This article was written by Camden Pet Hospital staff
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, that the staff at Camden Pet Hospital is continually monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Minnesota Department of Health regarding the information about Coronavirus pandemic. To help protect staff and clients alike, we want our clients to be advised of the following:
Camden Pet Hospital is postponing non-urgent appointments, such as wellness visits, nail trims, vaccines, and heartworm tests, until further notice. For already-scheduled appointments, we will be contacting those pet owners and asking them to reschedule.
We will continue to see pets that are sick and injured. But in order to keep clients and staff alike as safe as possible and to minimize foot traffic, we are implementing car side appointments.
What does this mean? If you have an appointment with Camden Pet, when you arrive, please stay in your car and call us at 612-522-4374. Do not come into the building. Let us know if you are up front or in the back parking lot and the make/mode/color of your car.
We will take a history of your pet’s symptoms over the phone and then go outside to bring your pet inside while you stay in your car. (Dogs on a leash, cats and critters in carriers, please!) The veterinarian will perform a physical exam inside and then call you to discuss next steps and options for your pet’s health.
Whenever possible, we will check you out over the phone via credit card payment, and we will then bring your pet and any medications/supplies back out to your car.
If you would like to pick up a larger supply of your pets’ medications or prescription food, please call us and ask. Most of the time we’re able to accommodate this. When you arrive at Camden Pet Hospital to pick up prescription food/medicine, instead of coming into the clinic, call us at 612-522-4374 and we will bring your pet’s food and medication out to you in your car. We also strongly encourage payment over the phone instead of in person.
We have added additional cleaning and disinfecting to our already rigorous cleaning standards. Our clients, patients, staff and their families are our top priority. We want to do everything we can to keep everyone safe.
We strongly ask that if you are sick, and your pet has a car side appointment, please reschedule or send a family member or friend to your pets’ car side appointment. The doctor can call you over the phone to discuss your pet’s appointment and discuss recommendations going forward.
At this time, there is no evidence that dogs, cats or other household pets can spread COVID-19. No animals in the U.S. have been identified with the virus. However, CDC is recommending that people who are sick with COVID-19 limit their contact with pets and other animals, just as they would restrict contact with other household members. This conservative approach helps protect pets and other animals.
As this is a rapidly developing situation, we will be continually monitoring the situation and watching for updates from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and acting accordingly. For those of you who are on Facebook follow us there for the latest news.
For more info we encourage you to visit the following websites:
health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/prevention.html
avma.org/blog/what-do-you-need-know-about-coronavirus
cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/
If you have any questions, our team is happy to help! Contact us at 612-522-4374 or contactus@camdenpet.com. Stay safe!