Dear friend of the Riney Canine Health Center,
My dog Mishka tends to come with me to most places I go, so when I’m at work, she often hangs out in my office at the veterinary hospital. She loves going and seeing all the people that dote on her. Sometimes I wonder if she thinks I only go there for her benefit rather than my work. Because of this backlog of good experiences, she has made the association that the veterinary hospital is a happy place.
Unfortunately, for many dogs, the veterinary hospital can be a scary and overwhelming place to visit. It’s understandable due to the many sounds, smells, strange people, other dogs, and handling for exams. Our pets don’t know we are trying to help ensure their health, nor can they see how a somewhat uncomfortable procedure is really for their long-term benefit. With some preparation, we can make these visits less stressful.
Selecting your veterinary team
If you aren’t sure what your veterinary team’s practices are or are looking to establish with a new vet, ask them about their methods to help minimize patient fear and stress. There are certain programs that veterinarians and team members can be trained in, such as Fear Free® and Low Stress Handling®. These programs focus on making a behavior-friendly atmosphere and using minimal restraint methods since many dogs do better with less restraint for physical exams, vaccinations, and blood draws. Often these hospitals will attempt to limit noise that could create stress in our pets, play calming music, and examine dogs on the floor, where they feel safe, instead of on an exam table.
Happy visits
Building positive experiences with the veterinary hospital before or between scheduled appointments is important. Ideally, you would start this with your puppy, but it is equally important for adult dogs. A “happy visit” means bringing your dog to the vet on a day they aren’t there to see the doctor, just to visit the building and build positive experiences.
Start by just giving treats in your car or the parking lot of the vet hospital. You can call ahead to ensure they aren’t too busy and ask if staff members can greet your dog with treats outside the building. Then, work towards visiting inside the building to get more treats. Moving at your dog’s pace with happy visits will help reinforce that good things happen when they visit the vet hospital.
Practice at home
Pet owners can practice similar handling techniques used at the vet or groomers, especially during puppyhood. Practice handling their paws, toes, mouth, and ears while rewarding them with treats. Never force your dog to accept your touch, and always give them a choice to walk away when they are uncomfortable or unwilling to participate.
A great skill to teach your dog is wearing a basket muzzle comfortably. Basket muzzles are humane tools that can help facilitate less handling, minimize fear in your dog, and create more safety for everyone involved in handling your pet. Any dog that is stressed from being injured, or experiencing pain, could have the propensity to be scared enough to bite. A basket muzzle provides peace of mind to all involved, and when appropriately introduced, your dog associates the muzzle with food and good things instead of a scary experience.
Come prepared
Bring your dog’s favorite treats from home. Ideal treats are small or soft enough to break into smaller pieces and give throughout the appointment. Frozen stuffed Kongs or LickiMats with their favorite spreadable snacks can help distract them, and help form a more positive association. If your dog isn’t eating, or stops eating, this often means their stress is increasing.
Anti-anxiety medications
Many dogs with pre-existing fear will do best with anti-anxiety medication given at home before their veterinary appointment. When a dog experiences high levels of prolonged fear, anxiety, and stress, it causes an unhealthy elevation in stress hormones, affecting their overall health. It can also limit your vet’s ability to properly examine them and provide them with the medical care they deserve.
Please do not underestimate how much your dog’s welfare and mental health can be improved by giving anti-anxiety medications before stressful events. Speak to your veterinarian if you think anti-anxiety medication may benefit your dog before their next visit.
Control the controllables
Often a prolonged time in the waiting room can increase stress due to all of the different sights, sounds, and smells. While you may not have control over how long the wait time will be, especially for emergency visits, if you know there will be a long wait, consider asking if you can wait outside or in the car if that is an area less prone to stress from your dog.
Be your dog’s advocate
Keep in mind that some scheduled procedures might not be worth completing if you notice your dog’s fear and stress escalating while at the vet. If it is a situation where their health cannot allow for things to stop, advocate for alternative methods, such as sedation.
If your dog needs more help, speak to your veterinarian or a qualified positive reinforcement trainer. You may consider working with a veterinary behaviorist for additional treatments to help address your dog's fear, anxiety, and stress.
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We hope this information helps you and your dog have happier, less stressful veterinary visits. As always, thank you for being a Riney Canine Health Center member. We look forward to catching up with you next month!
Dr. Aly Cohen
Extension veterinarian
Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center