Temporary Triage Mode Notice
Due to the current heat wave and the number of animals now showing respiratory distress and other life-threatening conditions, Smith Veterinary Service will be operating in triage mode for the remainder of this week and through the weekend, at least.
During this time, we will not be scheduling routine visits. We have also asked many clients who were already scheduled to give up their appointments so we can make room for animals with more critical needs. We understand this is frustrating and inconvenient, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who is allowing us the time we need to care for more urgent cases.
The heat has pushed many animals “off the fence”—patients who were managing until now but are suddenly struggling, especially with breathing problems, weakness, collapse, or other serious changes. While I am no longer in the world of emergency clinics and referral hospitals, I have never left the concept of triage behind.
Triage means the sickest and most unstable patients are seen first. As I have often said:
You do not want to be at the head of a triage line.
How We Will Be Handling the Next Few Days
All available appointment slots will be offered to critical animals, euthanasias, and other urgent matters. I will try to prioritize current patients and clients, especially if it helps keep you out of the emergency clinics. However, I will not see a non-urgent problem in an established patient while turning away a critical patient I have never seen.
Triage. Triage. Triage.
That said, I would like to accommodate urgent but non-life-threatening problems whenever possible. This is where having an established relationship with me will matter most.
I will be making myself available this weekend for telemedicine consultations with established patients whenever appropriate. This includes issues such as ear infections, minor injuries, lameness, and other concerns where the animal is stable and does not require immediate hands-on care.
For Established Clients with Minor Concerns
Our office is overwhelmed with calls today, so I am asking established clients with minor issues that can safely wait a day or two to send a request to:
Email: [email protected]
Because this may quickly overwhelm our email inbox, please do not send urgent concerns by email. For true emergencies, call the clinic. If you cannot reach us promptly, proceed directly to an emergency clinic.
Emergency Resources
There are numerous resources available on our website, including links to emergency clinics, poison control, and other helpful services.
Please review those resources, but do not delay seeking emergency care if your animal is in distress.
If You’re Not Sure What to Do
I suppose the bottom line is this: if you find yourself in a pinch, try to reach us—whether you are a client or not. There may be ways we can help. But if time is short, do not wait for our answer before seeking emergency care.
My goal is to get every animal the care it needs while also easing some of the burden on the already overstressed emergency clinic staff, who will likely be bursting at the seams this weekend. If your animal is not in critical condition, expect long wait times at emergency facilities.
Remember: you do not want to be at the head of the triage line.
One Final Bottom Line
We’ll help if we can—so don’t assume we can’t. Reach out. But in an emergency, don’t wait.
A Request to Our Community
One last request to everyone who cares for and loves animals enough to welcome them into their homes, pays for their care when they’re sick, and understands the emotional, physical, and mental demands of working in a profession that often eats its own—especially those on the front lines of emergency veterinary medicine:
Please be empathetic. Please be kind.
It isn’t easy—not when your pet is sick, hurt, or in distress. Not when hospitals have more critical animals than their staff can possibly care for. Not when the wait time for a “relatively” stable patient is eight hours, twelve hours, or even longer.
Please, please try to understand that the way out of this veterinary crisis is through communication, empathy, understanding, and unfortunately, patience. Lots of patience.
It’s chaos in the veterinary world right now. Bear with us, especially the frontline emergency clinic teams. I’ve been there for probably too long. I can’t carry that level of stress anymore. But I can do this. I can do what I can, which is all any of us can do.
And perhaps one final thought to my fellow veterinarians: compliance is the only path to successful treatment, and compliance comes from trust and relationships. We need to strip away the “us versus them” attitude that has found its way into every level of this profession.
Above all, be kind. Remember, it isn’t about us. It’s about the patients we care for.
Be patient.
Have a safe holiday.
— Dr. Smith