Quite often I have clients lament how difficult it is to bring their pet into the veterinary clinic. From the cat that won’t go into his carrier to the dog that tucks his tail and hides behind his owner as he approaches the clinic door, many pets develop a fear of the vet’s office. Perhaps it is the smorgasbord of overwhelming smells and sounds? Maybe a bad memory associated with a previous veterinarian clinic experience? But no matter the cause, here are a few tips for helping your pet feel less stress at the vet.
1. Bring Him Hungry
When possible, don’t feed your dog for two or three hours before taking him to the vet. The staff of the clinic can use this to their advantage by offering treats to entice a nervous dog into an exam room or to calm them during a procedure like a blood draw or nail trim. The dog is more likely to be tempted by the treat if brought in a little on the hungry side.
2. Bring Your Own Treats
If your dog is particularly fond of a specific type of treat (my dog will do just about anything for a pork and apple Lil’ Links,) then bring a few with you. Reward your dog for his or her cooperation while at the clinic.
3. Happy Hound Visit
Most veterinary clinics will gladly support a quick ‘pop-in’ to the clinic. Drive to the vet’s office, come in, say hello to the staff, and have them offer a treat or some scratching/petting, then leave! A visit when nothing traumatic happens—only warm fuzzies and a snack—makes great strides towards improving Fido’s opinion of the vet clinic.
4. Practice “vet touch” at home (no shots of course)
If you’ve had a puppy, you know all about getting them comfortable with human touch and handling — this process is similar. Add looking at their ears, teeth, eyes and paws to your handling regimen. If you find that your dog doesn’t like something, grab a treat and slowly desensitize them to the experience. We recommend starting the exposure of what happens during a vet check right away. It will help your dog understand that this type of touch happens and isn’t a big deal.
A good example of what some dogs struggle with is nail trimming or looking at paws. Since most owners are not comfortable with trimming their dog’s nails, this will sometimes get overlooked in the big picture of touch. You can help your vet or groomer to do it for you by practicing the motions that go into a nail trimming at home. That way, when you take your pup to get their nails trimmed, it isn’t a foreign or scary experience. Start with a treat in one hand and pet the top of their foot while giving them a treat. The goal isn’t to completely distract with a treat, but to reward them for staying calm and allowing you to touch their feet. Depending on your dog and how they react, work toward being able to pick up each foot, massage it, look in-between their toes, and touch each nail. Using treats throughout this type of training helps reinforce acceptance of all sorts of touch. If you’re not sure what a vet check-up consists of, ask your local vet.
5. Mood Music
When driving to the vet, please keep the music in the car on the quite side. Nothing against heavy metal or loud booming bass, but studies have shown that classical music soothes both stressed humans and dogs. It doesn’t have to be Bach or Mozart specifically, but preferably something mellow. During my undergraduate job as a boarding kennel manager, I found the dogs would bark less when we would play music for them. Believe it or not, I had good luck with classic country music. (I’m not kidding!) I encourage you to experiment with what seems soothing to your dog.
6. Avoid the Lobby
Nothing stresses a nervous dog (or cat) like an extended period in a loud and/or crowded waiting room. The longer the wait, the more amped up a pet can become. If you know your dog gets scared around other animals or strange people, ask the receptionist when you arrive if you may wait in an available exam room. A little privacy away from the chaos of the front lobby can help any escalating nervousness.
7. Compression Garments for Dogs?
Don’t worry; I’m not suggesting you buy some fashion-friendly shaping attire. However canine-specific compression garments can sometimes have success calming an anxious pet. The concept is similar to swaddling an infant, with adjustable stretchy sides that offer gentle compression around a dog’s chest and forelimbs. Their initial use was for periods of stress such as firework shows and thunderstorms, but many clinics are now using them for patients to keep them more relaxed while in the veterinary hospital.
8. Fear Free Clinics
In a concept spearheaded by Dr. Marty Becker, aka “America’s Veterinarian” and former Good Morning America contributor, veterinary clinics are striving to make the whole vet clinic experience less intimidating to their patients. They encourage concepts like:
- Exams performed on the floor instead of a cold metal exam table
- Natural light instead of fluorescent
- Acoustic paneling to decrease noise
- Keeping cat housing away from dog housing
- Separating loud barking dogs from the quiet areas of the hospital
- Calming pheromones on employee clothing and in cages/runs
- And many,many more! The Fear Free movement is just gaining momentum.
I recommend—when possible—searching for a veterinarian who employs some of these ideas. By using these ideas both you and your pet will have a much more pleasant veterinary hospital experience. Don’t forget that staying calm yourself is an important part of keeping your dog calm, as they often pick up on and mimic our body language and emotions.
