March 2020

COVID-19 Quick Facts for Petowners:
1) There is no current evidence pets can transmit COVID-19 infection to humans.
2) pets could be fomites (a object that can carry organisms from one suseptible person to another like clothes, utensils, Kleenex, furniture, etc).
3) Colorado Veterinary clinics have been asked to restrict nonessential surgeries for the next 3 weeks to conserve PPE (gloves and masks) for use in the fight against COVID-19.
Blue Sky is following this directive and will start scheduling elective surgeries and dental cleanings when the state permits it. For now, we are allowed to perform emergency procedures on patients who have injuries, possible cancer, are in pain, or may worsen without surgery.
4) Blue Sky is continuing to operate, but we are asking that clients not enter the building to allow for social distancing. We can meet you in the parking lot to get your pets history and escort them inside. Please have dogs leashed and cats in carriers.
5) Hand sanitizer is not toxic to animals and is NOT made from the same ingredients as antifreeze. A dog licking your hand after applying sanitizer will not cause any problems. If a dog ate an entire bottle of sanitizer they could act drunk and have alcohol poisoning, but due the unpleasant taste this is highly unlikely.
6) Please call or text us if you have questions during this difficult time. We want to take care of our cats and dogs while keeping everyone as safe as we can!

We’d like to share an update regarding COVID-19 and our pets. The World Health Organization confirmed last week that this virus does NOT infect our dogs. Furthermore, there’s no evidence to show that cats are at risk, either. This is obviously great news, but we still urge you to practice aggressive hygiene with frequent handwashing, even when cuddling your fur babies. While our pets can’t be infected, they can still serve as “fomites” for the disease, meaning they can physically carry the virus on their skin and fur, much in the same way that a door knob can carry the disease on its surface. The best defense against this disease is stringent hand washing and social distancing from others. Even if you are not an at-risk individual, please be diligent in these practices, as you have the potential to be a carrier (meaning infection without clinical signs) and a fomite.

As a reminder, the populations of greatest concern for contracting this virus are those who are elderly, immunocompromised or have existing medical conditions (ie. heart disease, Diabetes). So if social distancing is a huge part of your protection, then we want to play our part in protecting you. Like many veterinary clinics across the country, we’re still evolving our methods in handling this situation. We want to be there for your animals, especially when they’re sick, but we ask that you take some precautions when coming to visit us.

Please follow these guidelines when considering an office visit with us:
• If you are exhibiting signs of illness and your pet is healthy, please refrain from coming to the clinic for the time being.
• If you are exhibiting signs of illness and your pet is sick, please relay this information to us. We will come up with a game plan prior to your arrival to keep the potential for spread to a minimum.
• If you are an at-risk individual and your pet is healthy, we recommend refraining from coming to the clinic for the time being.
• If you are an at-risk individual and your pet is sick, please relay this information to us. Again, we can come up with a game plan to minimize contact and risk.
• We encourage you to avoid our waiting area as much as possible, especially if you are an at-risk individual. Feel free to wait in your car until an exam room is ready.
• Our exam rooms have sinks and soap, so please use these liberally while you’re in the clinic! We’ll be doing the same.
• Don’t be offended if we don’t shake your hand upon meeting you. It’s not personal J
• Please remember that you can use the online store if you need to get more medications or prescription food without coming in. Just visit: “blueskyclinic.vetsfirstchoice.com”

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We want to work with you to keep everyone as safe as possible, while still maintaining the health of your pet. As we’ve already seen with the spread of this virus, things are subject to change, so we’re grateful for your flexibility as learn more and adjust our protocols accordingly.

Sincerely,
Blue Sky Animal Clinic

Understandably, there is a lot of concern about how COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) specifically pertains to our pets. It is important to note that the term “coronavirus” refers to a large family of viruses and that the current outbreak refers to a specific strain identified as COVID-19. Coronaviruses are responsible for a range of illnesses from the common cold to more severe respiratory infections.

There has been a lot of focus in the media on the dog that tested a “weak positive” in Hong Kong after his owner was quarantined for infection with COVID-19. This dog has shown no symptoms of truly being infected with the virus. The current test does not differentiate between active infection, live virus or inactivated virus particles. The dog continues to be quarantined to monitor for signs of clinical disease (symptoms).