November 2020
CASTLEGAR VETERINARY HOSPITAL COVID19 UPDATE
Our community has been through a lot over the last few
months and we would like to thank our wonderful clients for their patience and
understanding during these unprecedented times.
Due to appointment restrictions, spatial distancing requirements and extra
cleaning protocols, we are limited as to how many appointments we can see in a
day. We are working very hard to
accommodate and see as many of our patients as safely possible. Thank you for
your continued patience and support.
We have been providing curbside care since the pandemic
began, but with the onset of colder weather, we are doing what we can to
accommodate a very limited number of clients indoors. Please understand we were only able to
convert 1 of our exam rooms to provide Covid-19 friendly spacing and
ventilation. Depending on what is
happening at the hospital, we will inform you of the protocol to follow when
you arrive.
Our public washroom will only be available for urgent
use. We kindly ask that you use your own facilities before arriving to your pet’s appointment.
HOSPITAL HOURS
8AM – 5PM Mondays, Wednesdays,
Fridays
8AM – 6PM Tuesdays and Thursdays
CLOSED – Saturdays, Sundays,
Statutory holidays
Our doors are locked at all times, so please call us when
you arrive or if you do not have a cellphone then come to the window so we can
see you.
Clients Inside:
If we are able to see you indoors for your purchase
or appointment, the following is our current protocol:
We want everyone to be safe and feel comfortable. IF you do not wish to come inside, please let
us know and we can speak with you on the phone while you wait in your car
instead. Payment and the consultation
can be handled remotely.
What to expect when you arrive at our hospital:
2. Masks
are MANDATORY for entry into the hospital. (Masks with ventilation pieces and
any food/drink items are not acceptable).
3. When
you arrive for your scheduled appointment, remain in your vehicle and CALL the
hospital at 250-365-2344 to inform us that you have arrived. We will give you instruction at that time to enter
the hospital. The doors will remain
locked.
4. Upon
entry into the hospital, hand sanitizer is required and will be available for
your use.
5. Due
to spatial distancing requirements, only the doctor and the assistant will be
handling your pet throughout the appointment on the exam table, which will be 2
meters away from where you will be seated.
6. The
risk of COVID 19 transmission increases when people are in the same airspace
for more than 15 minutes at a time, even with masks. Appointment lengths (time spent inside the
exam room) will be 15 minutes up to a max of 30 minutes.
7. Once
your part of the appointment is concluded, you will be shown a seat in the
reception area and a staff member will provide you with your
paperwork/products, etc. and process your
payment.
8.
You and your pet will exit out our main door,
unless we need to keep your pet for any procedures discussed in the exam room.
Pre-Exam Information
In an effort to
offer the most complete care we can, we are taking measures to make your pet’s
appointment time more efficient. After you have scheduled an appointment with us, we will
email you a pre-exam checklist. We ask that you fill this out to the best of
your ability and email the questions with answers back to us at castlegarvet@telus.net at least 48
hours prior to your appointment. In doing so, this will allow the doctor to be able to spend
the allotted time directly addressing any of your issues or concerns about your
pet.
Food and
Medication Orders
*Please see our June Covid19 update on our
website. Our protocols remain the same.
Methods of payment
We continue to accept Visa, Mastercard, debit and cash. We do not accept cheques.
v If
you or any of your household members are feeling unwell, and your pet
does not require immediate veterinary care, please let us know so that we can
reschedule your appointment. Please call
us to discuss other options if your pet is very ill and needs immediate medical
attention.
Please be
understanding. As with all businesses in this new COVID-19 reality, staff
members (that includes the doctors) are not allowed to come to work if they are
exhibiting symptoms. Even if it is a common cold, and they have tested
negative for COVID-19, these staff members need to be away from work until
symptoms are gone. This will mean interruptions to our regular schedule
and possible last-minute calls to you to reschedule. Rest assured, we
will do our best to triage and ensure patients with urgent needs are cared for,
while we will be obliged to reschedule any wellness/routine procedures.
Our staff are
working extremely hard to provide these services to you in a timely
fashion. We appreciate your patience and
thank you for entrusting us with the care of your pets. As the COVID-19 situation continue to evolve,
we will also adapt and change.