COVID-19 Stage 4
IMPORTANT!
-There are no restrictions on clients attending veterinary clinics
- Even if the veterinary clinic is not within a 5km radius of your home
- Seeing veterinary care is considered ‘health and care’ and is therefore exempt from curfew hours
- Although appointments should be made within curfew hours with emergency consultations only outside curfew hours.
- Please KEEP the appointment reminder text we send, this is your proof of purpose should you be stopped on your way to a veterinary appointment
- If you have an appointment with a veterinary specialist, please ask them to send you a text or email with an appointment conformation to ensure you're not held up for too long if you're stopped.
As you are aware, the COVID-19 advice to both businesses and private individuals is constantly evolving.
Further to this...
As a companion animal veterinary hospital, we have, with guidance from the Australian Veterinary Association and the government, developed and put in place protocols to limit the exposure of all staff and our clients to the risk of COVID-19 contamination.
Our aim is to not only protect us all from infection, but to maintain our services to our patients by providing you, their owners, with the necessary care and information to maintain their optimal level of care. Our routinely generated Vaccination reminders are naturally aimed at optimising your pet’s level of immunity.
However, in the current circumstances, we recognise that we need to balance everyone’s health when providing this care. We therefore provide the following recommendations.
Circumstances allowing a 1-2 month delay in Annual Health check-up and Vaccination:
1. Your pet is not showing any sign of ill health.
2. NOT going into a higher risk environment such as a boarding facility in this delay time.
3. Over 2 years of age, but under 8 years of age.
4. a. Dogs> Has had 2 annual vaccinations against Canine Cough with at least 2 vaccinations in the past 3 years against Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus
Dogs> Annual Heartworm injections will provide ongoing cover for up to 15 months provided last injection given when over 12 months old.( i.e. when fully grown)
4. b. Cats> Has had 2 x annual F3 vaccinations
This delay in elective Annual health check-ups and vaccination is especially applicable to any families or individuals under self-isolation.
The risk of spreading or being infected with the COVID 19 virus is greater than the health risk to your pet.
By limiting your pet’s visits to non-elective consultations and more urgent medical and surgical problems, we hope to be able to maintain our service to our patients for as long as possible. This will allow us to also be able to provide emergency treatments to our patients as required.
We thank you for your understanding in this very difficult time. We aim to ensure that animal welfare will not be compromised.
Please Note that if you are visiting the practice payment is to be made through credit card payment over the phone where ever possible. We are not accepting cash payments.
Please feel welcome to phone and discuss your individual pet’s needs and welfare. We can check their medical records and discuss their current status with you to ensure that they are given the most appropriate care in the current circumstances.
Finally, David and everyone at Oakleigh Central Vet, would like to convey to you and your families, both 2 and 4 legged, our deepest and heartfelt wishes for your ongoing good health and future happiness.
We look forward to being able to put this very difficult time behind us all.
