COVID-19 UPDATE August 22, 2022

COVID-19 UPDATE May 14th, 2021

Dear Clients,

This past year we had to do a major and sudden pivot in how we operated in order to keep our staff, patients and clients safe. We have appreciated your kindness & patience as you’ve waited in your cars for your pet’s exams, waited on the phone to speak with one of our staff, and waited for us to call you back.

With the improvements in the Covid-19 positive rate in Buncombe County & North Carolina, as well as vaccinations now being available, and our staff being fully vaccinated, we are going to make another pivot.  We are happy to announce that we will be starting a hybrid opening come June 1^st.  Below are our new detailed protocols.

We still ask that when you arrive you call from your car.

• For patients that are here for an examination, we will have you call us from your car to check in. When we have a room available, one of our staff members will come out to escort you inside.  ONE owner, wearing a mask, will be allowed into the exam room with your pet.  We will have hand sanitizer available in the room, and masks available for any owner that wishes to accompany their pet but left theirs at home.  Masks must be worn the entire time while in the hospital, and must cover both your mouth and your nose.
• For patients that are being dropped off for surgical procedures, we will have you remain in your car and we will complete the check in procedure over the phone.
• For patients that will be having a nail trim, anal gland expression, vaccination or only seeing our techs, we will have you remain in your car and one of our staff will bring your pet inside.
• If you need to pick something up from the hospital, we will have you call us and we’ll still check you out over the phone and bring the item out to your vehicle.
• We will continue to offer low contact appointments for those owners that don’t feel comfortable coming into the hospital.

We look forward to beginning a slow return to normal and seeing some of you inside!

Thank you,

The doctors and staff at Pinnacle Animal Hospital

COVID-19 UPDATE March 30th, 2020

Good morning!
We are still here and open to help take care of your pets. We would like to update you on a change we have made due to COVID-19.
To keep our staff and clients healthy, as of today we are doing curbside appointments and medication pickups ONLY. We ask that when you get here, please call the office (828-676-2332). One of our staff members will get your pet's history over the phone and then come to your vehicle to get your pet. If a pet is being euthanized, we will allow 1-2 people in the room to say goodbye.
If you're picking up medications, we will take your payment over the phone and bring the medications out to you, preferably the passenger side of the vehicle.
We appreciate your support & flexibility during this time.
Thank you,
The Doctors & Staff at Pinnacle Animal Hospital

COVID-19 UPDATE March 26th, 2020

We just wanted to let everyone know that under Buncombe County’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” ordinance, we are considered an essential service, and will remain open with some rescheduling of our elective procedures.

During this time, if you would normally purchase your pet’s flea and heartworm online, please consider purchasing it here at Pinnacle. As a small business, that income is incredibly important in making sure that we can pay our staff and keep our doors open to be here for you. We can take payments over the phone, and bring your medication out to you curbside. Thank you for your help during these trying times.

 Tim McMullan, DVM

Pinnacle Animal Hospital

Compassionate Care for Pets and Their People

COVID-19 UPDATE March 24th, 2020

To our clients, current and new:

During these stressful times, we want to offer you and your pets the best possible care.  At this time we are continuing to remain OPEN during our normal business hours.  We are continuing to monitor this situation and would like to keep communication open as to what we are doing to keep you, your pets AND our staff healthy during this time.

1. We have amplified the amount of cleaning and disinfecting after every client and patient interaction.
2. We will offer parking lot pick up for medication & foods. Stay in your car and call us.  We will take your payment over the phone and bring the medication and/or food to you in your car.
3. We are also offering Low Contact Appointments for those clients that would like them! When you arrive in the parking lot, please call the office at 828-676-2332.
   1. If your pet is coming in for an examination, one of our nursing staff will take your pet’s history over the phone. Once the history has been received, one of our staff members will come to your car to get your pet – please have the pet either in the back seat, front passenger seat alone or in the cargo space of an SUV.  The doctor will then examine your pet in the hospital and call you to discuss any pertinent findings. Once any findings have been discussed, we will get all medications together and have our front desk call you once the invoice is complete to take payment over the phone. We will then bring any medications and your pet to you in your car.
   2. If your pet needs lab work drawn or a vaccine given, we will bring your pet into the hospital and then call you to take your payment over the phone. We will then bring any medications and your pet back to you in the car.
4. If you are ill and your pet needs assistance, please call us. We will discuss over the phone what we can do to help your pet, while still keeping our staff healthy.

Rest assured that we are closely following the recommendations of the CDC, State, and Local Health Departments, and will adjust our policies as necessary.

Tim McMullan, DVM