How to minimise stress for your pet’s visit
Coming to the vets can be a stressful experience for your pet. Please have a look at the following information to help make the process as stress free as possible.
Pets can experience something called “stressor stacking” and when they come to us for a visit, the stress can stack up so high that they can become very fearful, aggressive or unhandleable. This can then become more intense with each visit. In this blog post we hope to give some advice to reduce some of the stressors that can affect our pets, and hopefully prevent the stressors from stacking to a high point. Unfortunately we cannot remove all stressors but there are lots of things we can do to reduce them.
When we can reduce stress this is better for our pets and can also make the experience better for pet owners too.
Cats
Please bring your cat in to us in a secure carrier. Aside from the dangers associated with carrying your cat or bringing them in on a lead (escaping, being loose in the car, being vulnerable to canine patients when they enter the practice), a secure carrier will help your cat to feel safe in their own space.
If you are shopping for a new carrier for your cat then we recommend you look for one that is plastic, sturdy and secure and can open from the top. We strongly recommend against “backpack” carriers with a clear dome as these leave cats feeling exposed with no where to hide which can be extremely stressful for them.
Putting a familiar and comfortable blanket that smells of home in the carrier can help, as can the use of pheromone sprays such as feliway (this needs to be sprayed into the carrier about 15 minutes before use). Covering the carrier with a familiar smelling towel can also help add some security for your pet.
holding the carrier from underneath can help make it feel more stable as it moves.
Where possible leave the carrier out at home and available for your cat to enter and exit freely so it is familiar to them. Where possible use treats (if they do not need to have an anaesthetic!) or toys to encourage them to enter the carrier.
When you are in the waiting room avoid putting the carrier on the floor as cats feel safer when above floor level. Carriers can be out on a table or chair where you are sitting, or may be kept on your lap. If it is busy please let us know at reception and we will try our best to provide somewhere to wait with your pet that is off of ground level.
If your cat experiences high anxiety when visiting us, please call a few days prior to your visit if possible to discuss this with a member of our team. If appropriate the Vet may be able to prescribe some calming medication to help keep the experience less stressful for your pet. This is given at home prior to their appointment.
More in-depth information can be viewed here
Dogs
Some dogs love coming to visit us, but some are not as keen!
If you are in the area, pop in with your dog when we are open. Feel free to bring some treats (we usually have treats too!). this can help your dog establish a positive association with visiting us. We are always happy to make a fuss of dogs popping in for a visit if they are ready to say hello. Short visits over time can help build up their confidence and make it less stressful when they come for a visit for an appointment or procedure.
Give us a call on the day so we can advise you of when the waiting room is likely to be quieter to minimise stress.
Please keep your dog on a lead when visiting us and keep them close to you. Even if your dog is very confident and friendly there is no guarantee that other patients in the waiting room are feeling the same, and letting your dog roam free in the waiting room could put them at risk. Using treats or a favourite toy can help keep them focused on you while you are waiting (unless they are bring starved for an anaesthetic!).
If your dog finds waiting inside stressful or overstimulating you can wait in your car or outside the practice. We can even carry out some examinations and treatments outside if this is where your dog feels calmest! Just pop in to let us know you have arrived or give us a call if you want to avoid entering the practice all together. There are times when your dog will have to come inside the practice but we have a separate entrance/exit that can be used if they find entering a busy waiting room stressful or are reactive around other dogs so please ask us for help.
If you wish to bring a blanket from home for them to settle on in the waiting room this may also help, and we can also use this blanket in the consulting room to help keep them calm. Smaller dogs may feel most secure sitting on your lap or may wish to tuck themselves under the chair you are sitting on.
The use of pheromones such as Adaptil can also help your dog, and use of an Adaptil collar or similar may help keep the experience less stressful for them.
If your dog has an accident when at the practice, just let us know. This happens regularly due to stress and also due to scent marking and is nothing to be embarrassed about!
If your dog finds coming to see us extremely stressful, or they become aggressive due to the stress and we are unable to examine them please let us know when booking your appointment. Where possible a Vet can prescribe medication to help minimise stress on the day of their visit which can be given at home prior to their appointment.
More information can be found here
Small mammals such as rabbits and guinea pigs
These small mammals are classed as prey animals and so are easily stressed.
When bringing your pet to us, please bring their bonded companion(s) from home which can help them to feel more secure. It can also help prevent a falling out when they return home and smell different after their visit.
Ensure you transport them in a secure carrier. The ideal carrier for a rabbit is one which has a top opening and a front opening, this allows them to hop out of the carrier when the door is opened, or for us to take them out of the carrier safely through the top. comforting bedding from home should be placed in the carrier before use and can also prevent them from slipping in the carrier while being transported. Much like with cats, if possible their carrier should be kept in their enclosure so they are familiar with it prior to their visit and have a positive association.
Rabbits and guinea pigs should never be starved, so food can be provided in their carrier. Ensure they have had plenty of access to food and water before a visit and when they return home. We would advise against attaching water bottles to carriers as these could cause injury in transit - for example if the vehicle you are travelling in stops suddenly.
Covering the carrier with a towel can also be helpful, and use of products such as “pet remedy” can help calm these patients and also help to cover up the smell of other pets in the waiting room which are these patient’s natural predators.
When in the waiting area keep your pet away from other patients that may frighten them. If the waiting area is busy please ask a member of staff as we may be able to pop your pet in a quieter environment while you wait if needed.
Birds and Reptiles
It goes without saying that these patients MUST be in a secure carrier or enclosure due to the risk of escape and also the risk of injury to them in a waiting room where other species are also present.
Birds should be brought to us in a secure carrier. Where possible a perch can be provided as long as this is secure in their carrier and cannot fall down in transit. Use of a towel to cover their carrier or enclosure can help them feel more secure and also prevent them from getting cold when being taken outside. Make sure that adequate ventilation is also provided.
Reptiles should be provided with a safe heat source while in transit where possible. Care should be taken to ensure they are not put at risk of sustaining burns. Ensure there is substrate in the bottom of their carrier/container to prevent them slipping when they are moved, and that there is adequate ventilation.
With any birds or reptiles do not have any toys in their enclosure that could come loose and injure them during transit, water is also likely to spill so it is advisable to not have this in the enclosure or carrier while in transit.
