Riverside Animal Hospital is determined to do it’s part in keeping both your family and our team safe during the Coronavirus outbreak. In response to the national state of emergency declaration, we are initiating the following policies to minimize traffic in our lobby and the possibility of transmission through contact with the Riverside Animal Hospital family.
Please observe the following instructions and recommendations
• Please postpone elective procedures and appointments for the next 4 to 6 weeks. This includes vaccines in ADULT, previously vaccinated pets. Puppies and kittens should still be vaccinated at the recommended time intervals.
• If you are elderly or immune-compromised and your pet is ill please request that a technician meet you at your car to retrieve your pet. A brief history can be given over the phone to the receptionists and the technician or a doctor will call you with further questions.
• As pets are not thought to be able to transmit Coronavirus, we will continue with technician visits for anal glands, drain removal, suture removal and the like. We ask that you call from your car upon arrival and allow a technician to retrieve your pet, bring it in to the exam room on the far left of the building (there is a separate entrance). They will perform the needed treatment and return your pet to you at your car.
• Riverside Animal Hospital has an on-line pharmacy. This is an option for those of you who do not want to pick up either medications or food here or at a human pharmacy. If you are interested in ordering your pet’s medication/food on-line, please go to the home page of our website and click on the pink SHOP NOW button. Follow the prompts to order the medications you need. They will send us a prescription to sign and it will be shipped directly to you. Please call us if you have any difficulties with this process.
• If you are coughing, sneezing, have a fever, sore throat or any flu-like symptoms AND have a sick pet, please call us for further instructions.
• Payments can be made over the phone for those not entering the building.
Other measures we are taking to minimize risk of transmission
• All work surfaces are cleaned with a medical grade cleaner between clients. These surfaces include exam tables, counters, desks, door handles, credit card machines, benches and cabinets.
• The bathroom surfaces are cleaned multiple times throughout the day.
• Every team member has been instructed to wash their hands between each client interaction.
• Any team member that is not feeling well is sent home immediately.
• Our doctors and staff have been instructed to not shake hands with clients. Please do not take offense to this! It is for everyone’s safety!
We understand that some pets are very nervous. Our intention is to not cause undo stress when taking them away from you. If you think your pet will need medication to relieve anxiety, please let us know in advance.
We take the health of our patients, clients and staff members seriously here at Riverside Animal Hospital. None of us have had to prepare for something like this in our lifetime. While we are trying to do our best to keep everyone as safe as possible, we know that this will be a work in progress. Please be patient with us as we make policies and protocols that we believe to be in the best interest of the Riverside family.
Wishing you and your pet health and happiness,
Debbie Putnam, Cody Menasco, Sarah Cummings and the rest of the doctors and support staff at Riverside Animal Hospital