July 21, 2021

BREAKING NEWS! As of 7/22/21, we are implementing new guidelines regarding entry of humans into the hospital. In the interest of safety for clients and staff, as well as our ability to remain open and serve our patients which we can not do in the event of a COVID19 outbreak among staff, our policy for accompanying patients is as follows:

1. Our waiting room will remain closed to the public.

2. We will maintain existing protocols regarding contactless check-ins (wait in the parking lot, call/text us to check in).

3. Each pet (or group of pets in the event of a multi-pet visit) may be accompanied by ONE masked and vaccinated human. A staff member will come to your car and escort you and your pet into the exam room. There will be no exceptions to the masking policy - if a medical condition precludes your wearing a mask, we will accommodate you by providing curbside service as we have been doing throughout the pandemic.

4. After your appointment, you must exit the building immediately. Staff will then call you to check you out over the phone.

5. If you prefer to remain outside the building during the appointment, that is still fine - just let us know.

We are sad that it is still not possible to fully reopen safely, but we feel obligated to protect the at-risk immunocompromised and vaccine-ineligible members of our families and our community by doing our part to prevent the ongoing circulation of SARS-CoV-2. Thank you for understanding.

Please note: below is our previous communication regarding COVID19; we do request you continue to abide by the guidelines regarding not coming to the hospital while ill, and following state, federal, and CDC guidelines in addition to our own stated policies.

June 15, 2021

Dear Ivens-Bronstein Friends,

It has been a long and difficult year and a half since most of us first heard of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19! We are happy and proud to have been able to provide ongoing medical care for your furry family members as we all learned to navigate this pandemic crisis. We are thrilled to have survived this plague without suffering the loss of any staff members to this wretched virus, but we mourn the loss of some Ivens-Bronstein friends and families who did not make it through. While vaccines are now widely available, not everyone is eligible to receive them, and not everyone who receives them is capable of mounting an immune response. Until such time as enough of the population is immune that the virus is no longer circulating widely, we must remain vigilant. To that end, we are continuing with some of our pandemic-related restrictions and safety practices until further notice - but please know that we do continue to review all policies weekly or after receipt of new scientific discoveries.

We ask that you continue to help everyone by following these guidelines:

1. Follow the advice of your physician. Stay home if your doctor has recommended it. If you are experiencing any symptoms of concern: fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc., please contact your primary care physician. If you have a scheduled appointment at our office, and you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please know that your health is our number one concern. We are happy to reschedule your appointment for a time when you are feeling better.

2. If you are sick, have someone else in the household care for your pet if possible. We have good evidence that cats and dogs can be infected, although dogs do not seem likely to transmit the virus. Cats are somewhat more likely to do so, but this is still quite rare. Mink seem particularly susceptible, and we do not know enough yet about the susceptibility of other species to comment. Follow the “Worms and Germs blog” from Ontario Veterinary College for updates. This is an infectious disease blog by Dr.Scott Weese, a veterinary internist and public health microbiologist at OVC. Information there will be more accurate than general news articles. https://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/

Some additional options we offer to provide extra protection:

• Our online pharmacy: for medications and food, which can be delivered to your door within 1 – 3 days. There is a VETSOURCE link on our website: https://www.ivensbronsteinvet.com If you need assistance placing an online order, call our office at 610-649-4242 and we will walk you through the process or even take your credit card information and place the order for you. If, due to high call volume, you have trouble reaching us, you can also send us an email: ivensvet@gmail.com and we can call you back ASAP.
• We are drop off/curbside only. Upon arrival, please call us and have a mask on.  Owners will not be present for visits.
• We are now offering TeleMedicine services! Follow the link below to learn more.

We hope our community continues to work together to promote the public health and prevent new outbreaks.  For now, it is important that we continue minimize transmission to reduce the emergence of new viral variants and to protect the most vulnerable members of our population who are unable to receive protection from the vaccines.

Sincerely,

Ivens-Bronstein Veterinary Hospital & Staff

Please CLICK HERE to access our TeleMedicine services!