COVID-19  CLINIC UPDATES

We are continually monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and making necessary changes to keep our staff, clients and your pets safe.  

4/11/2022 Update

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• ​  Due to reduced local cases of COVID-19 and in accordance with the new CDC guidelines we are changing our mask policy. Effective April 11th , 2022, masks will no longer be required by clients, and staff.

• In the future, if cases should: increase to moderate to high levels again, if a new variant arises, or if CDC and or local health departments change we will amend our mask policy back to requiring masks.

• We will continue to require masks for clients and staff who are experiencing respiratory symptoms compatible with COVID-19 when in clinic. This extends to all clients and staff who tested positive for COVID-19 but remain asymptomatic.

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6/3/2021 Update

Phase 1 is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 16th as previously planned. We are excited to welcome all of our clients back into the clinic with us!

• Curbside will still be offered for any client that prefers this option. Please call when you arrive and let us know you would like to proceed as a curbside appointment.

• We will not be limiting the number of clients in the building or exam rooms.

• Our front door will remain unlocked during business hours and clients will be permitted to enter and exit without an escort.

• We will be requiring masks worn over the nose and mouth for all of our clients and team members. If you would prefer to decline wearing a mask we will be happy to continue your appointment curbside.

• In our newly rebuilt reception area we have separate waiting areas for dogs and cats. Our reception team will help guide you to the correct location.

Thanks again for your patience and welcome back!

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5/13/2021 Update

We want to update you regarding our plans in response to the current recommendations released by the CDC on 5/13 regarding fully vaccinated individuals. We are still planning on Phase 1 of reopening on Wednesday, June 16th. The majority of our team has been fully vaccinated but some are still completing the series so we need to give them time to reach full immunity. When Phase 1 begins 100% of our team may not be fully vaccinated for a variety of reasons so we will continue to wear masks when we interact with you and we will be requiring all of our clients to wear masks while in the building until further notice. But due to the new recommendations from the CDC we are planning on making changes to our previous plan to incorporate some of these updates. We will be having internal meetings over the next couple weeks to decide what these changes will be.

Once again, thank you for your patience and we are looking forward to having you and your furry friends back in the clinic with us!

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4/6/2021 Update

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Thank you so much for your patience during the last year as we have all dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. With the development and release of the vaccinations against the COVID-19 virus we have made the decision to plan on beginning a phased approach to allowing clients back inside the building. The State of Wisconsin made the vaccinations available to anyone over 16 years of age beginning April 5th, 2021. Taking this starting date, and factoring in time to get an appointment, a booster vaccination (if needed) and time to mount an immune response we will plan on beginning Phase 1 in mid-June.

Please be aware that due to the ever changing nature of COVID-19, we may revert back to curbside appointments only at any time without advance notice.

We will be implementing the following policies during Phase 1:

* Curbside appointments will remain available if you prefer.

* When you arrive, please call us at 414-962-6662. A team member will then call or text you as soon as an exam room is available to escort you into the building.

* You will be required to answer a short health questionnaire upon arrival.

* You will be required to use hand sanitizer or wash your hands upon arrival (please do not wear gloves).

* A maximum of one client will be allowed per exam room.

* A maximum of two team members will be allowed per exam room. This means that some procedures may be performed away from you in our treatment area or we may ask you to wait outside the building while we remain in the exam room with your pet.

* You will not be able to help hold your pet during the exam and treatments to ensure we are following proper social distancing.

* The exam rooms will be marked to show preferred social distancing. Our exam rooms are not large enough to allow for 6 feet distancing but we will still try to keep distance from each other when possible.

* Medication and food refills will remain curbside.

If you are unable to wear a mask for health or personal reasons then your pets appointment must remain curbside.

The above policies may change as we deem necessary to provide quality care while still keeping our team and clients as safe as possible.

We look forward to seeing you back in the clinic!

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7/17/20 Update

Greetings,

As always, thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. 

We have been carefully monitoring recent developments and due to the increase in positive COVID-19 cases in our community we will be returning to curbside only appointments beginning Monday, July 20th. We will reevaluate the current recommendations relating to the safety of you and our team members on a weekly basis and keep you updated. We have enjoyed seeing you and hope to return to Phase 1 in the near future!

Please check our website www.shorewoodanimalhospital.com for the most recent updates and feel free to call if you have any questions or concerns!

Sincerely,

Your Shorewood Animal Hospital Team

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6/29/20 Update

To Our Shorewood Animal Hospital Family,

First and foremost, thank you for your support, patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Shorewood Animal Hospital remains committed to providing the best possible care for your pets while at the same time keeping you and your pets, our team members and our community safe. 

We have been carefully monitoring recent developments and are eager to share with you that as of July 1, 2020 we will begin a phased approach to allowing clients inside the building. The following policies have been developed with guidance from one of our veterinarians, Dr. Nick Tomaro, who is also the City of Milwaukee Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. 

Please be aware that due to the ever changing nature of COVID-19, we may revert back to curbside appointments only at any time without advance notice.

The following is a summary of the important policies we have implemented:

• Curbside appointments will remain available if you prefer.

• When you arrive, please call us at 414-962-6662 and a team member will escort you into a prepared exam room.

• You will be required to answer a short health questionnaire upon arrival.

• You will be required to wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth at all times while in the building.*

• You will be required to use hand sanitizer upon arrival (please do not wear gloves).*

• A maximum of one client will be allowed per exam room.

• A maximum of two team members will be allowed per exam room. This means that some procedures may be performed in our treatment area or we may ask you to wait outside the building while we remain in the exam room with your pet.

• You will not be able to help hold your pet during the exam and treatments to be sure we are following proper social distancing.

• Medication and food refills, as well as technician appointments, will remain curbside.

• If you or anyone in your home feel unwell within a few days of your visit with us (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, etc.) please contact us as soon as possible. 

*If you are unable to wear a mask or use hand sanitizer for health or personal reasons then your pet’s appointment must be curbside.

We hope you, your pets and your families are staying well and safe. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out. We look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,

Your Shorewood Animal Hospital Team

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3/30/20 Update

As you know, we are in the last phase of our building remodel. Due to concerns with COVID-19, we have made some changes to our appointment schedule to accommodate construction while keeping our team members and contractors as safe as possible. This decision was not taken lightly and involved the collaboration of our team members, Keller team members (our construction company) and the City of Milwaukee Health Department. After much consideration we have decided on the following:

• Beginning Thursday, April 2nd Shorewood Animal Hospital will be closed for appointments on Thursdays from 12:00 - 6:00pm and on Fridays from 8:00am - 6:00pm.

• Construction will continue on the main floor during these times, as well as nights and weekends.

• We will have a few receptionists and veterinary technicians on site to answer phones, address and triage medical concerns, and refill medications/food. 

• You will still be able to pick up refills and prescription food during these hours.

• We will have veterinarians available by phone to help answer any medical concerns, relay lab results, approve medication refills, etc. Please note that veterinarians will not be on-site to see your pet(s) during these hours.

• This schedule will remain in effect through Friday, April 17th.

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We are confident these changes will help ensure the safety of our team members while also preparing to best serve you and your pet(s) once

COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. We anticipate all seven exam rooms will be ready to use by the end of April!

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Thank you for your understanding and cooperation over the last several weeks; we truly appreciate it!

Stay safe and healthy,

Your Shorewood Animal Hospital Team

3/24/20 Update

The governor's Safer At Home order considers veterinary care to be an essential service, but asks veterinarians to postpone nonessential veterinary appointments. For now, we will continue to perform appointments as described below in the 3/19/20 update, with the following change: 

• The WVMA considers rabies vaccines to be essential. Therefore, we WILL perform wellness exams in the short term if the patient's rabies vaccination is due.

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Thank you for your continued support and patience! Stay safer at home and check back often for updates. 

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3/19/20 Update

In light of this week's quickly-evolving COVID-19 news and health advisories, the Shorewood Animal Hospital is once again adjusting our appointment protocol. Our top priority is the well-being of our clients and staff, and we hope that these measures allow us to continue to serve our patients throughout this crisis. 

• If your pet is sick or injured, please call to schedule a curbside appointment. (See below for details.)

• All adult annual/wellness exams (with or without vaccines) will be postponed until at least May 1st. We are quickly becoming overwhelmed with medical cases due to the closing of some clinics and staffing issues, so we have decided to temporarily suspend exams for healthy adult pets. Feel free to schedule a May appointment now, but please understand we may have to reschedule if there are still concerns with COVID-19 spread.

• Elective technician appointments are also suspended for now. This includes all nail trims, routine anal gland expressions, clipping mats, and heartworm blood tests.

• Healthy kitten appointments are also being postponed until at least May 1st. Please keep your kitten indoors and separated from other cats in the meantime. We invite you to schedule a May appointment now, but be aware we may have to reschedule if there are still concerns with COVID-19 spread.

• Because of the unique disease exposure risks that puppies face, we are still conducting healthy puppy exams with vaccines. Please call to schedule a curbside appointment. 

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Thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate this changing situation. Please visit our website for updates and call us at

414-962-6662 with any questions. 

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Curbside Appointments

1. When you arrive at the scheduled appointment time, please park and call to let us know you are here. Please try again if you get our answering service...we are doing our best to answer every call, but frequently many calls come in at once.

2. The veterinarian will call you to discuss the reason for the appointment.

3. A staff member will bring the pet into the building while you wait in your car.

4. The doctor will perform an exam and call you to discuss exam findings and recommended diagnostics and treatments. After these are performed, they will call you again with any results or further recommendations.

5. When your pet is ready to go, a staff member will return them to you with any medications that have been prescribed. 

6. A receptionist will call you while you are still in the parking lot to process payment over the phone, and we will then email your receipt.

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3/16/20 Letter 

Dear Clients,

We all know the importance of our family pets. The smell of a new puppy, the purring of a sweet cat or the comfort of curling up with your pet on the couch. These trusted companions play such a vital role to our happiness and well being. Keeping our pets healthy is at the heart of everything we do at Shorewood Animal Hospital. We want to assure you that we have been closely monitoring the continuously evolving situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential impact on our pets, loyal clients and our dedicated hospital personnel. In an effort to minimize the impact of this health care crisis we have implemented several adaptations and policies at the hospital to help ensure everyone stays safe.

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Keeping Our Clinic Clean and Safe

We already have standard protocols in place to disinfect all surfaces and client contact areas. We have also increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfection of all common areas and expanded our end of day cleaning protocols. We have reviewed the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines on preventing the spread of COVID-19 and reinforced their importance with our staff members. 

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Sick Clients and Staff Members

In order to mitigate the impact of interpersonal contact and potential spread of the virus, if you or anyone in your home have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing please stay home. We will help you reschedule your pet’s appointment. Likewise, any staff member showing symptoms of COVID-19 will be asked to leave work and remain home.

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Your Pet Needs Medical Care

If you are sick or have concerns about your health (elderly, pregnant, immunocompromised) we are encouraging you to postpone annual wellness exams. In order to safely address your pet’s medical needs we are implementing a curbside appointment system. When you arrive please call us from your car. A staff member will come to your car and bring your pet into the clinic. All communication with the veterinarian and payment will be done over the phone. We understand that most pets are more comfortable in the clinic with their owner present. Please know that we will continue to use low stress handling techniques, calming pheromones and treats (if allowed) to keep your pet’s experience with us a positive one. If you have concerns about your pet’s stress level while in the clinic please call us prior to your appointment so we can discuss additional therapies including anti-anxiety medications if appropriate.

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Can I Catch the Virus From My Pet?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a statement saying, “That there is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit COVID-19” (https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses#). The American Veterinary Medical Association has also stated, “Infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organizations agree there is no evidence at this point to indicate that pets become ill with COVID-19 or that they spread it to other animals, including people (https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19). However, because this is a rapidly evolving situation we encourage you to regularly consult the WHO and CDC websites to monitor the latest research.

Additional Resources

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.aaha.org/newstat?fbclid=IwAR00vy4M_MZ7BwgCbftljNCLq9yVaLaLwWDYAzA14TMrN8uZoDtdg_b8srA

https://www.wihumane.org/coronavirus

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As always, if you have any further questions or concerns do not hesitate to call us, we will do our best to help. Our thoughts are with those of you that have been touched by this crisis. We will make every effort to keep you informed as the situation continues to evolve and we continue to follow the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for guidance. Thank you for your continued understanding and trust in light of COVID-19. We are in this together!

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Sincerely,

Your Shorewood Animal Hospital Staff