Updated 4-2-2020
Due to the effects of the coronavirus outbreak and the increased safety protocols we have implemented, we have consolidated our staff to practice at one location at a time. Until further notice, the Arlington office will be closed on Wednesdays and Fridays while we see patients in Fort Worth. The Fort Worth location will be closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays while we see patients in Arlington. We will continue to see patients Monday-Thursday from 8am-5pm and Fridays from 8am-3pm. We are keeping our hours the same, but we are scheduling our appointments farther apart to minimize congestion and promote distancing. This new schedule may decrease the availability of appointments, therefore we ask that routine rechecks be postponed to a later date. Doing so will allow us to accommodate patients with new or worsening symptoms, emergency conditions and painful diseases.
We will continue our drive up service until governmental restrictions are lifted and regular visits are considered safe. When you arrive for your appointment, we ask that you call our office to inform the staff that you have arrived. A staff member, wearing a mask and gloves, will retrieve your pet using a leash from our clinic and bring him/her inside for the exam. After the examination is complete, Dr. Paulsen will call your cell phone to discuss his findings and recommendations. Our staff will then return your pet to your car, where you will be able to reconnect your leash to your pet's collar. Please do not open your car door unless your pet is on a leash. We will ask that payment for exams and medications be made over the phone. Until the outbreak is contained, we will be unable to accept cash or personal checks.
If your pet requires surgery, we will not accept toys, bedding, leashes, pet carriers, any form of food container or personal items from your home. To help our clients feel comfortable with allowing us to provide such items, we currently sterilize our leashes and food bowls in our autoclave every night and we limit their use to one patient per item, per day. We sterilize our kennels and runs after each use and we launder all bedding in the appropriate detergent. Thank you for your cooperation.
We will continue to monitor the guidelines offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to ensure we are limiting exposure to our patients, staff and clientele.
3-18-2020
In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, many of our clients are asking if we will remain open to treat their pets. The answer is yes. We are listening to the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) for those that work in the healthcare industry. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is in constant communication with us as well, providing practice standards and answers to frequently asked questions. Cleanliness has been a top priority of our offices for over 30 years, however we have increased our protocol to protect our patients and clients from spreading the most recent threat.
We have instituted many new cleaning and disinfecting procedures to be utilized at both locations, but we are highlighting the most effective on this post. In the event that the spread of the virus escalates and we are required to implement further precautionary procedures, we will notify our clientele through Facebook and our website.
Between each exam, we thoroughly spray every single surface with approved virucidal cleaning agents and let the solution sit on the surfaces before they are wiped down. The staff and doctor are required to wash their hands with surgical grade disinfectants between each room and repeat if they enter/exit an existing room. In addition, our reception staff will be spraying each chair and surface in our lobby after it is touched or occupied by a client and/or patient. We ask for your understanding and patience with us during this time. This protocol will most certainly cause some delay in our appointment times, but we assure you that we are operating at these standards in order to prevent further spread of the virus. If our staff notices a client exhibiting any respiratory symptoms, we will respectfully and discretely ask you to reschedule your appointment. We ask that if you are feeling sick, coughing or sneezing; stay home. We will reschedule your visit when you are feeling better. If you are feeling sick and staying home, but you are concerned about the state of your pet's eyes, please call our office and we will do everything we can to help.
A sincere thanks for your cooperation during this time. If you would like to read the latest recommendations from the CDC, please click the link below.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
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