Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

When will vets allow clients in again?

69 replies

Keepyourdistance000 · 12/04/2021 18:59

I have nothing but respect for our wonderful vets and RVN's for keeping going throughout Covid. I know for a fact many are now exhausted, and tired of car park consultations.

I know we are still some way off from any likelihood of it happening but when are clients possibly going to be allowed back into surgeries?

Does each Practice make its own decision under the BVA/RCVS guidelines?

Would like to hear any thoughts.

OP posts:
Boood · 12/04/2021 19:58

I don’t think the car park handovers work well. My cat had an infected bite last summer that took four visits and sets of prescriptions to get sorted, and I’m sure that was partly because I didn’t get the chance to speak to the vet during the examinations, ask questions and so on. Everything had to go through the nurse doing the handing over, and I think a lot got lost in translation each time. It’s not a good way to manage healthcare, the fact that it’s for animals makes no difference to that.

Janedownourlane · 12/04/2021 19:58

Our vet was taking animals in, examining them, then doing a phone consultation with us whilst we waited in the car. However, when our 17 year old cat had to be PTS recently, they allowed us both in to the room to hold her. Saddest time and we both sobbed the whole time, but we were grateful we could go in.

Kittytheteapot · 12/04/2021 20:06

Another one here who was allowed in when it was time to pts. Our cat was in hospital and we had to say our goodbyes to him in our car in the car park. It would have been nicer to have been inside in a private room. One person was then allowed in to be present when he was pts. Again, it was on the floor of the hospital foyer, behind a screen. I am sure in normal times it woule have been in a private room. These details are still raw and upsetting for me, although of course I understand the reasoning behind it. But I just wanted to reassure posters that it seems fairly commonplace that you are still allowed in if the worst comes to the worst and putting to sleep is required.

2bazookas · 12/04/2021 20:07

@fairydustandpixies

My vets are doing door step hand overs. My poor old pooch is on the cusp of end of life and I'm torn between keeping him bumbling along or having him pts without me. He's my shadow and I don't want him going without me by his side.
We had to have our old dog PTS during lockdown ; the vet was not doing house calls so gave us the choice of he would take the dog from our car into the practice to DTD, but we had to stay outside. Or, he would do it in the car park in our car so that we could be with the dog to reassure him. We chose the latter. The dog was calm and relaxed in his familiar bed in the rear of our hatchback and it was a very peaceful end for him.
ConnieCaterpillar70 · 12/04/2021 20:11

I don’t think the car park handovers work well. My cat had an infected bite last summer that took four visits and sets of prescriptions to get sorted, and I’m sure that was partly because I didn’t get the chance to speak to the vet during the examinations, ask questions and so on. Everything had to go through the nurse doing the handing over, and I think a lot got lost in translation each time. It’s not a good way to manage healthcare, the fact that it’s for animals makes no difference to that

People wouldn't hand their children over to a Doctor in a car park after a brief conversation about what you think is wrong with them either. It's completely ridiculous.

Crunchymum · 12/04/2021 20:15

Had to get my 12 year old cat PTS on September I had to hand her over at the door.

Never even went back for her basket and have moved vets as I couldn't never face going back to the old vets. I feel awful for not being with my girl.

joystir59 · 12/04/2021 20:17

I don't go in with my dog anyway as he plays up so much if I'm there.

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 12/04/2021 20:24

I hate the car park handover, my dog is wary of strangers and he is very stressed anyway at the vets. I will be visiting as and when they allow us in.

QueenPaw · 12/04/2021 20:25

Mine allow people in. They're working in two teams so if any have to isolate they can stay open so the teams never cross over
Plastic screens installed

XiCi · 12/04/2021 20:26

We've been allowed in ours through this whole lockdown
Same here. Operating as normal albeit with masks.

BrightonR · 12/04/2021 20:38

I was allowed in today. It was a larger vets than the normal smaller clinic we usually go to so not sure if that is normal for the big surgery or something to do with the guidelines changing.

hamstersarse · 12/04/2021 20:41

@fairydustandpixies

My vets are doing door step hand overs. My poor old pooch is on the cusp of end of life and I'm torn between keeping him bumbling along or having him pts without me. He's my shadow and I don't want him going without me by his side.
I had to go to the vets the other day for something routine and it was car park waiting and handovers

A couple had a dog who was clearly getting pts and the vet took the dog in and they were absolutely distraught not being able to go in with him.

Really not nice.

Honeyroar · 12/04/2021 20:46

Our vets have allowed people in for everything apart from the first couple of months last year. You check in by phone, they tell you when you can come into the waiting room (only about four people at once in a large waiting room with treble height ceiling) and plastic screens in the consultation rooms. They actually amaze me that they do allow people in, they’ve had a huge amount of staff that have had Covid.

Slub · 12/04/2021 20:51

My vets have never stopped us going in with pets throughout so it seems it must vary between practices

TheFairyCaravan · 12/04/2021 21:17

Our Guinea pig took a turn this afternoon, the vet said to bring her straight in rather than handing her over in the carpark. Unfortunately she died in the car just before we arrived but we took her in anyway so we could arrange for her to be cremated 😢

fairydustandpixies · 12/04/2021 22:05

Sorry for hijacking the thread OP and thank you all who have replied. I don't have a car and the vets are a three minute walk from my house and have no car park anyway. I'll have to phone them tomorrow and ask. My poor stinky dog is going down hill quickly today and it's not fair on him. I will ask about home euthanasia.

Having pets is such heartache! Loving the daft buggers and wishing they could be with us forever.

fairydustandpixies · 12/04/2021 22:07

@TheFairyCaravan So sorry to hear about your piggy. Sounds like she went peacefully though. Hugs to you.

fairydustandpixies · 12/04/2021 22:10

And I'm so very sorry for all of you who have lost pets and not been able to be with them at the end. So awful, so sadFlowersFlowers

Oldraver · 12/04/2021 22:12

Our vets have in the whole been over cautious, not allowing people in when shops were back open. If all the places vets are more equipped to clean down than say most shops

This lady few months we have been allowed in but with masks screens and queuing outside

Roodicus21 · 12/04/2021 22:17

We've seen the vet 3 times since January, all times we've gone in with the dog. It's a vets4pets practice.

Vegiereggie · 12/04/2021 22:17

Our vets haven’t allowed owners in (except to pay their bill Grin). As a consequence our dog is sceptical about the vets. The vet actually suggested that she was over bonded with me because she was reluctant to go in with him Hmm.

We had to have our darling cat put to sleep and the emergency vet did let me be with her. He said they weren’t supposed to though.

2020fuckoff · 12/04/2021 22:23

I had to have my cat pts in January and our vets were fantastic as normal.
2 of us went in with him and it was done very peacefully, we weren't rushed out after, they have us time to stay with him and leave when we were ready.

Other appointments have been done where they will collect from the car, but they will stay and talk, allow you to ask any questions and be as helpful as possible.

purdypuma · 12/04/2021 23:25

Our Medivet branch is still doing handovers in the car park. I knock on a window to let them know you're there & vet comes out to collect. Tbh I don't mind it as my cats aren't getting stressed with dogs barking or other cats in the waiting room at the same time & the car park handovers are all they've ever known as they're only 13 & 18 mths.

BarbaraofSeville · 13/04/2021 03:18

I use two different practices for my own cats and for rescue cats that I foster.

My own vets allow you in, after waiting outside until it's your turn, masks on as far apart as possible apart from when you have an all hands on deck wrestling an uncooperative cat situation.

Practice the rescue uses does car park handover for vaccinations and neutering, but if you take an ill cat where they might have questions during the examination, they sometimes allow you in, they have screens you can put your hands under to help hold the cat if needed.

Downside for me if I take a load of kittens for vaccination is that I'm sure they're making me wait outside until everyone in the practice has had a good cuddle and play with them as they seem to be gone ages.

EspressoExpresso · 13/04/2021 06:29

@Oldraver

Our vets have in the whole been over cautious, not allowing people in when shops were back open. If all the places vets are more equipped to clean down than say most shops

This lady few months we have been allowed in but with masks screens and queuing outside

Vet staff cannot socially distance. You can't socially distance over an operating table, or when restraining an animal whilst someone takes a blood sample for example.

If one person gets covid, chances are the entire practice will have to shut for, 10 days or 2 weeks or whatever it is currently whilst they all isolate due to close contact.