Vet Stress

So the kids go to the Dr tomorrow for their shots/annual exam.

Yeah - it kills that it'll be about $330...but its for a good cause.

But I'm not looking forward to the visit! I know it stresses them.... but I think it stresses me more than them!

Sam freaks out the minute we get in there (why? who knows..he's never had a 'bad' experience there)... He gets all loud, noisey, doesn't listen, barks, whines, cries and if we're real lucky, he'll howel.

Lilah will sit and watch - shaking the whole time...but the more freaked Sam gets, then she gets freaked too.

They're good {the office I go to - the people there} -we walk in and go right inot a room together (cause God Forbid, they try to separate the dogs - all h e l l breaks loose... ) and will wait it out in there cause they cause such a ruckus!

Yes - my kids are down right embarrassing!!! And outside of the vet, they are really good natured and well behaved!!

I'm going to need a large glass of wine when I get home from this!


What are your Vet visits like?? Anyone have a dog that actually behaves??

(My old Max did.... sat like a champ and just waited for his treat when he was done... makes me miss him even more! )

Message edited 7/21/2011 4:57:01 PM.

Re: Vet Stress

Ugh yes! My dog is like a completely different dog at the vet. He barks non-stop, pants, jumps, drags us all over and last time peed on the floor of the waiting room . I am completely embarrassed every time we go there.

Re: Vet Stress

Shamrock is great at the vet! We have only brought him a few times but each time he got shots and the last time they check his hiney because he had a parasite problem at the last visit.
He has been a champ all though it. Not even a whimper.

ETS- he even gives the vet kisses while he is examining him

Message edited 7/22/2011 6:54:40 AM.

Re: Vet Stress

Ohh man, I feel your pain! I'm so sorry vet visits are such an ordeal. We had some issues too, and here's what we did...

At our first vet, the visits got progressively worse until towards the end, he didn't even want to go in the door.

When we decided to make a change (there were other issues I had with the vet), I thought about how best to introduce him to a new office. I considered it a new chance to make it better.

Our "new" vet (who happens to sponsor this forum ) has a really nice waiting room with two areas so animals can be separated if necessary. They have a scale that is built into the floor, with a rubber cover so Brinkley no longer gets scared (he doesn't like walking on slick surfaces). Their staff sets the animals (and owners) at ease by taking time to greet us and they don't jump right into work.

In addition to all that, the first time we went in, I got Brinkley excited before we even got out of the car. In my really stupid silly voice, I pretended that we were in the best place in the world and he was so happy to go in and meet people. I arrived 10 minutes early and let him walk the entire waiting room, sniffing and smelling. I brought treats and while we waited, we did some commands that he knows and I treated him for doing them. When we met Dr. Gurtman I broke out the stupid silly voice again. He took his time with Brinkley, chatting and petting him, asking questions before we started with the exam.

I think the approach is so important, but honestly I don't know if it would have worked with the old place. At least not without a lot of work and help from the office staff too. The impression was already set and honestly, the vet office was not good anyway.

I'm sorry this is so long! I hope some of this helps, because I know how terrible it can be. Even if it doesn't help for this visit, there's no reason you can't ask them if you can visit without an appointment, just to get your dog used to the waiting room in a positive way, and then leaving. It's all about creating a positive association.

Re: Vet Stress

my past dog buddy would cry and try to break out of the room. he would shed and shake like crazy.

When we finally leave the room he's ready to bolt out of the office. Other patients are like oh you're the dog who's crying.

Then when we leave he acts like nothing happened.

Our current dog Casey is a little angel. She just sits there and waits. She gives kisses and shes a trooper.

Re: Vet Stress

I am very lucky - Amber LOVES the vet (we go to the same practice as greenfreak)!! We adopted her at around age 2 and I guess she didn't have bad experiences before that.

We also took a training class at the vet's office and Dr. Gurtman's son was learning to train their dog so Dr. Gurtman was at every class as well. Amber loved going to the classes and playing with all the other dogs and people there, so she wound up really associating the building with fun.

Everyone there is always so great with her too, and often we run into friends from her class, so we always have a good experience.

I know that is not the norm though!

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My 2 older dogs are ALWAYS together. I got them together so they only know that they can be together. They are good and excited until they go on the table. They are separated so they don't like it. 1/ They lose their "comfort" zone. 2/ They fear someone is hurting the other dog. They are just as excited to get out.

The puppy. He had 2 visits so far (with me!). He thinks the vet is the greatest thing. But so is everything for him. He did not get his anal glands expressed yet like one of my other dog though.

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Jessie is super laid back... nothing really bothers her like that...

Re: Vet Stress

Thankfully, I have two dogs who are excellent at the vet. The only, only thing that my dog hates is getting his ears cleaned. The last visit we had was for an ear infection so it was particularly traumatic for him. It took 5 of us to muzzle him, get him on the table, and hold him down so the vet could clean his ears. After he finished, I said he could take the muzzle off but the vet refused. He said he still wanted to give him shots, weigh him, and just look him over. I insisted he'd be fine for that, but the vet didn't believe me (he's a newer vet of ours) but no one had to hold him or anything for the shots, he went back to being completely relaxed, he just didn't want anyone touching his ears. The vet laughed and said "Now that's my little crocodile hunter!!" (My dog is named Irwin since he was adopted the day Steve Irwin died.) And now, he's fine with his ears and anyone can touch them anytime they want.

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Leo and Ginger are Ok

Leo starts shaking like crazy when we get off the exit to the vet. go figure

The weird thing is when we take Leo to LIVS he acts like he owns the place. He love going there. Doesnt scare him one bit