By the PDSA www.pdsa.org.uk
A visit to the vets can be stressful for pets, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Here are a few tips to help keep your pet calm.
Before your appointment
If your pet is particularly anxious, you should let your vet know when booking your appointment as they may be able to book you in at a quieter time, or offer advice surrounding what to do when you arrive.
The vet is likely to examine your pet, so try and get them used to this at home beforehand. You could practice lifting and placing them on a table and gently look over parts of their body such as their paws, legs, tummy, eyes and ears; if your pet has been calm, reward them with a small treat, and repeat until they are comfortable with the experience.
For cats, get them used to their carrier beforehand by leaving it out so they can explore it on their own terms. Place a favourite toy in there and blankets that are familiar to them as they will be much happier to go in the carrier if they can smell their own scent on the bedding inside.
For dog’s, ensure they are secure by using a harness and seatbelt or a crate they are used to, and use a familiar blanket. You can also spray a calming spray onto the blanket.
The waiting room
With strong smells. loud noises, and other animals around, the waiting room can be a challenging place for pets regardless of how old they are or whether they have visited before or not.
To settle your pet, try and sit in a quieter spot, away from the door and other entering animals. If you have a dog, keep them on a short but loose lead and encourage them to sit and focus on you (small treats may help with this). Larger vet practices often have separate dog and cat waiting areas to prevent fear or excitement amongst the patients, so use these spaces wisely. For small pets like rabbits or guinea pigs, they may find the cat waiting room quieter, but as they are prey animals, make sure they can’t see cats by turning the carrier around to face the wall.
Cats like to hide when scared, so help keep them calm in their carrier by covering three sides and the top with a blanket or towel (leaving one side uncovered if they do want to look out).
Stay calm
Our pets can sense our feelings as owners so it’s important to also stay calm and relaxed when waiting to go into your appointment. That way it will reassure your pet that there is nothing to be worried about.
The appointment
Unless your pet has a reason not to accept treats such as a poorly tummy or you’ve been asked not to feed them before their appointment, being armed with small treats can help your pet during their appointment. Also rewarding them during the experience and afterwards will help them for next time.