Dear Valued Clients and Friends,

It’s time for another COVID update! The weather is changing, birds are singing and ticks are biting!

As we settle into the new normal, it can be tempting to start to push the boundaries in regards to what is “urgent”. Pet parents are concerned and would like their companions to have their annual exams and vaccinations, be spayed or neutered, and most of all - have their nails trimmed! These are all very important and necessary procedures, but while our province is still in an emergency state, we need to stay focused on what is truly urgent.

We are doing everything we can to minimize risk, such as wearing personal protective equipment, curbside pick up, and diligent disinfecting. Despite these ongoing efforts, the reality is that every patient that comes into the clinic is a potential risk for spread of COVID. As an example, your pets’ fur or even collar has the potential to act as a carrier. With each patient that we see, we need to consider, not only our health and yours, but the health of your neighbours, grandparents, front line workers, grocery store clerks, etc.

The Ontario Veterinary Medical Association is guiding us to perform urgent care only. It is not black and white, and they are allowing us to use our best judgment, as professionals, to make these decisions. We take this responsibility very seriously.

Urgent care means something different to everyone. It is easy to go down the rabbit hole and reason that everything is potentially urgent (rabies vaccines, unwanted pregnancies, etc.) However, we need to keep focused on what truly is urgent.

The questions we need to ask ourselves when deciding if a condition is urgent are:

- Is it an imminent threat to the animal’s life?

- Is it a painful condition that cannot be controlled by other means?

- Is it a problem with potential serious consequences that cannot be addressed by telemedicine?

- Is there a public health consequence?

The pandemic will come to an end and we will want to look back at these times knowing that we did everything we could to keep our community safe. We want to be part of the solution, rather than contributing to the problem.

We know your hearts are all in the right place. You want what is best for your pet. We need to stay strong, dig deep, and really focus on what is crucial.

As we continue to progress through the stages of the pandemic we will be able to slowly incorporate routine visits again, but we must not rush into them.

What we need from you:

1) Be flexible (sign up for Telehealth, arrange curbside pick up)

2) Be kind (to us, your family, and your neighbours- we are in this together)

3) Stay home if your pet isn’t sick (snuggle on the couch, go for long walks!)

We want to thank each and every one of you for your loyalty, trusting our judgment, and doing your part to keep our community safe.

Stay Safe. Stay home. Be well!

Sincerely,

The GBVH Team