Tips for Visiting Your Vet
SUMMARY
Please ring the veterinary practice prior to visiting us, or if you have any queries.
Please do not come into the veterinary hospital if you:
Have travelled overseas within the last 14 days
Have been in direct contact with a confirmed COVID- 19 patient
Are unwell with a cold or any flu-like symptoms
Maintain good hygiene practices, including washing your hands when handling your pets.
Please limit the number of people bringing your pet into the vet hospital to one person per visit.
Keep your pets with you if you have to self- isolate or self-quarantine.
Should you have to be hospitalised, arrange with family or friends to care for your pets.
Q & A
Q What should I do prior to visiting the vet?
A Please ring ahead for advice specific to your pet. You will be advised if you need to bring your pet into the veterinary hospital. Sometimes if may be possible for outdoor consultations to occur at your vehicle, please ring ahead for advice. Please maintain good hygiene practices when entering and leaving the veterinary hospital – we have hand sanitiser and hand-washing facilities available. Please follow the recommended social distancing guidelines to limit contact with people around you. We have instituted regular cleaning and disinfection protocols for the health and safety of both you and our staff.
Q What options are available if I am unable to visit the veterinary hospital with my unwell pet?
A In the first instance, ring your veterinarian for advice. Depending on the circumstances and the health condition of your pet, there may be additional consultation options including telemedicine and home visits.
Q If I am self-isolating, what do I do if my pet becomes unwell?
A If you are self-isolated or are in quarantine and your pet becomes unwell, please ring your veterinarian first and ask for advice. Do not break quarantine to take your pet to the veterinarian even if your pet is unwell, as this will put your veterinarian and staff at risk of infection. If your vet provides house calls, please let them know that you are under quarantine before they arrive.
Q What should I do if I need additional medications or prescription food for my pet?
A It is worthwhile to ensure that you have an adequate supply of your pet’s medication. Depending on your pet’s health condition, it is generally advisable to ensure that you have a four week supply of your pet’s medication. Please ring the veterinary hospital for advice specific to your pet. Medications and foods can be pre-paid over the phone.
WHEN IN DOUBT CONTACT YOUR VET
Information for Pet Owners
KEY POINTS
At this stage there is no evidence that pet dogs or cats are a source of COVID-19 infection to other animals or humans.
Maintain good hygiene practices, including washing your hands when handling your pets.
Keep your pets with you if you have to self-isolate or self-quarantine.
Should you have to be hospitalised, arrange with family or friends to care for your pets.
Contact your veterinarian if you have any questions, and notify your vet prior to visiting the practice.
Q & A
Q Whatis COVID-19?
A COVID-19 is a coronavirus, named because the spherical virus particle exhibits a characteristic crown or corona of spike proteins around its surface. There are many different types of coronaviruses which can infect animals and people. COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) refers to the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus which originated in China in 2019, which causes a potentially fatal respiratory infection in people.
Q My pet was recently vaccinated for coronavirus, is this the same thing as COVID-19?
A Veterinarians regularly vaccinate pets against coronaviruses however these are different coronaviruses to COVID-19. Dogs can suffer from Canine coronavirus (CCoV) which causes intestinal disease and diarrhoea. Cats can carry Feline coronavirus (FCoV) which usually causes no illness exceptfor rare cases when the virus changes within the individual cat and leads to a disease known as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). So there is no vaccination against COVID-19 for pets. Speak with your vetif you would like further information about coronaviruses in pets.
Q Can I get COVID-19 from my pet?
A The current research suggests that COVID-19 originated in wildlife before people became infected, however ongoing investigation is necessary to determine exactly how this occurred. There have been reports from Hong Kong of two dogs that tested positive to COVID- 19, both owned by patients infected with COVID-19. One of these was an elderly dog owned by a patient with COVID-19 which initially tested positive to the presence of the virus. However the animal underwent further testing which returned negative results, and the dog did not progress to having an active infection or any symptoms. The elderly dog has since died, however its death is
strongly suspected to be due to the pets advanced age and other health conditions. The other positive dog in Hong Kong is currently in quarantine and is not showing any signs of COVID-19 disease. There was another recent report from Belgium of a pet cat testing positive to COVID-19, the cat is owned by a COVID-19 infected person. The cat displayed symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea and respiratory signs. The veterinary pathology company Idexx has tested several thousand dogs and cats in North America and Europe, including in areas of high rates of COVID-19 in the human population, and all samples have so far been negative. So at this
stage there is limited evidence of human to animal transmission, which is believed to be exceedingly rare and there is still no evidence that pet dogs or cats are a source of infection to other animals or humans.
Q What should I do with my pet if I have to self-isolate?
A Keep your pets with you if you have to self-isolate or self-quarantine due to experiencing flu- like symptoms or if you have a positive test for COVID-19. If you are unwell it is advisable to minimise contact with pets during this time and maintain good hygiene practices including washing your hands before and after handling your pet. If you are unwell or need to be hospitalised, arrange with family or friends to care for your pets.
Q If I am self-isolating, what do I do if my pet becomes unwell?
A If you are in quarantine, ring your veterinarian first and ask for advice. Do not break quarantine to take your pet to the veterinarian even if your pet is unwell, as this will put your veterinarian and staff at risk of infection. If your vet provides house calls, please let them know that you are under quarantine before they arrive. Contact your veterinarian if you require additional medications or prescription food for your pet.