Why are vets still consulting car parks

[visa_bot]

i dropped my horse off at a vet on Tuesday for a procedure. They came out to the parking area and I had to complete the form in the cold and wind and they took my horse off me. I didn’t get to see the stable she was in for 3 days. I just wondered why vets are still consulting in car parks when the rest of society appears to have moved on. Does anybody know? I’m just curious.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Being sensible?

 

[wills_91]

My vets aren't doing this and haven't been for some time. Although they did find themselves in hot water for refusing entry to someone exempt form mask wearing recently.

 

[Michen]

Nope my vets aren't either and my horse wouldn't be going anywhere where they were, particularly if he was critically ill ie emergency colic in which case I'd be sat with him bar any time I needed to sleep/work.

 

[ycbm]

i dropped my horse off at a vet on Tuesday for a procedure. They came out to the parking area and I had to complete the form in the cold and wind and they took my horse off me. I didn’t get to see the stable she was in for 3 days. I just wondered why vets are still consulting in car parks when the rest of society appears to have moved on. Does anybody know? I’m just curious.

When their staff had to isolate if they caught Covid it made commercial sense though a vet I went to took it to ridiculous and very irritating extremes, not allowing me to watch an outdoor trot up from within 20 metres.

Now isolation is being dropped, it should stop.
.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'd say that isolation being dropped makes it even more sensible to retain handover in the car park...

Though I don't actually know what the current practice is at either my equine or my small animal vets. Both were car park handovers last time I used them.

 

[HashRouge]

Being sensible?

Is it really though? This is not small animal, this is equine, and most things take place outside. So excellent ventilation, plus you can easily maintain social distancing. It seems a bit nuts not to allow a client to at least come and see where their horse is being stabled. Mind you, I work in a school surrounded by hundreds of teenagers, so a nice stable yard sounds ridiculously safe in comparison.

 

[[153312]]

I think it's sensible honestly. It would be worse if your ill horse couldn't see a vet because they were off work with COVID

 

[ester]

It's not really consulting in a car park if you are just dropping the horse off for a preplanned procedure?

 

[Pippity]

My horse had hock injections recently, and all three of us (vet, nurse, me) wore masks. Just seems sensible to me.

But it does often feel as though most of the country has forgotten there's still a pandemic going on. As somebody with a compromised immune system, it makes me even more reluctant to go anywhere.

 

[TheLoneWanderer]

My mare had an operation pre covid and this was delt with in the same manner. Didn't worry me or seem any thing other than ordinary. Perhaps it's just the way they so things.

 

[BBP]

I wonder if some vets are enjoying not having to deal with fussing owners? I did find it hard taking my youngster to Newmarket, we unloaded immediately into the X-ray room as he was too lame to do anything else, so he was off the ramp into X-ray, doors closed behind him and I was sent on my way and didn’t see him again for days. That was tough.

My regular vets however were happy to let me hang around in lorry for the day and watch the workups when BBP had his assessments in 2020. But I had previously sat and watched his scope, xrays and muscle biopsy so maybe they knew there was no getting rid of me!

 

[SEL]

I found it annoying too. I wrote an email bullet pointing out my concerns and the reason the pony was in for a work up, along with the request that they cleared any significant costly investigations with me first. The trouble with not being there is you lose control of all of that and it wasn't until 3pm I finally managed to speak to the vet - by which time they'd done a huge amount of X rays and had spent most of the day focused on an existing problem.

I don't mind not being in close proximity but not being there for the work up so I could point out my concerns didn't work for me. I'd have happily sat in the car and just come out when needed.

 

[Red-1]

Nope my vets aren't either and my horse wouldn't be going anywhere where they were, particularly if he was critically ill ie emergency colic in which case I'd be sat with him bar any time I needed to sleep/work.

I thought that, back in 2020, when our elderly, vulnerable, nervous-with-strangers (ex-stray) dog needed the vet. No way could I leave him. But, when faced with leave him or go home with him, I had to.

Most annoyingly, when the vet came out, she wanted to drop the lead and have me call him from across the car park, with the GATE OPEN

Old dog was ill again last week, spent 3 days at the vets. They have revised the procedure so you do a waiting room handover with the vet nurse. The vet is still kept at a distance.

I have found the equine vets to be much more pragmatic. Masks on, sensible where we can be, but getting on with the job.

I can see it as sensible in a way, but I am another who works in a school, primary, so close contact every single day and the little ones don't wear masks.

 

[Millie-Rose]

I took my filly to Rossdales in the height of covid. Admission forms were exchanged by email but even then I was shown a stable and was allowed to settle her in it myself and then I collected her from there afterwards. The nurse said they were allowing owners to watch the outdoor elements of lameness investigations from a safe distance. That seemed like a sensible middle ground to me.

 

[ycbm]

The trouble with not being there is you lose control of all of that and it wasn't until 3pm I finally managed to speak to the vet - by which time they'd done a huge amount of X rays and had spent most of the day focused on an existing problem.

I am now banned as a client from a vet practice because I refused to pay for x rays which I had told them, in writing, the previous afternoon, not to take. I've had the impression since long before Covid that vet practices with hospitals were moving towards excluding the client from investigations, and this has accelerated with Covid. I much prefer to use a vet with no hospital when I can.
.

 

[ed&arch]

Having worked in vet practice for 10+ years previous, I have to agree that there’s no reason why vets shouldn’t be seeing clients as per normal. If they insist on wearing a mask to walk into reception/collect drugs, I’d be ok with that. However, all clinical workups, visits etc should be treated the same pre covid.

Sadly, as some have said, vets have got use to not having to deal with clients and they’re enjoying it.

Farm Vets have kept everything exactly the same as pre covid.

 

[honetpot]

Having worked in vet practice for 10+ years previous, I have to agree that there’s no reason why vets shouldn’t be seeing clients as per normal. If they insist on wearing a mask to walk into reception/collect drugs, I’d be ok with that. However, all clinical workups, visits etc should be treated the same pre covid.

Sadly, as some have said, vets have got use to not having to deal with clients and they’re enjoying it.

Farm Vets have kept everything exactly the same as pre covid.

I think that farmers expect a job done quickly, they tend not to want the bedside manner, and when you are short of time and staff it's a lot easier if there is not someone wanting a full breakdown of treatment options and outcomes.
If I was a small business reliant on a small number of qualified staff I would be doing as much as possible to keep them protected from any bug going about, never mind covid. Our farm vet has clean overalls for every visit and stands in an antiviral foot bath and scrubs their boots before they go back in the van.

 

[SOS]

Even with isolation removed doesn’t mean that the staff cannot get COVID, spread it amongst the team and either be too ill to work or HAVE to stay home as per company policy. I’m naming no names but I know for fact that some big veterinary corporates in the UK are asking staff members to still self isolate if they get COVID even once it’s all abolished. This is to protect the teams in an industry that is already on its knees and incredibly short staffed. They simply cannot afford to have multiple staff members off as there isn’t enough vets in the country to fill in. Granted these corporates are allowing staff into practices.

As for them doing procedures against your wishes/without consent, do not sign a generic consent form I.e “lameness work up and treatment as necessary” ask for a specific consent form I.e “flexion test, lunge on the hard, scan both forelegs, nerve block” and If they need to do more then you can give consent over the phone. Please note most consent forms have a life/death clause where if the horses life becomes endangered they can make steps to save them. This is a bit different to your average hospital visit and if you want this excluding I would make this very clear that the horse is basically DNR.

I get wanting to be present if possible for some examinations but from working in small animal, it’s often easier to discuss, work through and be efficient with cases without owners present. Which equine may of realised. The worst part of equine practice is the owners who think they know everything.

I don’t really mind which stable my horse has at the hospital, I trust they wouldn’t leave him all alone nor put him next to anything infectious.

 

[OldNag]

Being sensible?

I'd agree with that.

 

[visa_bot]

It's not really consulting in a car park if you are just dropping the horse off for a preplanned procedure?

Not for me, but they were discussing X-rays with another client. Strange how some people get defensive when you’re just asking a question out of curiosity.

 

[ed&arch]

I think that farmers expect a job done quickly, they tend not to want the bedside manner, and when you are short of time and staff it's a lot easier if there is not someone wanting a full breakdown of treatment options and outcomes.
If I was a small business reliant on a small number of qualified staff I would be doing as much as possible to keep them protected from any bug going about, never mind covid. Our farm vet has clean overalls for every visit and stands in an antiviral foot bath and scrubs their boots before they go back in the van.

I do agree. Our farm vet has clean overalls and disinfects himself pre, during and post covid.
However, this post was specifically about equine consultations.. I think if the farm vets said to farmers, OK, we can PD your cows/treat your sheep/operate on your pig, but you’re not allowed to be there, I think farmers would have something to say about that?

As long as Covid isn’t being used as an excuse to not interact as much with clients & patients, that’s fine.

 

[Cloball]

It's been very variable with small animals too, not that I mind as it was a life and death situation. Even at the same practice the old school vet didn't mind me in the consulting room as it had a screen and we both had masks where as the other times I waited in the carpark or the waiting room. I was regularly consulted before every procedure though even at 4am in the carpark.

I would quite like to see my GP in person though ... ??

 

[Merrymoles]

Our vets, both equine and small animals, have both been careful but pragmatic. The first time the dog had her jabs during lockdown, I was not allowed in with her, which was challenging for them as she towed the vet nurse across the car park, but after that it was masks and a perspex screen between me and the vet but handling as normal.

I saw three different practices when I lost my horse to colic in November and they were all very good. I had to take him to the nearest equine hospital and they allowed not only me but my friend to spend some time with him both before and after PTS. I do admit that I was stupid to give the vet a hug afterwards but I had been up for 48 hours by that stage and was somewhat emotional.

However, our GP practice seems to still be refusing to do face-to-face appointments for almost everyone.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Is it really though? This is not small animal, this is equine, and most things take place outside. So excellent ventilation, plus you can easily maintain social distancing. It seems a bit nuts not to allow a client to at least come and see where their horse is being stabled. Mind you, I work in a school surrounded by hundreds of teenagers, so a nice stable yard sounds ridiculously safe in comparison.

My equine vets have provided a superb service throughout the pandemic. At least one of the senior vets is himself CEV, but has carried on working. I know this as he came out to mine on an emergency OOH call just after his first Covid jab - he'd been bumped up the list for his jab ahead of his age order.

I'd quite like it if he stays working and doesn't get splatted by Covid brought in knowingly or unknowingly by a client.

Anything that I can do to help protect them is fine by me. But then I know this practice well and know that I can trust them implicitly. I would always opt for an excellent local practice with a horsepital over an excellent one without - I can get my horse there in 35 mins, or they will be with me in 25 mins.

When I did eventually get to take the wonky IDx in for pelvic scanning in Aug '20 (she injured herself in late March), we did hand over in the car park but we were allowed to stay outside in the car. My vet kept popping out with updates, as it could have been a PTS situation, but thankfully it wasn't.

 

[HG95]

I work in a vets. We're still expected to isolate for 5 days if we end up with covid which is having a massive impact on staffing levels. Consulting in the car park is purely trying to avoid close contact in enclosed spaces and spreading the virus. There are exceptions for pts ect.

 

[honetpot]

I do agree. Our farm vet has clean overalls and disinfects himself pre, during and post covid.
However, this post was specifically about equine consultations.. I think if the farm vets said to farmers, OK, we can PD your cows/treat your sheep/operate on your pig, but you’re not allowed to be there, I think farmers would have something to say about that?

As long as Covid isn’t being used as an excuse to not interact as much with clients & patients, that’s fine.

Everyone has a hissy fit about strangles, but the biggest risk of spreading it outside the immediate area of the infected animal are humans, which include farriers and vets. I had a vet visit to examine a lump on the jaw, 'oh it could be strangles', having had a good furtle around in its jaw and mouth. I would love to know where they went next?
Most farmers have cattle handling equipment, and for H&S a vet working on their own would be very dangerous. I dropped my pony of off at the horsepital, I hand it over in the car park, and collect from the car park, that is just normal practice, any paperwork is signed in reception. They usually ring me if there is something to discuss. The vet will often give X cost, I always check with the office that is correct, because they do the billing.

 

[poiuytrewq]

In January I had to just hand over in the car park when my horse went in for a bone scan.
More recently I was allowed to take Bubbles the pony into his stable and hang around chatting about him! (He had a little crowd of admirers ?)
Different vets practices.

 

[ester]

Not for me, but they were discussing X-rays with another client. Strange how some people get defensive when you’re just asking a question out of curiosity.

I wasn't defensive, just confused.

It is interesting though as small animals wise humans wouldnt' usually be there for work ups (they might wait outside), but with horses we are used to being much more involved/having discussions with the vet as it progresses etc. Though I think there was a move pre-covid to do less of this and just have people drop them off.

 

[SEL]

I wasn't defensive, just confused.

It is interesting though as small animals wise humans wouldnt' usually be there for work ups (they might wait outside), but with horses we are used to being much more involved/having discussions with the vet as it progresses etc. Though I think there was a move pre-covid to do less of this and just have people drop them off.

But when I've taken the cat in I've always spoken to the vet about my concerns and they've examined her. First lock down I stood outside, waited and then they fed back to me. After that I was masked in the consulting room. They took her away for the tests but we'd agreed what they were.