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possible, keep your pet’s carrier out and leave the
door open to allow them to explore it whenever
they want. If this is not possible, bring the carrier
out at least a few days before your scheduled appointment
to allow them time to adjust to seeing
it. When you are ready to put your pet in the car,
cover the carrier and place it on a flat surface in the
car. Remember that your pet is often not secured
in the car like we are, and the movement of even
the calmest car ride can make your pet feel uneasy.
Food motivated pets should not be fed the
meal before their scheduled appointment to
encourage acceptance of treats at the vet. This can
help create a bond with the veterinary staff and
earn them some “brownie points” with your pet.
Animal hospitals that utilize low-stress techniques
will often use pheromones and specific music that
is made to calm cats and dogs. Another tip is to
take trips to your vet for “happy visits.” These are
used to help desensitize your pet and will allow
them to interact with the veterinary staff without
any poking or prodding. Your pet can receive
treats and love from the staff, and then go home.
This will help create a sense of trust and familiarity
with the hospital.
Finally, there are options using the introduction
of medication to help relieve pet’s anxiety
when this cannot be achieved through more
natural methods. The ultimate goal is to create
veterinary visits that produce the least amount of
stress as possible, for all parties involved.
At Caring Hands Animal Hospital, we utilize various
creative ways to create low-stress visits such as frozen
peanut butter or apple sauce treats, “Through A Dogs
Ear” and “Through A Cat’s Ear” music, synthetic
pheromones, and low-stress handling techniques.
We are also currently going through the certification
process to become officially registered as a “fear free”
hospital.
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