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Dear clients,
Thank you for all the well-wishes I have gotten so far about my extended leave in September! We all know how important it is to take a break sometime, and I am so grateful to be able to do it!
We understand that it can be stressful to know that your family veterinarian will not be available for a whole month, in addition to the uncertainty around our possible move in October! You and my team have asked me to provide as much guidance as possible for my extended leave, which I am attempting to do with this follow-up email to the last newsletter.
My intention for the sabbatical is to take a complete break from being a veterinarian for one whole month, to rest, recharge and to spend time with my family and friends back home in Germany. And I want to make sure that our team is able to assist you to the best of our abilities during my absence, and that everyone feels prepared as much as possible.
Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board rules dictate what services can be offered without direct supervision by a licensed veterinarian, which we are using as a guideline, while keeping our patient's best interest in mind.
SERVICES WE WILL OFFER IN SEPTEMBER
- Sale of Retail & Over-the-Counter products
- Refills of currently prescribed medications and supplements. Refills can only be issued for pets that have a valid Veterinary-Patient-Client-Relationship, meaning we have had to see the patient for a physical exam in our clinic within the last 12 months. If your pet is coming due for an annual exam in September and you will need refills on medications during my absence, please schedule an exam before the end of August.
(see below for a list of medications your pet should not run out of)
- Transfer of your pets' medical records to other veterinarians. We will do our best to email records to other clinics upon request and in a timely manner. Please keep in mind, we will have limited clinic hours in September. If you would like a copy of your pet's medical record emailed to you to have on hand, please call or email us.
SERVICES WE WILL NOT OFFER IN SEPTEMBER
- In-clinic appointments (including so-called "tech appointments", like nail trims, vaccinations, blood work, anal gland expressions, blood pressure measurements, grooming)
- Email, phone or video consults with me. I will not respond to email or phone messages during my sabbatical.
- Blood draws & lab work (incl. stool and urine samples)
My team will be instructed to not contact me at all for any veterinary-related issues during my leave. Please be kind and understanding when they tell you that they will not be able to ask me a quick or simple question on your behalf!
SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR MY SABBATICAL
- Establish a relationship with another veterinary clinic, ahead of time. Many clinics will take new patients but might schedule several weeks out in advance. We have not asked a specific clinic to take care of our patients during my absence since this would be overwhelming for them. Many clinics are still adjusting to the increased demand as a result of the pandemic and the nationwide shortage of veterinarians.
We also recommend establishing care at another clinic because our practice does not offer imaging (X-rays), and also no longer provides surgical and dental procedures.
- Plan ahead and check your pet's current medication and supplement supply and ask for refills ahead of time. If your pet has not had an in-clinic exam with us within the last year, please schedule one ASAP so we can continue to refill any prescriptions or supplements your pet is taking.
- In September, always call before you come to the clinic to make sure we are open for refill pick-ups, and please give us 24-48 hr of notice for any refill requests.
List of veterinary clinics for urgent care needs:
List of neighborhood clinics to consider as an alternate provider for general (or holistic) care:
In-home End-Of-Life Care
Please call or email us with any questions or concerns you have.
Best, Dr. Conny Wagner
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