Unfortunately, naturally more anxious pets or those who have previously suffered a severe, painful illness or injury may develop a fear of vet visits. This can manifest as “fight or flight” behaviour, where pets try to escape handling or show defensive aggression to keep the perceived threat at bay.

If your pet has become anxious, even for routine veterinary visits such as vaccinations, try not to worry – there’s lots we can do to help minimise stress and still achieve your pet’s healthcare goals.

Gentle handling and distraction

For mildly anxious pets, proceeding slowly with low-stress handling may be enough to allow most treatments to be performed.

This can involve:

• Gentle hug-holds or towel-wrapping by you or our nurses
• Distraction with frequent treats
• The application of a basket muzzle filled with cream cheese for your pet to lick
• Being examined outside the clinic building

Pre-visit anti-anxiety medications

For moderately anxious pets, we recommend using pre-visit anti-anxiety medications. This may be a single medication or a combination of several, depending on your pet’s level of distress. Don’t be discouraged if we need to try a few options before finding the right one!

Sedation

Severely anxious pets may require the administration of a stronger sedative (usually given as an injection) so that we can properly examine and treat them without undue stress to them or danger to our team. In these cases, we may discuss a “bundling” of several procedures where appropriate (e.g. physical examination, vaccination, nail trim, and any required grooming).

Desensitisation and counterconditioning

It’s ideal for any anxious pet to be referred to an appropriate behavioural specialist vet or qualified trainer for assistance with gradually “retraining” your pet’s brain to remain calm for veterinary visits.

Home visits

Some pets find a visit in their own home, without all of the vet clinic noises and smells, a lot less overwhelming and easier to cope with.  We offer home visits every Wednesday to any pet within the Albany city limits.  Please give us a call to book!

For more advice on pet anxiety, consult our calm and confident team.