Vet clinics overwhelmed, reporting long wait times
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Staff at veterinary clinics in central Indiana are pleading for patience as they manage a large increase in patient volume leading to frustrating wait times for pet parents.
“Extremely overwhelmed, for sure,” said Patsy Campbell, staff at Noah’s Animal Hospital on Indy’s west side.
Noah’s Animal Hospital on Crawfordsville Road is reporting standard appointments are booking out five weeks in advance. Its building partner, Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care, operates a 24-hour emergency room and reports wait times as long as eight hours. It’s reporting 662 emergencies in the month of June, which is around a 50% increase, according to support staff Tom Dock.
Many pet parents waiting in labeled parking spots in the clinic’s lot this month reported long wait times.
Tammy Brooks says her “grandpup,” Peanut, broke her leg playing with larger dogs.
“I just had to get the bandage changes and it’s been two hours. And we’ll be back here Friday for another two hours,” she said, holding Peanut after a vet tech dropped her off at Brooks’ car.
Nathan Armstrong had been waiting two hours as well for his dog Mazi to have a replacement cast put on. He says his mother dropped Mazi off for the cast earlier and had to wait four to five hours. He said the cast came off and he was asked to remain in the parking lot, waiting.
“I’ve never had to wait this long,” said Brooks.
Inside, the emergency room is bustling with staff, monitors, animals and crash carts. The reason for the rush may be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All the vet clinics backed up over quarantine time. Some clinics had to close down. Some clients at home had more time with pets and are maybe noticing more issues with them,” explained Campbell.
Campbell says the increase is also due to a spike in pet adoptions during the pandemic. Approximately 12.6 million U.S. households got a new pet last year after the pandemic was declared in March 2020, according to a study by the American Pet Products Association. Those pets now need shots, checkups, spay/neuter and may need emergency care, too. She says the veterinarians are working long hours.
“They’re exhausted. They’re exhausted mentally and physically,” said Campbell.
Pet parents still aren’t allowed inside the clinic or the emergency room waiting space. Dock explained the reasoning in a blog post after he said a woman tried to force her way into the building. He said veterinary clinics have a small staff, small space and long wait times. He says, for now, it’s safest for everyone to keep their pets in their own cars and only come in when it’s their turn.
“Veterinarians and their teams, for the most part, do want you back in the hospitals because communication is easier and, honestly, most of us enjoy getting to know you, the client,” writes Dock. “But our teams have worked hard, worked long and been stretched three ways to Sunday over these past 15-18 months and they don’t deserve the abuse.”
Dock also explained the emergency room triages patients like a human emergency room, so you may have a longer wait time if you don’t have as serious of an ailment.
Some pet parents aren’t convinced the wait times and full schedule is the pandemic’s fault. Armstrong was concerned about the quality of care his dog was given, noting the cast came off shortly after his release. Brooks was concerned about her wait time.
“I don’t know about that. I was the first one here,” she said, “I was the only one here, and I’ve watched five or six cars go and I’ve been siting in the same spot for two hours.”