Senior Project Advisor

Georgianne Connell

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Spring 2022

Keywords

veterinary medicine, covid-19 pandemic, veterinary care, curbside care, telemedicine, barriers to care, pet owners, veterinarians

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has presented many changes and challenges to veterinary medicine during the past two years. These challenges have created barriers to veterinary care that both veterinary professionals and pet owners have had to overcome. The goal of this project is to elucidate the impacts of the pandemic on veterinary medicine through the review of journal and research papers and interviews with veterinary professionals who have worked during the pandemic. The main challenges faced by veterinary professionals throughout the pandemic have been practice shutdowns, short staffing, increased caseloads, decreased work efficiency, and increased burnout as veterinarians work under increased pressure. Veterinary professionals have faced these challenges with changes to practice operation, such as curbside care, telemedicine, and increased sanitation, as well as changes in management to continue providing care and prevent the spread of Covid-19. The pandemic instigated a significant increase in demand for veterinary care, which can be explained by the combination of owners spending more time at home with their pets and adopting new companion animals. Pet owners experienced challenges in accessing veterinary care, adjusting to new practice protocols, and difficulties caring for pets during the pandemic. Veterinary medicine faced many barriers to providing care to pets in their communities during the pandemic, but practices can overcome these barriers by improving their efficiency with effective operational protocols and increased prioritization of veterinary professional wellness to decrease burnout.

Department

Biology

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Veterinary medicine--Practice; Veterinarians--Workload; COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-; Pet owners

Genre/Form

essays

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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Included in

Biology Commons

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