​Taking the Stress Out of Vet Visits: Techniques to Help Your Pet Enjoy Seeing the Doctor

Just like kids who hate seeing the dentist, many cats and dogs are nervous, even fearful, when it comes time to see the veterinarian. It’s not hard to understand why. Imagine being suddenly taken out of your home, stuffed in a cage, taken to a strange place full of strange sounds, smells, and scared creatures. Then a stranger starts to put their hands all over you and poke you with needles. Sound like a kidnapping scenario? How would you react? Our pets have no idea that regular physical exams and vaccines are good for their continued health and well-being. All they know is that the carrier is strange, the car ride is scary and nausea-inducing, the vet clinic is overwhelming, their personal space is being invaded, and shots hurt.

There are some animals that take the whole process in stride and don’t seem overly concerned, but many display at least some anxiety. Over time, puppies and kittens that are anxious at the clinic can eventually become adults who are fearful and sometimes aggressive at the vet’s office if steps are not taken to prevent or treat this anxiety. In fact, the most common cause of aggression in the veterinary clinic setting is fear. It is very common to hear owners describe catching their pet and getting them in a carrier as a “circus”. The car ride may be complicated by the pet’s anxiety and possible motion sickness. Once at the clinic, the pet may growl or hiss at other pets and people, resist being walked on the leash, resist handling or restraint, and may even try to bite.

Please note, this does NOT mean your pet shouldn’t make regular trips to the veterinarian! Regular physical exams, vaccinations, diagnostic testing, etc are critical for preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease before it becomes a potentially life-threatening problem. People generally don’t like going to the doctor or dentist, but we still go because we know how important it is to keep ourselves healthy. The same applies to our pets.

So what’s the answer to this problem? The trick is to do what we can to make the experience as pleasant for the pet as possible. This basically involves reducing or eliminating negative reinforcement (things that cause the pet to associate the vet visit with bad things) and add or increase positive reinforcement (things that cause the pet to associate the vet visit with good things). Early socialization of puppies and kittens is also very important as it makes them less fearful and more open to new people and places.

Dr. Sophia Yin, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist, has several recommendations for preparing for the vet visit. She advises owners to:

  • Train the pet to:
    • Enjoy being in a travel crate
    • Enjoy car rides
    • Tolerate basic procedures (nail trims, sitting still for exams, pinching of skin for vaccines, etc)
  • They should bring:
    • A hungry pet (no breakfast that morning)
    • The meal that was withheld that morning
    • Treats
    • Favorite toy

Early Socialization:

Fear in pets is common, because it is a normal developmental process. All animals go through a phase early in life where they accept everything around them as friendly. They are very curious, which allows them to bond to their family and recognize their environment as safe. This stage is the sensitive period for socialization. As they become more mobile, they become more cautious and fearful of objects and animals they have never seen before. This is nature’s way of protecting them. After this stage, it takes much more time for them to learn to accept new animals, people and environments. A default setting of fear of new things is established. Therefore, pets need to be properly socialized during the sensitive period of socialization to teach them to accept a wide variety of animals, people and environments without fear. This period is generally from 3 weeks to 3 months of age in dogs and cats.

It is recommended to start socialization as close to 6-8 weeks old as possible (peak period) and continue until 6-8 months old (for reinforcement). Puppy classes are recommended during this period. However, this is before vaccinations are complete, so make sure the classes require all puppies be up to date on vaccines appropriate for their age and not show any signs of illness. Make sure play dates are with vaccinated dogs. If you are taking the puppy outside, carry him or only walk in very low risk areas. Avoid high risk environments, like dog parks, until the puppy has completed his puppy vaccine series.

SAFELY introduce the puppy or kitten to as many new pets, people and objects as possible during this time. Without proper socialization, animals can become fearful of other pets, people and inanimate objects (e.g. bicycles, vacuums, etc).

Preparing for the vet visit – crate training & car rides:

Teach cats and dogs to love their crate so they are less stressed during the transportation and visit. One simple way to do this is with food. Begin by feeding near the open door of the crate and gradually move the bowl closer each day, until the pet is eating in the crate with the door closed and shows no signs of hesitation or stress. If the pet looks scared or hesitant, go back to the last step or slow down. This process can usually be accomplished within a week.

Once the pet is comfortable in the crate, you can try feeding them

in the crate while in the car to address car phobias. Start with the car off, then gradually escalate (car on, drive around block, drive to vet and back, etc). If motion sickness develops, speak to your veterinarian about getting anti-nausea medication to help prevent a negative association with car rides.

Preparing for the vet visit – training to tolerate basic procedures:

Owners can also teach their pets to accept nail trims, muzzling, exams, injections, etc. This is done by slowly approximating the procedure and rewarding the pet with treats or attention when they accept it calmly.

Example: Nail Trims

Begin by gently holding the pet’s foot. Give a treat for good behavior and to create a positive association. Progress to handling individual toes and eventually performing a light trim, reinforcing with treats the entire time. If they resist, back up a step and try something less stressful that they will accept willingly.

Example: Injections

Begin by giving a treat and simultaneously rubbing the pet in the injection site. Contact should stop immediately when the pet finishes the treat. Additional steps include grasping the fur for a second, grasping for longer periods of time, pinching the skin softly and shaking it, poking the tented skin with a pen or capped needle. The pet should be eating the entire time. Remember to give food/treats during the actual injection as well.

When at the vet, give treats:

Treats, toys, and attention can be used to create a positive association with the veterinary clinic. Different rewards work better for different animals. Use whatever works best for that particular pet. If using food or treats, double check with the vet office that you don’t need to withhold food for any tests or procedures. The morning of the visit, don’t give the pet breakfast. Often pets will be reluctant to accept treats when they are nervous, so making sure they are hungry during the visit increases the chances of success. Bring their breakfast with you, along with their favorite treats and/or toys. Break treats into small pieces. Begin giving small pieces of treats or individual kibbles from breakfast in the parking lot and waiting area. Talk to the pet in a playful, friendly voice to help put them in a happy mood. Continue to give treats/food in the exam room, on the scale, while their temperature is being taken, etc. The technician and doctor can give treats during the initial greeting and exam. All of this works to create a positive experience for the pet. If the pet is more motivated by attention or a toy then treats, use that instead.

You can also work up to the actual visit by making trips with your pet to the vet office, walking in, giving treats, and walking out again. Repeat this process several times, allowing the pet to socialize with other pets and clinic staff members. You may even train your pet to get on the scale willingly, using treats as rewards. This way, when the time comes for their appointment, the pet will already be familiar and comfortable with the veterinary clinic.

Ideally, these training steps are started early, when a pet is still a puppy or kitten, to prevent anxiety, fear, and aggression from ever occurring. If the pet is older or fear is already established, these steps can still be used to treat their anxiety. The goal is to reduce the stress on the pet and owner when making a trip to the veterinary clinic and prevent the animal’s fear from escalating to the point where they are no longer able to receive thorough veterinary care.

If your pet has moderate to severe anxiety or fear, please speak to your veterinarian about prescribing anxiety/sedative medication that may be given before the vet visit.

For more information on pet training and behavior, visit Dr. Yin’s website at http://drsophiayin.com/. For more information about animal behavior specialists and to locate one near you go to http://avsabonline.org/resources/find-consult or http://www.dacvb.org/resources/for-the-public/.

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