“It’s still not ‘work as usual’ at DVS”

Whilst these times are certainly causing us to have to think out of the box, we think we are doing a pretty good job.

Why is DVS still in lockdown?

That’s easy with just over 14000 patients on our books, we need to be able to work every day to help each and every one of you. Our consults without you take longer, we now allow 30 minutes instead of the old 15-minute schedule. We have 7 staff here and 5 of them are currently the sole bread winners for their families, me included. So, you see WE need to stay safe. If one staff member is exposed, we lose them for a minimum 2 weeks, and that’s without contracting Covid-19. We are such a small team, we can’t manage is we lose someone.  If one of us test positive we are forced into shut-down for 2 weeks from the last person to test positive – not the first. This could end up with delays in incubation periods being 1-2 months.

Where would you go?

We can’t just pull someone off the street to help, our staff are skilled, trained and dedicated to you and your pets. We are regularly working extra days and late into the night just to provide the care that your pets need. All the other clinics in our area are in the same boat.

We have seen a massive increase in incoming calls of people just desperate for contact and advice. With owners sitting at home focusing on their pets as the positive thing in their lives, they are finding things that they hadn’t noticed before – the bad breath or that little lump for example. Dogs aren’t social distancing at the moment, they are out more and socialising with each other, so we are seeing a huge increase in Kennel Cough and gastro during the Winter season when it is usually quiet.

This week alone we have had some massive surgeries. On Monday, a single dental patient had 18 teeth extracted and this was only one of 5 surgeries. On Tuesday, the beautiful Sandy lost her spleen which had ruptured with a large tumour. Her spleen had become so enlarged, we had to send it to the pathologist in an esky! (So far she is kicking goals by the way 😊). This was one of 5 surgeries, 2 critical inpatients and 34 separate consultations.

Yesterday’s workload was the same, but we threw in some wildlife for good measure

  • A roo with a fractured spine and tail, rescued from the side of the road from Dr Sarah.
  • A huge 5-6kg python found in a shipping container from China. She was thought to possibly be a stow away, however she was a massive, angry Coastal carpet python (an Australian native). Brought in by Stewie the Snake Catcher we have performed X-rays and will stitch up some pretty nasty wounds before rehabilitating her so she can go off to rescue.

We spend most of our consults sitting on the floor with your pets in our laps – they are surprisingly well-adjusted without their fur-families by their sides. That’s not meant to be mean, just to show you that your genuine worries need not cause you stress, they are just fine. Each room has a pet bed on the floor and stuffed toys, familiar things to make your pets feel at home. We’ve also invested in some new cat condo’s to keep our longer-term cat patients more comfortable during their stays, rather than the clinical stainless cages that we now reserve for only the sickest of patients.

Hang in there for us and we will hang in there for you and your pets.

Love from all the DVS staff who miss the sunshine, the fresh air and YOU.