SAN ANTONIO — The owner of Texas Veterinary Hospitals isn't planning a vacation anytime soon. Dr. Michael Mixon's clinic is busier than ever.
"There's no downtime," Mixon said. "We did not expect to be as consistent and as busy as we have been."
Since the start of the pandemic, he said he's seen a 20% jump in appointments.
"New clients, existing clients — it's been a mix," Mixon said. "We've seen everything increase."
And it isn't people bringing in their newly adopted pets that's making up the bulk of the appointments.
"Our sick cases have gone up dramatically," Mixon said. "And it's not because they're sicker than they would usually be right now; it's that people are home."
Mixon said with more people stuck at home, they're able to watch their pets more closely and tell when something is off.
"The kids are doing school work from home with the dog on the bed with them, people working at the computer and they have the cat in their lap," Mixon said. "So they can see their dog scratching at their ears or their skin."
Sometimes noticing what your dog or cat hasn't been doing, like finishing all the food in their bowl or playing with as much enthusiasm, is just as important.
"Sometimes it's the subtle things that they're not doing (that) are signs that things are starting to change on the inside, whether it be arthritis or kidney disease, things like that," Mixon said.
People are staying home for different reasons, unknowingly keeping their pets safe too. Mixon said he's happy to see owners using this time to make sure their pets are in good health.
"They're aware of what's going on now," he said.
Mixon and his team have several safety protocols in place to keep patients and staff safe. They're currently offering a "curbside" service, where an employee will come out to your car and bring your pet inside the clinic for you.
But Mixon is looking to hire more employees to help with the heavy workload. If you're interested in learning more about employment or would like to bring your pet in for a checkup, click here.