If you have been living under a rock for the last year, you might not know there is a pandemic in the world. Since March of 2020 the clinic I work at has been operating on a curbside care basis. If you have taken your dog or cat to the vet you will likely have experienced curbside appointments first hand.
Hopefully you had a great experience! Veterinary clinics everywhere rallied at short notice in the early stages of the pandemic to ensure their services remained as unchanged as possible, the majority of visits across the country now happen from the comfort of your heated seat with your satellite radio playing while you scroll social media or chat with your friend!
Curbside care generally involves veterinary staff talking to you over the phone, or at your car side through the window, then taking your pet into the clinic for their appointment and bringing them back to your car when the visit is complete. Think of it like a valet service for vet visits! Some clinics check out their patients at the car, some have texting or phone services, some people talk to their veterinarian through facetime or an app and some will come chat with you outside. Everyone is doing things a little differently based on the situation in their city or state.
Sadly, just like the pandemic, curbside is here to stay, for everyone’s safety. But that is ok. As a pet owner and veterinary professional, I am here with some tips to help you get through your next curbside appointment with your favourite furry friend!
Plan in Advance!
Vet clinics everywhere are likely still dealing with a back log of wellness (routine vaccine and testing) visits from last year when wellness visits were postponed. If you can book your appointment 4-8 weeks out, from when your pet is due to get their vaccines, that would be super helpful and you’d have a much higher chance of getting the appointment time that best fits your schedule. If you know your pet is anxious, this would be a good time to ask for medications to give to your pet before their visit.
Ask for an estimate.
Everyone has been affected differently by the pandemic. Sadly, a lot of people have lost their jobs or had their hours cut due to decreased business at their place of work. This has caused finances to be tighter than normal and people may have had to push off their pets’ annual vet visit. Ask for an estimate ahead of time and give yourself 1-2 months to save for the appointment – more if you need it. Ask your veterinary team if your pets vaccines can be for 3 years rather than 1, and see if there is anything that is “optional” based on your pets lifestyle and exposure. This may help you save. Your veterinary team are trying to best get your pet taken care of, I promise you they are not trying to steal your money when they recommend services, medication or prescription food.
**Try not to skip annual tests such as heartworm test, medication monitoring levels etc. you may end up in a sticky situation with your pets health.
Arrive on time (and don’t be surprised if there is a little wait)
I get it, you made an appointment 2 months ago and you want to be in and out in 10 minutes, but realistically that’s not likely to happen. Now I’m not saying you should be waiting hours (unless you’re at a veterinary ER or have an emergency) but expect to wait maybe 30-45 minutes depending on your clinics appointment times and payment/checkout procedures. Shuffling animals back and forth from your car, to the clinic, performing their testing and treatments, filling medications and getting everyone accurately billed and checked out is not something you want your veterinary team rushing. We promise we’re going as fast as we can. Please be patient with them, they’re doing all this with the same or less staff than before the pandemic and I assure you they’re doing their best.
Take your dog to the bathroom!
Parents… would you put your toddler in the car first thing in the morning, after they ate a big meal, without letting them go to the bathroom first? Of course you wouldn’t! Please, please, please walk your dog before you put them in the car and drop them off at the vet. Most of the time, your pets annual visit requires a fecal (poop) sample anyway so hey bag it up and bring it with you! If your pet needs a blood draw, x-ray, ear cleaning or another type of treatment, this can cause minor stress for some pets and they may go to the bathroom when this happens. We do not want to put fluffy back in your car all wet or smelly as they needed a bath to get urine or feces off them before they leave the clinic. As a sidenote, my own dog sometimes goes on a poop strike and does not adhere to my morning scheduled routine, just let your veterinary team know if your pet needs a potty break before going inside or to a kennel (if they’re being dropped off for surgery or to spend the day).
Bring Notes, Questions, Medication Bottles and Food Names!
I’d say at least 50% of people bringing their pets to appointments, cannot recall what food their pet eats, what medications they take and their dosing. Veterinary staff stay up to date on pet food recalls and we like to know what your pet eats for this and many other reasons. If your pet is on medication, please bring the bottles. This accurately tells us the name of the medication, along with the strength and dosing instructions, all important things for your pets medical chart. Bring any questions you have about your pet, we love to answer them for you and we want you to feel confident we’re all working together for the good of your pet.
Hopefully your next curbside care visit for your pet goes smoothly and your pet enjoys their time with the veterinary staff… 9/10 times they’re snuggling the pets, feeding them treats and taking cute selfies with them! Don’t worry, we’re all in this together! 😀
