February Covid Update-
We please ask all our lovely clients to wear face masks when speaking
to any member of staff - thank you. During February and possibly
March we are unable to do routine dog neuterings due to an oxygen
shortage - we will take names and contact you as soon as we are
able to commence again
January Covid Update
Animals are our ' lockdown heroes' - keeping
us company, keeping our moods lifted and helping keep our sanity
in these strange, difficult and, for many, lonely times. We are
here to keep them healthy to keep you healthy - so we continue our
appreciation and gratitude to our lovely clients for your patience.
We are still working under lockdown conditions and endeavour to
do our best to stay open every day for your pets needs - we are
working in small groups and unless staff illness dictates otherwise
plan to continue do so. Halstead and Aldham are open Mon - Fri and
Sat morn at Halstead and Sunday morning at Aldham.
COVID 19 NOV UPDATE
Thank you to all our clients for their support
and patience during the last few difficult months. For our part
we have continued to support the health of our pet families in a
covid secure manner. This has meant changing the way we work and
anyone who has visited us recently will know that our distanced
interaction with clients is outdoors while our patients accompany
our vets or nurses inside the building for examination and treatment.
This system is working well and will remain in place for the forseeable
future.
With the dark nights upon us we have created
a sheltered outside waiting area for added comfort for both you
and your pet. The practice as a whole will remain open throughout
November lockdown with limited staff. Aldham will be open Mon/Weds/Fri
and Sunday mornings and if you need assistance on Tues or Thurs
we can see you at the Halstead branch.
Once again thank you
OCTOBER UPDATE
Thankyou to all our lovely clients who have
been so patient through these strange times of covid. We are still
operating a closed door system as we feel this is the safest way
to protect you and us so we can continue to provide a daily service.
We are still working in small busy teams and will continue this
for the forseeable future.
As the nights start to draw in and the weather
is not quite so sunny we have an undercover area for you to shelter
under while you wait for your appointment or you can still wait
in your car.
We are still not running nurse appointments
at present.
Please read this in conjunction with all other
updates
COVID update 1st August 2020
Thank you to all of you who have embraced our new way of caring
for your pets during the last few weeks. We at The Forge and Aldham
are continuing to search for new ways to look after your pets while
protecting you and us.
Please not that this update should be read in conjunction with all
other Covid 19 updates below .
The Halstead surgery will continue to operate normal opening hours
six days a week. We still have limited busy staff so your patience
is appreciated.
From the 1st August Aldham surgery will return to normal opening
hours Monday to Friday.
We will continue to run a closed door policy as described below.
We envisage that due to social distancing the system of nurses rather
than clients assisting vets to hold our pets will need to continue
until the new year. We have found that most dogs,cats and even rabbits
are more relaxed than usual with this system. They are spending
less time in the waiting room before and after examination which
is reducing their stress levels and clients are not worrying about
their pets misbehaving.
We can now catch up on medical assessments for patients on repeat
medications and we have limited capacity to weigh small puppies
and kittens at a distance outside that need updated weights for
their flea,worm and tick medication.
Routine nurse consultations and nail clips for non medical reasons
remain on hold.
Covid 19 update 14th April 2020
While still operating with limited staff and
hours of opening we have developed an effective system to maintain
social distancing while being able to see the most needy pets.
The government has confirmed that you may travel to the vet during
the lockdown and our governing bodies have increased the scope of
health and medical reasons which we can act upon.
If you are concerned about any medical condition or changes in your
pet that has seemed less immediate over recent weeks we would ask
you to phone the surgery for advice on whether action should be
taken now to prevent further complications as time goes on.
We do not feel that an extended lockdown should put our animals
at greater risk of disease or injury.
Suitable vaccinations and boosters can now be offered if on discussion
with you we feel your pet is at genuine risk during or after the
current lockdown.
Other non essential procedures such as routine nail clipping remain
under review and cannot be offered at this time but if in doubt
please phone.
Covid advice updated 27th March 2020
Please read this update in conjunction with previous advice issued
below.
We remain open for essential and emergency
cases for our registered clients but to protect our staff we have
had to alternate our hours between The Forge and Aldham Veterinary
Centres. The phone lines will remain open and will divert to whichever
site is working on that day so whichever surgery you usually attend
your call will be answered. No walk ins are permitted. You must
phone and will be asked to wait outside or in your car with your
pet if the vet needs to see your pet. Only one owner should attend
with a pet .
We must limit contact with people so our staff will take your pet
into the surgery for examination and will decide on the most appropriate
treatment in these challenging times.
We may not need to see your pet face-to-face to prescribe medication
if the vet feels this is appropriate with the limited information
they can gain from emailed photos/ videos and a phone consultation
which can be arranged by our receptions. This service is only available
to registered clients.
FURTHER ADVICE
Surgery
We will not be offering elective surgery such as neutering during
crisis and we encourage you to take precautions to keeps bitches
and queens in season away from entire males.
Worming
Preventative health is still important at this time as many of the
preventable diseases of cats and dogs could be transferred to humans
especially if they are immunocompromised. It is therefore essential
to prevent worms, fleas and ticks in our patients. Medication can
be ordered remotely by phone and collected without human interaction.
Vaccination
The British Veterinary Association's advice is not to give annual
boosters at this time. We have been assured by the vaccine manufacturers
that a three month delay in your pets annual booster will not impact
your pets health provided some extra precautions are taken.
1 If possible cats in densely populated areas should be kept indoors
but in our rural community this should not be necessary. If you
are self isolating your cat should be indoors too.
2 As social contact is limited for us it should also be for dogs
on walks so the risks of catching kennel cough should be reduced
if they are kept on a lead and of course they will not be going
to kennels.
3 Your dogs leptospirosis protection may reduce slightly as time
goes on but the peak time for risk of this infection is the Autumn.
Spring and summer are safer but you should avoid water courses and
known rat infested areas where possible.
We will prioritise any delayed boosters once it is safe to do so
and we will contact you at the time.
Due to the restrictions on unnecessary travel we do not anticipate
that there will be many new puppies and kittens to vaccinate. If
you have recently taken on a new fur baby please phone the surgery
for advice. The puppy or kitten should be isolated until such time
as we can vaccinate them safely.
Covid 19 Notice
We are still OPEN for business.
As a small independent vet practice we are passionate about our
work and feel privileged you trust us to look after the health of
your pets. Unfortunately Coronavirus may disrupt the way we work
over the coming weeks in order for us to protect our clients and
staff.
We have changed our working patterns to minimise unnecessary human
face to face contact so that our team can stay healthy and the clinic
remain open (unless government guidelines change). We are asking
for your help too.
-If you or any member of your household are
self isolating or showing signs of infection then please inform
our receptionist at the earliest opportunity. You will be asked
not to attend the clinic but if your pet needs to be seen you will
need to arrange for someone else to bring him/ her here.
-We would ask that only one client presents with a pet where possible
-Please do not request a visit during this crisis as our staff do
not have the training to protect themselves from possible infection
outside the clinic environment nor do we have the protective equipment
needed.
-We may be able to treat your pet by gathering information over
the phone and by you emailing pictures or videos to us when requested.
It would be at the vet's discretion whether your pet needs to be
seen at the clinic or medication can be dispensed if needed. As
you will appreciate this may mean lowering our diagnostic accuracy
and we will be making judgement with limited information thus our
liability will be reduced. The RCVS has agreed that such changes
are acceptable
-We may be able to extend medical assessments for a patient on long
term medication who is stable and well controlled. This will be
assessed on a case by case basis.
-If you do have a pet on long term medication, we would encourage
you to order your next set of medication sooner rather than later.
It is important to keep your pet well and disease free particular
if you are unwell. Already the normal frequency of our deliveries
have been reduced although we are not expecting any drug shortages
at this stage.
-We will encourage payment payment for
services and drugs over the phone to avoid us handling cash and
you spending more time in the reception area.
Other information
-Unfortunately we have had to cancel all puppy socialisation classes
for the foreseeable future
-It will be important to have puppies and kittens vaccinated but
if this cannot be done they should be kept in until such time as
we can protect them
-Regrettably we will not be running any nurse clinics including
weighing and worming. Rest assured our nurses will be keeping in
contact and will be able to dispense the products your pets need
to keep them healthy. For Pet Health Plan pets there would be no
financial transaction at the surgery so products can be collected
with minimal interaction.
And finally
-We may at some stage need to close one or both clinics to the public
and provide a limited emergency service. We will endeavour to keep
our website and Facebook page up to date but apologise if events
out pace this.
Please Stay well and safe. Look after yourselves and your pets will
provide unconditional love and support during the difficult times
ahead.
Nigel and all the team at The Forge and Aldham Vet Clinics
|