Fear of the Vet
Recognize that your furry companion's challenging behavior at the vet is an emotional response rooted in fear. This fear might result from a distressing or frightening experience your pet had at the clinic. To support your furry friend in overcoming this fear, you should cultivate an alternative positive emotional reaction to what causes anxiety. To achieve this, the veterinary clinic and the intimidating handling and medical procedures performed there should become associated with delightful experiences.
Desensitization involves gradually introducing your pet to the anxiety-inducing stimulus, progressively increasing the exposure over time. We often combine desensitization with counterconditioning to aid animals in conquering their fears. Counterconditioning is a process whereby you work to alter your pet's emotional response to the frightening stimulus, shifting it from fear to acceptance by pairing these experiences with special rewards.
It can be beneficial to practice these procedures at home to desensitize your pet to the medical handling procedures typically conducted at the veterinary clinic. Take it slow, gradually escalating the intensity of the handling in small steps. Associating the handling with a special treat can be quite helpful. By doing this, you'll be reshaping your pet's emotional response. Our objective is for the animal not just to tolerate the handling but to connect it with positive associations. It's also advisable to put the veterinary procedures on cue – that is, use specific words to indicate what will happen at the vet's office. For example, touch your pet's ear and say "ear" each time. Examine your pet's eyes with a flashlight and say "eye" each time. Gently palpate your pet's abdomen and say "tummy" each time. Then, when you're at the veterinary clinic, you can use these words just before the vet conducts a particular examination, allowing your pet to anticipate the procedure.
To desensitize and counter-condition your pet to the idea of visiting the veterinary clinic, begin by merely driving to the parking lot – offer a treat – and then return home. Then, drive to the parking lot, exit the car, provide a treat, and return home. Next, drive to the parking lot – exit the car – walk toward the building – offer a treat – and return home. Gradually progress until you reach the clinic's entrance and then the waiting area. Eventually, you can request a technician to approach and provide a treat. Afterward, lead your pet into the examination room, give a treat, and then head home. Ultimately, you'll want the veterinarian to enter the room, offer a treat, and then leave.
Over time, your pet will no longer be anxious about visiting the veterinarian's office. When combined with desensitization to handling, the doctor can conduct a medical examination without invoking fear in your pet. As an additional measure, you can also work on desensitizing your dog to wearing a basket muzzle so that if it becomes necessary during a veterinary procedure, your dog will be comfortable with it. Remember to take your time; this process will require weeks to months to be effective.
