So, what can we do to decrease the stress level of our pets when they come to see the doctor? A few simple things if they are young animals, take them to the veterinary office just for a visit. Ask your doctor if you can come and sit in the office without an appointment just to get the pet used to being there. During holidays like these, the available vet techs and doctors will come out and love the pet. This works better with dogs; we also recommend this to owners with fearful dogs. We like to give biscuits to make them see us as a cookie jar. (Who doesn’t like cookies?) Think about it: if you got poked and prodded every time you went somewhere, would you want to go? This made me dislike my orthodontist when I was little; I had to have many teeth pulled, and he was not my favorite person.
Cats can be a little more difficult as they usually do not travel much. You can get your cat used to the carrier by leaving it around the house and allowing him to go in and out of it as he likes. Some owners have even found that hiding cat treats in the carrier encourages the cat to view the carrier as a happy place. Once a cat gets used to the carrier, you might want to take the cat for short trips and then return home. This shows the cat that not all trips in the carrier are bad, especially if there is some yummy treat for him when the cat returns home. There are also pheromone sprays that you can use to help calm the animal when it has to go in the carrier. Again, more trips without anything wrong will build your pet’s confidence. If you can find a treat that your cat likes, that would be beneficial to bring on your visit to the veterinarian.
We, as professionals, should try to help your pet be calmer. We try to make the waiting room fun; we have to treat samples up front and the television on so that the pets (and owners) can feel more at home. We try to have everything we need ready before your pet enters the examination room so that he will not have to be in the room any longer than necessary. When we examine large dogs, we often do so on the floor so that they do not get too scared on the table. We have not yet figured out how to make the scale less scary. It is, after all, just a piece of metal, but none of us girls like the scale.
We try to educate our owners so that they will play with the pet’s feet, ears, and mouth so that they get used to things being done, especially nail trims. If your pet gets too nervous and worked up, some doctors may suggest anesthesia or sedation. This is more for the pet to reduce stress than for any other reason. Many owners are leery of anesthesia, but this is an option for the extremely fearful pet. Discuss this with your veterinarian to make an informed decision. Our goal as a profession is to provide the best medical care for your pet with the least stress on everyone, especially the pet and the owner.