Navigating Veterinary Medicine Post-Pandemic
Hi there! It’s been awhile since I have posted a new blog and I will say this is definitely not a typical topic, but it does need to be addressed as changes are happening in veterinary medicine not just in your city but all over the world. We all remember hearing about the puppy pandemic and how many families adopted new pets in the Spring of 2020. In addition to new pets flooding the market, women’s careers were hit hard when schools chose to begin virtual learning and did you know veterinary medicine is a female dominated profession? What I am saying is: right now there is a shortage of veterinarians and veterinary staff. I want to help you, as a pet parent, navigate through this so you aren’t the one spending 8 hours waiting to be seen at your local veterinary ER or waiting 2 weeks for your veterinarian to fill your pet’s medications. By taking some simple steps to prepare for your pet’s visit and maintaining an open and honest line of communication you will have a great experience!
Book Well Visits Now
Do you visit your veterinarian once or twice a year? I recommend well visits every 6 months because animals age much faster than humans so seeing them only once a year is not frequent enough to catch hidden diseases in time. Two visits a year also help break up the cost of services like vaccines, fecal evaluations, and bloodwork. If your pet is coming due for his or her well visit in the next several months (or really, anytime in 2021 or early 2022), please call your veterinarian and schedule it now. Many clinics are booking well visits far in advance so that we can accommodate more sick patients each day. Most veterinary emergency clinics across the country are understaffed so a lot of their patients are filtering in to the general practice veterinary clinics. This leaves less appointments for well visits each day. By booking a few months in advance, you are making sure your pet stays up to date and you are helping decrease the burden of the veterinary clinic.
Take Advantage of Your Visit
When you arrive for your well visit be prepared! Come with a fresh stool sample, knowledge of any medications or supplements you give to your pet, how much food you feed and which brand, and a list of any questions or concerns you have about your pet. If your pet isn’t due for a fecal, the worst that happens is you carried a poop bag around for no reason. It is always better to have samples and not need them than the opposite. If your pet is on daily medications please get a refill while you are at the clinic. Calling a few days later and asking the staff to fill your prescription places an additional burden on the veterinary team and often your medication won’t be refilled for several days depending on how busy the team is and if the medication you need is in stock. Like many other businesses, we have experienced shipping delays so, if the clinic has the medication you need, stock up while you’re there! By refilling your pet’s medications while you are at the clinic you avoid running out of medication saving your time and ours. Having a list of concerns ready for the veterinarian helps to make sure your pet is taken care of and nothing is forgotten. Often I see families who are concerned about a mass on their dog, but by the time they bring their pet to see me, they can’t remember where the mass is. Is your dog limping? Take a video on your smart phone. The adrenaline rush of going to the vet can hide a dog’s lameness. With the increase in the number of patients each veterinarian sees in a day, there isn’t always time for the vet to call you back because of something you forgot to mention. We will always return phone calls, but sometimes it isn’t in as timely of a manner as either you the pet parent or me the veterinarian would want it to be. By preparing for your pet’s visit ahead of time, you will have all of your questions answered and medications filled!
Stay Calm and Communicate
Waiting can be extremely frustrating. I dislike waiting at my doctor’s office, hair salon, and at a restaurant when I’m hungry! Businesses of all types are short staffed right now so please stay calm and be patient. If you have a time constraint, politely let the veterinary team know. We can often make exceptions, like dropping your pet off for his/her exam, to save you time. If you have been waiting longer than usual, politely check in with the front desk and let them know. Unexpected emergencies come through the door frequently, and obviously that is a pet who will be treated before any scheduled appointment. It is also something that is out of our control. Remember, if your pet was the one needing urgent care, you’d want the whole team there for you. If you can’t wait, or something has come up, kindly ask the front desk to reschedule your visit. It is also important to be transparent when it comes to your budget. Some veterinary clinics have had to increase prices of certain medications or services because our suppliers have increased our price of that product. If you are looking to stay within a certain budget, please communicate that to the veterinary team. If you haven’t invested in pet insurance, consider doing so. Trupanion is a company that many veterinarians recommend. I love when my clients are honest about their finances. No one wants a surprise on their bill, and with open and honest communication that can be avoided.
This is such a difficult time for veterinary clinics: both specialty and general practice. Many veterinary schools who would normally see a large patient load have cut back and are picking and choosing which cases they will accept. Veterinary emergency hospitals are having difficulty finding veterinarians and staff who will work the shifts. Veterinary team members are facing burnout because clients are angry they have waited so long to receive care and are taking it out on the veterinary team. Let’s all take a deep breath, schedule your pet’s well visits in advance and come prepared with all of your pets information and questions you have for the veterinarian. I hope these tips help to streamline your veterinary experience during these changing times!
– Leigh Hofmeister, DVM