Making Veterinary Visits Less Stressful For Your Pet
Many pets are anxious when coming into the veterinarian's office. From a pet's perspective, veterinary clinics are full of unusual sights, sounds, and smells. Here are a couple things that we can do to help your pet be less stressed:
When Scheduling Your Appointment
We will always put safety of the pet first! Please be sure that your dog has a well fitting collar or halter and is on a leash when coming into the clinic. Cats should be either in a carrier or cat bag or on a halter/leash. When scheduling your appointment, please let our staff know if your pet is fearful or aggressive in certain situations, so that we can take necessary steps to keep our staff and other pets that might be present safe. For example, if you let us know that your dog doesn't get along well with other dogs- we will make sure to place you directly into an exam room or give you a private waiting area for your appointment. We understand that many cats get anxious in unfamiliar places, so we will typically usher you directly into our cat only exam room upon your arrival with a feline patient.
When scheduling your appointment, please make our staff aware of all concerns you have regarding your pets health- that way we can try to schedule plenty of time for discussion of these topics. We don't want your visit to feel rushed! If you schedule a minor routine appointment, but your pet becomes ill before your appointment- please let us know prior to your visit if possible.
During Your Visit - Remember to be calm yourself!
Pets feed off of our body language and tone of voice, so if you are stressed- they will be too! During the appointment, remember to speak to your pet in a calm, low pitched tone. Don't yell at or punish your pet if they act out- they are only nervous and punishment will not relieve their fears. Remember for cats that "shhh!" sounds a lot like hissing so try to avoid shushing when they are upset.
Let Us Help Prepare Your Pet for Examination.
Your pet's physical and emotional health are important to us! If your pet is calm during their visit, physical examinations can be more thorough and procedures can be done faster and easier! Our examination tables are covered with traction mats or towels to provide a warmer, more comfortable surface. Our dog exam rooms are equipped with Thunderease diffusers- these emit pheromones or "scent signals", which encourage calmness in anxious or stressed pets. Thunderease is modeled off the natural pheromone that mother dogs emit to soothe their puppies. Thunderease is not a drug, so there are no side effects to be concerned about. If your pet comes to stay with us, we also use Thunderease sprays in their cages. Does your new puppy whine at night or hate being alone? Talk to us about using Thunderease at home for better training and behaviors in young dogs!
Our cat exam room is equipped with a Feliway diffuser. Feliway is modeled after the natural pheromone that cats leave behind on surfaces when they rub their cheeks on things. This natural pheromone is the cat's signal that this environment is comfortable and familiar. During your pet's visit, we will often provide Feliway sprayed towels to help provide comfort. Are you introducing a new cat to the home? Does your cat hate the carrier? Are your cats having socialization problems? Urinating outside of the litterbox? Scratching the furniture? There are a variety of forms of Feliway that can help at home!
Get accustomed to travel long before the appointment time.
For dogs, this may mean taking a few practice trips in the car. These trial runs could even include a trip into the clinic just to get a treat and head back home - its a great way to let dogs know that we are a friendly place. Remember to use positive reinforcement to let your pet know that travel doesn't have to be scary- use praise and small treats when practicing getting in the car and during the ride. Talk to your veterinarian ahead of time for tips if your dog tends to get car sick.
For cats, they need to be accustomed to a carrier - be aware this may take weeks before the actual visit! Remember to leave the carrier out at home in a place where the kitty can enter if he wishes- it shouldn't be the scary, smelly box that only comes out of the garage for vet visits! Offer tasty treats in and around the carrier while it is at home, so that your cat has positive experiences with the carrier. Place a old T-shirt or towel that smells like home inside the carrier with your pet. Consider covering the open sides of the carrier with a towel- many cats are more comfortable if they are "hiding". Many cats benefit from Feliway (a drug free calming scent pheromone) wiped or sprayed inside the carrier- Ask your veterinarian for more information. Note: carriers that have tops that come off are best- they allow us to exam cats while they are resting comfortably inside the carriers and we can avoid having to force them out.
Come hungry!
We will often use low calorie treats, peanut butter, or cheese during appointments to put the pets more at ease or to distract them during procedures. This works much better if they are hungry when they come in! You may also want to feed lightly if your pet experiences car sickness. If you know your pet has a favorite treat, please feel free to bring some with you! ***Please make us aware during your appointment if your pet has any food sensitivities.
Use calming aids.
Calming aids may include: scent pheromones, pet garments, or anti-anxiety medications. For example, during our feline appointments, you will notice a Feliway diffuser in the cat exam room and we often spray our towels and scrubs with this calming pheromone. There is a dog version of this pheromone called Thunderease. An example of a stress relieving garment is called a thundershirt. Thundershirts can be purchased online (often with a 30 day money back guarantee) and is useful for decreasing signs of stress with vet visits, as well as thunderstorms and fireworks. For some pets with severe anxiety issues, your veterinarian may recommend a medication given prior to your arrival or a brief light plane of anesthesia during the appointment. These steps are sometimes needed to insure safety and a thorough exam.
When Scheduling Your Appointment
We will always put safety of the pet first! Please be sure that your dog has a well fitting collar or halter and is on a leash when coming into the clinic. Cats should be either in a carrier or cat bag or on a halter/leash. When scheduling your appointment, please let our staff know if your pet is fearful or aggressive in certain situations, so that we can take necessary steps to keep our staff and other pets that might be present safe. For example, if you let us know that your dog doesn't get along well with other dogs- we will make sure to place you directly into an exam room or give you a private waiting area for your appointment. We understand that many cats get anxious in unfamiliar places, so we will typically usher you directly into our cat only exam room upon your arrival with a feline patient.
When scheduling your appointment, please make our staff aware of all concerns you have regarding your pets health- that way we can try to schedule plenty of time for discussion of these topics. We don't want your visit to feel rushed! If you schedule a minor routine appointment, but your pet becomes ill before your appointment- please let us know prior to your visit if possible.
During Your Visit - Remember to be calm yourself!
Pets feed off of our body language and tone of voice, so if you are stressed- they will be too! During the appointment, remember to speak to your pet in a calm, low pitched tone. Don't yell at or punish your pet if they act out- they are only nervous and punishment will not relieve their fears. Remember for cats that "shhh!" sounds a lot like hissing so try to avoid shushing when they are upset.
Let Us Help Prepare Your Pet for Examination.
Your pet's physical and emotional health are important to us! If your pet is calm during their visit, physical examinations can be more thorough and procedures can be done faster and easier! Our examination tables are covered with traction mats or towels to provide a warmer, more comfortable surface. Our dog exam rooms are equipped with Thunderease diffusers- these emit pheromones or "scent signals", which encourage calmness in anxious or stressed pets. Thunderease is modeled off the natural pheromone that mother dogs emit to soothe their puppies. Thunderease is not a drug, so there are no side effects to be concerned about. If your pet comes to stay with us, we also use Thunderease sprays in their cages. Does your new puppy whine at night or hate being alone? Talk to us about using Thunderease at home for better training and behaviors in young dogs!
Our cat exam room is equipped with a Feliway diffuser. Feliway is modeled after the natural pheromone that cats leave behind on surfaces when they rub their cheeks on things. This natural pheromone is the cat's signal that this environment is comfortable and familiar. During your pet's visit, we will often provide Feliway sprayed towels to help provide comfort. Are you introducing a new cat to the home? Does your cat hate the carrier? Are your cats having socialization problems? Urinating outside of the litterbox? Scratching the furniture? There are a variety of forms of Feliway that can help at home!
Get accustomed to travel long before the appointment time.
For dogs, this may mean taking a few practice trips in the car. These trial runs could even include a trip into the clinic just to get a treat and head back home - its a great way to let dogs know that we are a friendly place. Remember to use positive reinforcement to let your pet know that travel doesn't have to be scary- use praise and small treats when practicing getting in the car and during the ride. Talk to your veterinarian ahead of time for tips if your dog tends to get car sick.
For cats, they need to be accustomed to a carrier - be aware this may take weeks before the actual visit! Remember to leave the carrier out at home in a place where the kitty can enter if he wishes- it shouldn't be the scary, smelly box that only comes out of the garage for vet visits! Offer tasty treats in and around the carrier while it is at home, so that your cat has positive experiences with the carrier. Place a old T-shirt or towel that smells like home inside the carrier with your pet. Consider covering the open sides of the carrier with a towel- many cats are more comfortable if they are "hiding". Many cats benefit from Feliway (a drug free calming scent pheromone) wiped or sprayed inside the carrier- Ask your veterinarian for more information. Note: carriers that have tops that come off are best- they allow us to exam cats while they are resting comfortably inside the carriers and we can avoid having to force them out.
Come hungry!
We will often use low calorie treats, peanut butter, or cheese during appointments to put the pets more at ease or to distract them during procedures. This works much better if they are hungry when they come in! You may also want to feed lightly if your pet experiences car sickness. If you know your pet has a favorite treat, please feel free to bring some with you! ***Please make us aware during your appointment if your pet has any food sensitivities.
Use calming aids.
Calming aids may include: scent pheromones, pet garments, or anti-anxiety medications. For example, during our feline appointments, you will notice a Feliway diffuser in the cat exam room and we often spray our towels and scrubs with this calming pheromone. There is a dog version of this pheromone called Thunderease. An example of a stress relieving garment is called a thundershirt. Thundershirts can be purchased online (often with a 30 day money back guarantee) and is useful for decreasing signs of stress with vet visits, as well as thunderstorms and fireworks. For some pets with severe anxiety issues, your veterinarian may recommend a medication given prior to your arrival or a brief light plane of anesthesia during the appointment. These steps are sometimes needed to insure safety and a thorough exam.
