Covid-19 information (Updated 3.1.22)

What to expect at Four Lakes Veterinary Clinic, as of today (the quick read version):

When you arrive, no matter who the pet or what the plan, we are asking that you call our clinic. We will, as soon as we are able, come out to you. We are doing this to protect you, your pets and our staff. We will deliver all medication, food, and paperwork to your car, rain or shine. We will collect all samples this way, too!

Are you here for an appointment? 

Tech appointments (vaccinations, blood draws, allergy shots, anal gland expression or nail trims) will be conducted curbside. If we think we need you to be part of the process, we will ask you to come in with us.

Regular appointments will be choose your own adventure. You can either keep your appointment curbside or we will allow one masked person into each appointment. 

Curbside appointments: Call the clinic! We will take your information and bring your pet inside just as soon as we have a space ready for them. See the detailed version of appointments below if you would like more about the process. (We suggest this option if you are feeling under the weather or taking extra precautions to protect yourself or loved ones.)

In-person appointments: Call the clinic! We will escort you and your pet into the building once their room is ready. You are required to wear a mask over your mouth and nose during your entire appointment. We are only allowing one person into each appointment at this time.  If you have a child with you, the appointment will be done curbside. 

We will continue to make exceptions for end-of-life services, so please note that if you see additional people entering our building, that is generally why. 

Want more details as to what we are doing, why and other info? Read on!

Curbside appointment details: These appointments will begin with you making a call to us and we will come out to ask questions, take note of your concerns, and bring your pet inside. Once a doctor has assessed your pet, they will call you or come out to your vehicle to discuss diagnosis, possible treatment, and address your concerns. For this reason, we ask that you stay in our parking lot, unless you have let the admitting Technician know otherwise. We do ask that if you choose to run an errand, that you return promptly, as we do have a limited amount of space in the clinic. At the conclusion of your discussion and any treatment, we will bring your pet out to you along with any medication your pet requires and collect payment. Now you are ready for your next adventure. 

Same-day admission appointments:

When you arrive for your appointment, please remain in your vehicle and call the clinic, if you do not have a mobile phone, please inform us when scheduling or confirming your appointment.  

A staff member will come out to your vehicle to get your pet and bring him/her into the clinic.  If you received a form to fill out, please remember to email it back to us or bring it to the appointment.  Include any concerns or questions you have about your pet or be prepared to spend a few minutes providing information regarding your concerns, symptoms, current medications, etc. We will call or email to discuss any questions we have, as well as any diagnostics and/or treatments we recommend, and our care plan.

We will send home or email detailed discharge instructions or a report card after the visit.

Payment is due at the time of service, and we accept credit cards, checks or cash payments.

When your pet is ready to go home, we will bring your dog or cat back out to your car.  

Food and/or medication pick-ups:

Please call or email the clinic, or send a request through PetDesk if you need refills on food or medication.   

We will bring the products outside to you. Payment will be taken outside by card, check or cash.

You may also order food and medications from our on-line store and it will be shipped to your residence.

All of our staff members are vaccinated!  We have all proudly acquired our vaccine doses and are doing our best to stay healthy so we can continue to see your pets! We will follow all CDC guidelines with you and your pets. As they change the definition of what is best for everyone, we may alter how we conduct appointments. 

Why are we still taking these precautions if we are vaccinated and numbers are going down?

1. We are working through staffing shortages. If one person on our team gets sick, we have to cancel appointments. We already have a limited schedule because we don't have the staff to see more pets each day. If more than one person gets sick, we may have to close the clinic for multiple days. We want to see our patients, so we have to be cautious. 

2. We are protecting our kids. We are excited that we have more than one "clinic baby." These little ones can't be vaccinated yet, so we are trying our best to keep them healthy.

3. Pandemic pets are nervous pets. People with animals who are nervous and have anxieties have gone out of their way to seek our services. It means that more animals who come to us are reactive in some way, and while we are trained to read body language and take precautions, not everyone is. A fear-free way of creating a safe space is to bring pets directly to a safe and quiet room, something we can't do if people are in our lobby or other animals are sitting and waiting for their appointments to begin. 

Thank you for entrusting us with your pet's care and for understanding the added precautions to keep everyone safe and healthy.