March 19, 2020 the governor of Colorado has mandated that all clinics eliminate non-elective procedures to conserve personal protective equipment during this COVID-19 outbreak. We all have to do our part. Effective March 23-April 14, 2020 per Governor Polis’ executive order, Harmony Veterinary Center will suspend all elective procedures, surgeries and dentistry. The governor’s order may be extended depending on current conditions in the State of Colorado for the COVID-19 outbreak. We will keep you updated as the situation requires.
Quick FAQs About Our New Policy
We will remain open to serve your pets and our community. All general wellness services are suspended, we are seeing sick and urgent cases only. Please see below for more details and please always feel free to contact us at 303-432-8551.
You can still pick up necessary pet medication. We are working hard to fill all pet medications in a timely fashion. Due to the high volume of prescription refill requests please allow up to 72 hours for refills. Our nurses will call you when your prescription is ready for pick up.
You can submit a prescription refill request from our web page or to our our online pharmacy
Puppy and Kitten vaccinations are deemed necessary. It is very important that these young pets keep on their vaccination schedule to protect them from the environmental viruses that can cause them serious harm. All puppy and kitten owners will be notified individually to maintain their scheduled appointments.
Rabies vaccinations, if your pet is due for a rabies vaccination it can be scheduled now. If you pet is also due for an annual exam the exam will be scheduled separately into May or June.
Other vaccinations can be safely postponed until after the executive order expires.
Heartworm tests and prevention. It is very important that you keep your pet on monthly heartworm preventative (Heartgard Plus). We can fulfill All heartworm preventative prescriptions now. Annual blood tests and exams will be scheduled for May or June. This will allow us to adhere to the governor’s orders, while keeping you, your pet and our medical team safe. If you need to purchase your heartworm preventative in single doses, our online pharmacy will allow this with no shipping charge. You can also purchase six or twelve month supplies of heartworm preventative on our online pharmacy, often with coupon discounts to save you money.
Spay/Neuter surgeries – please work closely with our nursing staff to assist you in avoiding any unwanted behavior issues during this time. We will schedule these as soon as allowable.
Dentistry – In veterinary medicine many dental issues are not routine. Our medical team will work closely with you to schedule your pet’s procedure appropriately and postpone any routine, non-pathological dentistry.
Surgery – Please see below for the list of surgeries that are considered elective vs non-elective.
If you have an elective procedure scheduled with us now, our staff will be reaching out to you to reschedule.
Telemedicine Appointments can be scheduled to assist you with any concerns regarding your pet. To schedule a telemedicine appointment please call our office at 303-432-8551. Please see below for more details on what cases we can manage via telemedicine.
Executive Order Definitions
– please call if you have questions, our nurses are always willing to assist you. Telemedicine conferences are also available.
Elective Procedures: Elective procedures are any procedures that can be put off for 3 months without permanent harm to the patient, including loss of life, permanent disability of a limb, permanent organ dysfunction or a likely worsening of the condition to include one of the above. These will include:
- -Spay and neuter surgeries
- -Elective gastropexy
- -Non-cancerous growths
- -Routine dentistries without visible lesions indicating periodontal disease or other dental pathology
- -Sedated nail trims
- -X-ray procedures (sedated or non-sedated) for screening or non-emergent conditions
- -Routine laparotomy for biopsy in non-emergent patients
- -Routine nail trims (unless nails showing pathology—see below)
- -Acupuncture, except as associated with a non-elective procedure
- -Massage, except as associated with a non-elective procedure
- -Laser, except as associated with a non-elective procedure
- -Luxating patella surgeries, other orthopedic procedures for chronic conditions
- -Skin biopsies unless disease severe or progressing rapidly
- -Routine anal gland expression without symptoms (scooting etc.)
- -Routine screening bloodwork
- -Recheck bloodwork if not critical in monitoring or disease management
- Second opinion exams for non-emergent conditions
Non-elective Procedures: Non-elective procedures are those procedures necessary to save a patient’s life or prevent permanent disability of a limb, permanent organ dysfunction, or a likely worsening of the condition. These include:
- –Cancerous or likely cancerous mass removals
- -Ulcerated/necrotic mass removals
- -Splenectomy
- -Foreign body
- -Exploratory Laparotomy in ill patients
- -Cystotomy (stones small enough to cause obstruction or large enough to cause significant bladder pathology)
- -Dentistry with evidence of pathology, including loose teeth, neck lesions, significant gingival recession indicative of periodontal disease and bone loss, fractured teeth with pulp exposure, abscessed teeth, oral masses, or other oral pathology
- -Aural hematoma draining or repair
- -Anal gland expression (if scooting or signs of discomfort)
- -Nail trims if nails are threatening to grow into pads or deforming toes
- -Enucleation surgery
- -Radiographs (sedated or un-sedated) for fractures, ACLs, abdominal or thoracic disease, met checks
- -Wound management, including laceration repairs, lancing abscesses, clipping and cleaning wounds, torn toenails
- -Bandage changes, splint changes
- -Suture removals
- -Ultrasounds if significant pathology is suspected
- -Orthopedic surgery (ACL) IF significant wait time will cause permanent damage to leg
- -Acupuncture for older pets, where their condition would deteriorate if stopped
Management of Clinic Appointments
-Wellness exams will be moved until after April 14, and then will be preferentially placed onto Wellness Wednesdays until the crisis has passed.
-Sick exams to be seen in the clinic will include:
- -Vomiting/diarrhea
- -Bloody stools
- -Straining to defecate, no stool produced
- -Lethargy
- -Fever
- -Not eating
- -Rapid weight loss
- -Inability to walk, trouble getting up
- -Pain, especially acute onset
- -Possible dental pathology (drooling, not eating, foul odor to breath, bleeding from gums)
- -Urinary issues (straining to urinate, blood in urine)
- -Coughing
- -Trouble breathing
- -Exercise intolerance
- -Wounds, torn nails
- -Trauma, possible broken bones
- -Lumps/bumps that are growing rapidly or have raw spots
- -Hot spots
- -SQ fluids
- -Acupuncture for neurologic or severe pain only
- -Puppy/kitten vaccines to keep them current on their series
- -Aggressive pets/those known to bite due for rabies vaccine
- -Euthanasia
Telemedicine
Some appointments may be able to be triaged or seen through telemedicine without coming to the clinic. (Ask the doctor prior to booking for telemedicine.) These include:
- -Itching without significant skin lesions, allergies
- -Some eye appointments
- -Some ear appointments
- -Chronic pain, especially if already seen for this
- -Second opinions
- -Worms in stool
- -Diseases with very mild or chronic symptoms (i.e. intermittent blood in stool)
- -Diarrhea cases if the pet feels fine otherwise (can have them drop off stool sample)
- -Rechecks for certain cases
- -Some wellness questions or client concerns, discussions on diet, weight, etc.
- -Some Quality of Life discussions
We will adjust this list and all lists as public mandates dictate
