Summer 2020

Dear Clients of the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center,

It was the Wednesday of Spring Break when word came that the clinical year students were unexpectedly being sent home due to COVID-19. Fourth-year veterinary students in their clinical year work all year round as they put into practice their training of the previous three years by working in our hospital. They perform essential functions in the hospital – and they were gone! Suddenly our hospital was missing close to 150 students but the patients still needed care.

Since early March when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Iowa, the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital has limited its services to emergencies only.

And the hospital is taking other precautions including curbside check-in for all patients. All staff members are wearing cloth masks when they interact with the public. And since late March, the clinical rotations have concluded, so no fourth-year veterinary students have been available to assist in the ER.

Twenty-four hours a day, the floors of the Equine Hospital at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center receive a workout from foot and hoof traffic and heavy rolling carts carrying equipment, bedding and feed. Over time, those heavy loads and traffic take a toll.

This past winter, just shy of 15,000 square-foot of new flooring was installed in the main receiving hall and corridor, equine wards 1 & 2, and the equine ICU. Additionally, the Large Animal Hospital radiology and scintigraphy room were re-floored.