Re: Vet visits

In Reply to: Vet visits
Posted by:  Jo
Posted on:  November 27, 2001 at 17:33:01

: Hi, I posted a question round about July regarding my dogs behaviour on a visit to the vets which ended in distaster. Linda very kindly provided with me some good advice - I have been asking around fellow dog owners as to which vets they go to and I will be making an appointment to speak to one that has been recomended. After mine & Bobbys ordeal at the vets I have been dreading to have to go again. I have spent time where I examine Bob getting him used to having his ears and mouth looked at generally trying to let him know that its nothing to be scared of. This moring when he was due his flea drops on he became very scared, my dad held him firmly but not forcefully and we tried to keep him calm & had a treat waiting for him, but he just did not appear to trust us or rather understand what was happenening. He struggled and tried to bite at the air and then at my dad so we abandonned it. we tried again later as I had brought him a new squeaky toy & he was so busy trying to get into the bag that he didn't appear to notice my dad & I putting his drops on. What I am concerned about is if he doesn't trust me then will he trust someone new in a different environment? I will obviously be discussing what can be done about this problem & hopefully this vet will be the right one for Bob & myself. I just wondered if theres anything in particular I need to be thinking about and if anyone has had any similar problems as this.

: Thanks Jo

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Hi Jo,

I had quite a problem with my Brody when we first got him as a rescue. He absolutely hated going to the vet and when we took him, he was so bad it was embarrassing! Snapping, growling, barking, lunging like a maniac was his modus operandi.

What I started to do was bring Brody in for little "visits" without actually having any vet work done to him. The office staff and the vet techs and even the vet (when he was free) would just all greet Brody and then we would give him a treat and leave. I did this for awhile and what a difference it made. The extra effort paid off handsomely.

While he will still on occasion see a dog he may not like at first glance (& what JRT hasn't haha), he is a far different dog than the first day he set his paws in the waiting room.

You might want to make an arrangement like this with your new vet and plan some pleasant little visiting trips for Bobby.