Although vet visits are necessary for your furry friend’s health, they can sometimes invoke lots of stress for everyone involved. You must work your schedule around the appointment, lure your pet into a crate, and transport the crying or whining animal to the office. Meanwhile, your cat or dog knows where they are headed: a loud, chilly place with strange people and even stranger animals.
Both pets and their owners experience vet visit stress in some capacity. But we at Penny Paws Animal Clinic in DeSoto, TX believe our clients and patients should have a more pleasant experience. Below, our staff outlines a few ways to reduce the anxiety caused by this often unpleasant outing.
What Causes Vet Visit Stress?
Pets become anxious about vet visits for a few reasons:
- They associate car rides with only vet visits.
- They associate the veterinary practice with shots and uncomfortable examinations.
- They dislike the confinement of a crate.
- They don’t feel safe at the clinic due to the loud, distressing sounds.
- They feed off your nervous energy.
Fortunately, you have complete control over most of these negative associations. As such, you have the power to create a better vet experience for your pet!
7 Habits That Reduce Stress
Next time you take Fido or Fluffy for a vet visit, observe their behavior closely. You may identify one or several stressors that make them upset.
After noting these stressors, you can work to change the negative associations and mitigate the stress in your spare time. Use the following tips to retrain your animal to look forward to vet trips.
#1 Interact with Crates and Carriers
Some animals are averse to confined spaces. Who could blame them? Everyone wants space to move and control their situation, so putting your cat in a carrier can easily elicit anxiety.
Begin desensitization training by keeping carriers and crates out in the open more often. Their regular presence will remove your pet’s fear.
Place blankets and toys inside the crate. You can also offer your pet treats should it enter the carrier of its own accord.
This process builds a more positive association with crates and carriers. Rather than viewing the crate as a trap, your pet will see it as a safe space that belongs to them.
#2 Go for Car Rides
After mastering the art of crate or carrier training, take your animal for occasional car rides. If you have a dog, you can take it to pleasant places like the park. Some cats may learn to enjoy trips to pet stores, especially when they involve high-value treats.
Whether you visit a new location or just drive around the block, incorporate your pet’s favorite snacks or toys. These handling exercises demonstrate to your furry friend that car rides have stimulating benefits, thus reducing their vet visit stress.
#3 Visit the Vet Randomly
Some animals can pick up on the route you use to drive to the vet. If your pet has memorized each and every turn, they may need to forge other experiences at the vet’s office. When you have time in your schedule, load up your pet and visit the vet’s office at random.
When a cat or dog can experience an area without interacting with new people, they may view the location as less of a threat. Plus, receptionists may pet or give your furry friend a treat when they aren’t busy. You can build new experiences at the vet’s office with no appointment needed!
#4 Practice Vet Appointment Routines at Home
Some animals become stressed from strange people handling them, poking needles in their skin, holding them in place, or examining their bodies. You can mitigate this by playing pretend with your pet in the comfort of your home.
Watch videos demonstrating how vets may handle your animal. Mimic those actions on a kitchen or bathroom counter. Your animal will view this handling as normal.
If you have a willing friend with whom your animal feels comfortable, you can ask them to do the same. This practice demonstrates to your pet that a variety of safe people may handle them this way.
#5 Exercise Your Pet Before Appointments
Dogs and cats can become overstimulated in new, loud environments. They already have lots of pent-up energy. The sounds, smells, and movements all around them make them even more anxious.
Before heading to your appointment, tire your pet out with some intense playtime! Then, they can relax more at the vet and be easier to handle.
Take dogs on long walks or runs around the block. Engage cats with toys attached to strings. Exercise before appointments takes away that excess energy.
#6 Skip The Meal Just Before the Appointment
Unless otherwise advised by your vet, you can skip a feeding before the appointment. This especially works for animals driven by food. Bring a pouch of treats to the vet’s office.
You can entice your pet into relaxing with some treats here and there. You can even have your vet give your cat or dog a few treats to establish trust and a positive relationship.
#7 Try Alternative Vet Services
Unfortunately, some animals just aren’t up to the task of visiting the vet, even with the above tools. Your pet may still have bad experiences if they:
- Have extensive trauma associated with vet offices, crates, cars, and other items
- Suffer from extreme anxiety
- Are elderly and prone to stress
- Are young and have high energy
In such cases, trying an alternative approach may benefit you and your animal. Many vet clinics offer prescription anxiety aids to give to your pet before an appointment. You can also schedule in-home veterinary services or telemedicine appointments to eliminate clinic visits altogether.
Keep Your Pets Calm with Vet Telemedicine Services From Penny Paws Animal Clinic
Would vet telemedicine services reduce vet visit stress for you and your pet? We gladly provide these convenient services at Penny Paws Animal Clinic in . Learn more about virtual visits on our service page. We’ll work with you to make your pet’s vet experiences more pleasant!