COVID-19: How it's affecting veterinary practices in Australia

We've shared several articles and videos about how veterinary practices in the U.S. are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, but what about practices in the rest of the world?

"The veterinary industry [in Australia] seems to be riding the storm reasonably well," says Dr. Phil Tucak, BSc, BVMS, a veterinary communications management consultant and wildlife outreach veterinarian in Perth.

Dr. Tucak says that when the Australian government first declared veterinarians as 'essential' in late March, there was a lot of uncertainty about how the pandemic would unfold and how it would impact business. But the approximately 13,000 veterinarians in Australia appear to be adapting well to social distancing guidelines and are implementing increased safety measures at their practices, he says.

Like in the U.S., some hospitals have split their teams, reduced work hours and, in some cases, cut positions. Some practices are allowing just one client and their pet in the hospital at a time, and some are examining pets outdoors while wearing personal protective equipment.

In the video below, Dr. Tucak shares more about how COVID-19 is impacting veterinary practices in Australia.