Veterinarians ask for patience through staff shortage, heavy workloads
Pet owners looking to get veterinary care or checkups for their dog or cat may find long wait times at the veterinary clinic. Scheduling new appointments at some clinics can take multiple weeks, and some clinics have gone appointment-only.
Veterinarians and clinic managers around the region said these conditions are reflective of larger systemic problems in the field of veterinary care, many of which stem from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bedonna Erdlen, practice manager at Cranberry Veterinary Hospital, said that COVID-19 has changed the veterinary care industry drastically.
“I've been in the industry for 14 years, and I've never seen it like this,” Erdlen said. “The demand for staff, the demand for veterinary care, it's definitely different than it was even five years ago.”
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