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Postpone your pet's non-urgent care, pleads busy Yellowknife vet

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The Great Slave Animal Hospital is calling on resident pet-owners to hold off on booking non-emergency appointments for the near-term as the clinic is experiencing heavier than usual demand.

Roxanne Teckford, supervisor at the hospital said Monday one of the clinic's three full-time doctors, Dr. Olivia Hee, is self-isolating and another, Dr. Tom Pisz, is away. Dr. Ho Nam is the only one currently working.

Teckford said that while Hee's self-isolation began on Friday night and therefore won't be back for two weeks. During that same week of Oct. 26 she has another doctor leaving town on a spay and neutering clinic. This means the clinic will remain short-staffed.

It has been part of an ongoing pattern during the pandemic, Teckford said.

"Since March or April and since this whole thing (Covid) started we have been over the top busy – just constantly, constantly busy," Teckford said.

She added that it isn't clear why it might be although it could be tied to people at home having more time to plan appointments and noticing more intimate ailments with their animals.

As a result, the clinic is asking resident pet owners to use discretion when considering bringing in a pet in for care, understanding that this might not be an easy request as many cases require immediate attention.

She said the clinic is currently seeing on average four emergencies a day which can include surgeries or overnight hospitalization.

Things like adult dogs seeking annual vaccinations when they have already received their core vaccinations earlier in life or general health check-ups are things that possibly could wait for a few weeks, Teckford said.

Other items, however, like puppy immunization boosters or the treatment of eye or skin infections are of a higher priority and need to be dealt with accordingly, she added.

"There are not a lot of things that can wait and for example, we get many male cats with urinary blockages which is a common problem and that is painful with cats and needs to be dealt with."

If it is necessary to bring pets in for appointment, the hospital urges visitors to use public health precautions and assign one person to come in to the building.