinary healthcare industry has seen a marked increase in patients requiring medical and surgical services. There are many facets that have contributed to this influx, and we at South Hyland Pet Hospital have been working very hard to make necessary changes and updates within our hospital to respond and adapt to this changing veterinary landscape. We pride ourselves in continuing to provide the high quality veterinary care that is reflected in our Core Values and Mission Statement. We have added staffing at all levels and expanded availability of appointments for sick and injured pets. Our current and foreseeable caseload, as in all veterinary hospitals and clinics nationwide, remains high. This is not a new situation, but rather an update on an ongoing situation in our profession.

What does this mean for you and your pet?

• If your pet is sick or injured, contact us as soon as possible. Please do not wait until the end of the week or the end of the day if symptoms or problems are occurring before calling. The sooner we know your pet needs care, the better we can respond and assist you. Be advised that based on your pet’s symptoms, our team may recommend that your pet be seen at the emergency hospital for critical or emergent care. This is to ensure each sick pet receives the best and most appropriate care at the time the illness is occurring.

• If emergency hospital care is recommended, please do not wait to pursue this. Waiting times at emergency facilities can be long. Be prepared to wait by bringing water, phone chargers, etc. Please understand that the very sickest pets are seen first, so if your pet is not rushed in the door and you have to wait, it means another patient has an immediate life-threatening problem. Please be patient and kind to the emergency teams, and stay and wait for your pet to be seen.

• We are booking out 1-2 weeks for wellness services (annual exams, vaccinations, routine blood testing, etc.) for healthy pets. We ask for your understanding in this and to schedule these services for your pet(s) in advance. We are unable to accommodate same day appointments for non-urgent medical care. This is to ensure we can care for sick pets as well as maintain the wellness care of all our patients.

• Please do keep your pet(s) up to date on wellness examinations, recommended vaccines, parasite preventatives, labwork testing, and medications for your individual pets’ health care needs. This can prevent many problems from occurring or allow us to identify medical concerns before they become a crisis. The most crucial part of keeping your pet healthy is a regular veterinary exam, once a year for pets up to age 7 and twice a year for pets 8 and older or pets with chronic health conditions. Vaccines and medications directly maintain your pet’s health as well.

• Please pre-book follow up appointments at the time of original service. For example, if your pet will need an ear recheck or bloodwork recheck or vaccine booster at a specific time interval, book that next appointment before you leave the clinic or call back shortly to do so.

• Non-urgent or general questions, requests or call backs from medical staff may not be returned same day. Although it is our goal to return these communications promptly, there are times when non-urgent calls may be returned next business day.

• Please allow 24-72 hours for medication refill requests. We sincerely appreciate your support of our clinic by using us as your pet’s pharmacy. This helps provide the staffing and equipment your pet needs at our hospital. Most of our pharmacy items are available and in stock, but during these busy times we request you give us ample time when you would like medications filled. If you have a special order item, or are waiting on prescription food, these requests may take up to 14 days due to manufacturer backorders and shipping delays outside of our control. Due to the pandemic, supplier regularity has varied across all industries and items, and the veterinary industry is no exception.

• Our online store and pharmacy is available 24/7 at https://southhyland.myvetsstoreonline.pharmacy/ for your convenience. All items ordered on our clinic online store and pharmacy also support our practice. Please note that pet food ordered through our online store ships directly from the manufacturer and may arrive faster than orders placed through the clinic. Most orders for pet food or medications will ship free to your home.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to serving you and your pets with our exceptional standard of care, and are honored to be your veterinary clinic. We are doing everything possible to be able to provide timely veterinary services. We thank you for your support, trust, flexibility and understanding as we navigate these changing times together.

The Management Team at South Hyland Pet Hospital