The new COVID-19 pandemic has big implications for pet health care. In most states, veterinary clinics are considered essential businesses and therefore most will continue to provide healthcare. However, in the pandemic, we must do our part to flatten the curve and stop any transmission of the Coronavirus.
The Florida Veterinary Medical Association defends the position that veterinarians as essential in part due to the following:
1-” Front-line veterinary practitioners and staff are among the healthcare professionals who provide surveillance for diseases deemed reportable by state and federal governments, including zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, influenza and Lyme disease. They are also responsible for issuing certificates of veterinary inspection that are required for the movement of animals between states and countries, including those entering the food supply.
2-Veterinarians are an integral part of our nation’s food and fiber industries. Veterinary care is critical to ensure that only healthy animals enter the food supply. While primarily housed on farms, food animals are also present in urban areas.
3-Veterinary practices provide medical and surgical care daily for critically ill and injured animals”.

In our county, most animal hospitals have curbside options in which pet owners picking medications, food or dropping off their pets for care can do so from the safety of their car. A team member wearing protective gear will take the pet and information or drop off supplies and the owner can call and pay by phone. There are other measures that clinics like mine have undertaken: splitting their team members into 2 or more groups. The benefit is that if someone on team 1 gets sick, we can easily quarantine that team for a couple of days while we generally disinfect and then get running again with the other teams. Then if we find out it is a positive COVID-19, we can mass quarantine if required or we think it is wise or if we are ordered to close by a public health department. In addition, the appointment schedules are going to be longer, that way the pet owners are put immediately in the examination room while their pet is taken care of. There are going to be drop off appointments available, and the owners can either wait in their cars or go home and communicate by phone with the veterinarian while their pet is treated or examined.
All animal hospitals in Florida are upping up their cleaning and sanitizing protocols making sure each room is thoroughly disinfected in between appointments as well as periodically washing up hands with soap and water. Our teams that come in contact with owners are wearing gloves and masks to be protected. This is uncertain times and we know having your pet healthy, with enough medications and supplies is a concern for caring pet owners. We as veterinarians made an oath to alleviate the suffering of animals, to heal and to preserve the human-animal bond and rest assured we will stand by our promise to be there in this time of need.