Veterinary practices are being warned to prepare for a spike in emergency calls during July and August by telephone answering service provider Moneypenny.
In a two-year study of telephone calls to the company’s veterinary clients, it was found that the highest number of emergency-related enquiries were received on 25 July in 2016 and 3 July in 2017.
The study also revealed that August saw high levels of emergency calls with its second busiest day of the year falling on 1 August 1 in 2016 and 21 August in 2017.
The data also revealed that the busiest time of the day for calls relating to an emergency was 9am to 11am, with a second peak at 5pm to 6pm.
Stephanie Vaughan-Jones, commercial manager at Moneypenny, said: “The study looked at thousands of calls over a two-year period to see when we received the most enquiries regarding an emergency. In both years there was a spike during July and August.”
Ian Stroud, veterinary surgeon and owner of Vet4Life, added: “Over the summer we typically see a rise in health problems that are specific to this time of year. Heat stroke, for example, during hot spells like those we’ve been experiencing recently is one of the most common emergencies we receive calls about.
“Painful grass seeds that become lodged in ears and paws are another big issue, alongside flea infestations and stings or bites from insects as pets enjoy spending more time outside.”
