A Covid-19 Update from Fundy Vets
COVID-19 UPDATE
December 19th 2021
To our Fundy community,
This recent increase in COVID cases and the risk to our community feels tougher than others. Thank you for working with our team for so long to remain safe, we feel the love.
Since numbers are up again we’re going to keep you as safe as possible again too.
Beginning Monday December 20th, we will be limiting access to the hospitals. For appointments, we invite only one owner to be present, masked and socially distant of course
Our team is ready to make all prescriptions and food pickups curbside convenient. Please contact the office to arrange for your order and payment over the phone or online.
Most importantly, if you have had a recent COVID exposure, or are unwell, call our office so that we can take proper precautions or reschedule your appointment.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
- The Fundy Vets Team
COVID-19 UPDATE
April 22ND 2021
With the rise in COVID-19 cases and new restrictions in Nova Scotia imposed today by health authorities, we wished to provide you all with an update on our protocols. We have decided to move back to Curbside service for both hospitals, for everyone’s safety and to do our part in reducing the risk of community spread.
We are able to offer all of our regular services, including annual exams, diagnostic procedures, routine surgeries and emergency services for both small and large animals at this time. However, owners will not be able to come into the office with their pet and the veterinarians will call you while you are in the parking lot to discuss your pet's examination.
When you arrive for your appointment, we ask that you please call 902-758-3180 (Shubie), 902- 895-8195 (Truro) or ring the doorbell at the front door and our staff will direct you with the next steps. The transfer of pets from owners to staff will occur in our foyer to reduce direct contact with each other.
Please call or email us with any orders for pet food, medication or supplies that you are looking to pick up 24 hours in advance when possible. You can also order pet food, supplies and toys on our website! When you arrive to pick up your order please call or ring the doorbell at the front door and our staff will deliver your order outside.
We thank you for your cooperation and understanding at this time, and know that we can pull through this together.
The Fundy Vets Team
COVID-19 UPDATE
June 29TH 2020
The Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association has now allowed us to move to Phase 3 of our COVID-19 re-opening plan. This means that we no longer have any restrictions on the services that we are allowed to offer to our clients.
We are still working through the backlog of requests but we are making progress on the wait times for procedures. We appreciate the continued patience of our clients as we work with you to get your pet booked into our schedule.
We are still offering curbside service for pre-arranged pickups of medications and food, as well as for clients who do not wish to enter the building with their pet.
Please call our front desk when you arrive for your appointment. We are now allowing one client to accompany their pet inside the building. All clients who enter the building will be required to wear a cloth mask and will be escorted to an exam room.
We continue to encourage the use of contactless payment methods such as e-transfers, 'tap', or credit card payments over the phone, and in-person payments will still be made inside the exam rooms.
We have installed Plexiglas shields at our front counters to help keep our staff and clients safe, and masks are worn when physical distancing is not possible between staff.
Our staff continues to work in smaller teams within the clinic and are maintaining physical distancing as much as possible. We are maintaining a higher frequency of cleaning of common touch surfaces as well as frequent hand washing and monitoring of our own health.
We ask clients to please stay at home if you are feeling unwell on the day of your appointment. Please call us if you are needing veterinary care but are unable to come to the clinic yourself.
We will make adjustments to these protocols as directed by the NSVMA, responding to recommendations from public health officials for containment of the COVID-19 pandemic, as we continue to move to more normal community activities.
We are looking forward to seeing our clients again as we work together, safely, for the health of your pets.
The Fundy Vets team
COVID-19 UPDATE
MAY 29TH 2020
Over the past several weeks the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association has been constantly working on behalf of all animal owners and member veterinarians to ensure the most urgent and emergent services were being provided in a timely manner.
On May 27, 2020 the Premier of Nova Scotia announced a clear direction for veterinarians and indicated that current restrictions will be lifted effective June 5, 2020.
The NSVMA has circulated the necessary information to all veterinary practices to ensure public safety and adherence to public health requirements during the re-opening to full service care.
Fundy Veterinarians has been working on a plan for the past two weeks which will allow us to scale up service availability at both of our Truro and Shubenacadie locations to ensure safety is achieved as we work towards seeing our normal full caseload.
Please play close attention to our page as we will post updates on the next steps once we have reviewed the NSVMA guidance document we received last evening.
We appreciate you patience throughout the past 9 weeks and we look forward to serving all of your animals' needs in the near future, and we are confident that we will be able to meet all requirements with your help.
Sincerely,
The Fundy Vets Team
APRIL 27TH 2020
Veterinary practices in Nova Scotia continue to operate at limited capacity and reduced service levels during the COVID public health response to limit public movement and non-essential travel in the community.
Rest assured, we are open for all urgent cases needing medical care and ongoing chronic care cases.
The most recent Public Health Order has made allowance for spay/neuter surgeries only for rescue and shelter organizations across Nova Scotia. Dr. Robert Strang has done so with the intent of maintaining shelter space for those most in need.
In addition, the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association has recently advised member veterinarians that animals overdue for vaccination for high risk diseases (such as Lyme disease and Leptospirosis) should now be completed, in addition to primary series vaccines for puppies and kittens. We are in the process of clearing backlogged appointments that have been delayed. Please, if your pet is overdue for vaccinations, please contact our office to discuss a plan to get back up to date over the next few weeks.
For equine clients, we have delayed a significant amount of appointments since the middle of March. Please be advised, we are now beginning to build our appointment schedule for May with the intent to catch up on overdue appointments and ensure that all patients are well protected prior to mosquito season. As usual, we will be booking appointments as efficiently as possible to reduce the need for “re-visit” stable appointments during COVID-19. Please contact us to book your appointment at your convenience.
Dr. Trevor Lawson
The three long-standing community veterinary practices in the Truro, Bible Hill & Corridor area have a long history of cooperation in serving the community’s needs. Central Nova Animal Hospital, Fundy Veterinarians Ltd. and Truro Veterinary Hospital remain committed during this uncertain time and will continue to work together to ensure clients and their pets are cared for in an environment paying the highest attention to client and veterinary team health.
We will continue to work diligently together to learn from each other’s best practices in adhering to Nova Scotia Public Health plans.
Limited staffing is expected during this time, so hours of operation will be affected, but emergency service will be maintained without gaps.
Thank you for your faith in our people and your patience going forward. If you have any questions or concerns about your appointments or your pet’s care, prescriptions or food, please contact us.
Dr. Jennifer McKay
Central Nova Animal Hospital
902-893-4331
Dr. Petra Phillips
Fundy Veterinarians Ltd.
902-895-8195/902-758-3180
Dr. Melissa Aucoin
Truro Veterinary Hospital
902-893-2341
How Fundy Vets is Helping to Curb the Spread of COVID-19
The health and safety of our staff, clients, and their animal companions has always been top of mind for us here at Fundy Vets. In light of the continually changing COVID-19 situation, we have implemented some new routines and services in order to adhere to health professionals’ current recommendations for appropriate social distancing and for limiting exposure. These changes are temporary, and we thank you for your understanding and patience with us while we all do our part to adjust to these new circumstances.
Please be aware that these changes will in no way impact the emergency services our clinic provides for both our small and large animal clients during this time.
Change in Hours
Both our clinics’ hours have changed to pick-up only from 8am-5pm Monday through Friday. We want to ensure we can still service our community, while respecting social distancing and adhering to proper rigorous sanitation efforts.
Our Doors Are Locked
When you arrive you’ll notice our doors are locked. We are still here to help during our work hours BUT ask that you first call from your vehicle at which point we can review in detail how our team can support your pet. We ask that you bring a credit card for payment and provide payment over the phone to our staff inside in order to limit interaction.
New Faces & Social Distancing
Our teams will be working in alternating weeks to ensure service doesn’t get disrupted and all our staff members are supported with the change in clinic hours. As such, you may see a friendly face you haven’t met before at your appointment. We will also be practicing standard social distancing to minimize the chances of any contamination.
• Prescription & Food Pick-Ups
In order to limit contact, we are asking our clients to call ahead with their food and prescription needs. Please call upon arrival and we will bring these out to your vehicle.
• Payments
Invoicing will be conducted via credit card and over the phone rather than at our front desk area. We are also now accepting E-Transfers as payment. This will, again, eliminate public traffic in our facilities - allowing us to sanitize more effectively and limit social interaction.
• Proactive Staff Support
Our staff are important to us. We are a team, and we are a family. We will be continuously checking in on our staff’s health and well being to make sure they are given the care they need during this stressful time.