Nervous Dogs And Vet Visits

[Sophie]

Sophie has been at the vet rather a lot recently, and it is always made more stressful by her nervousness of people.  Although Sophie can cope with strangers out and about in general, she doesn't like them paying attention to her, and a vets examination terrifies her.  

 

It has got me wondering how other people cope with nervous dogs when taking them to the vet?

 

With Sophie I try not too arrive too early for our appointment, as the waiting just stresses her out more.

 

Sophie has her examination on the floor, as this seems to stress her less than being on the table.  The vet (who is very good with her) is very careful to crouch down and come from Sophie's eye level, rather than leaning over her.  She has eye problems and it is very hard for the vet to check up on it as she finds the direct eye contact required very threatening and cowers away/trys to run.  She needs to be muzzled for anything like having her temperature taken as she really does panic.  

 

I've started giving her melatonin about 30 minutes before our appointment time, and it does seem to help calm her a little bit, although she still isn't happy.

 

Anyone have any other ideas of things to try to make it less stressful?

 

 

[Mrs B]

Just a few random thoughts.

 

I used to take Tigger down to the Vets waiting room regularly when he first came to us - as I knew that if I needed to take him in an emergency he would have completely stressed out.

 

The Vets were quite happy for me to walk him down, say in the afternoons when there was no surgery. Sit around in the waiting room with some treats or a toy for a while.

 

So that's one thought - see if you can pop in regularly when it's quiet/empty - so that it becomes associated with nice things as well as horrible vets!

 

Sounds as if you have a really sympathetic vet, which is a huge bonus.

 

Again, know what you mean about eye contact, as Tigger will still take exception at a stranger staring at him.

 

Apart from that, I just wondered if you could do something about strangers outside the vets? Do you have people you can use who would just sit with you, not interact with Sophie, but just drop small treats on the floor near her - to start her associating strangers with nice food treats.

 

Perhaps if the Veterinary Nurses/Reception Staff in the Vets were amenable, they could do something like this with treats too.

 

These are probably things you have already thought of - so I'll have a think about this.

 

And you have nicely reminded me that I really do need to do some work with my other dog on this - as she is completely distressed by visits to the Vets.

 

Meanwhile, Tigger now has the Vet on his "favourite people" list!

[Abby]

Does Sophie respond at all to calming signals from you? We have started doing this with Dylan who gets stressed and worried about various things, including the vets.

 

So far, we've tried it when he gets scared by sudden loud noises, loud films etc and it really works well for him. We read Turid Rugaas book and work from that.

 

The idea is that you 'talk dog' to them. We use stretching arms out, licking our lips, sleepy eyes and turning our heads away slightly to communicate to Dylan that the situation is okay, we are relaxed and he should calm down. All slow and relaxed movements. We have found he starts to mirror us, and then settles down. I'm planning on trying it next time he has to go to the vets which he finds very scarey.

 

Won't work all of a sudden, but might be worth giving it a try in less stressful situations to see if she does start to respond. Dyl was a bit puzzled the first couple of times, but soon caught on. The main thing we find is not to make eye contact with him or fuss him. If you do maintain body contact, make it calm - a gentle but firm hand resting on the body works best for Dyl, rather than stroking which winds him up.

 

It's a different approach, but worth thinking about.

[Mrs Mop]

Some people who have very nervous dogs don't go into the waiting room, they wait in the cars and go straight through when the vet is ready for them. The receptionists put it up that they have arrived and are waiting in the car so the vet goes to the carpark for them.

 

Merlin is very nervous in the waiting room so I do TTouch on him and gradually he relaxes.

[ranirottie]

all mine are nervous (Ebbi was the only one who wasn't) so I just sit very calmly in the waiting room and talk to them quietly,I don't touch them. They all sit close to my legs but seem to calm down. I give them no eye contact and no praise as tho I just expect them to be calm and they do get calmer. I let the vet take over once I get into the examination surgery and I just stand close to their heads and talk to them but again no eye contact or touch.After the examination I make sure that the vet and nurse fuss them and give them a treat (altho non of mine will take it but its still offered) I do this with all the nervous rescues too. I always say if you expect trouble you will get trouble,dogs take their cue from their owners most of the time. x

[Sophie]

Thank you - some good ideas here.

 

I do try to make as little fuss of Sophie as possible - she certainly doesn't get any praise, or molly coddling - I try to keep my voice calm and normal conversational as I tell her to stop being silly and let the vet get on with it type thing.

 

She's actually fine in the waiting room, as noone is trying to pay her any attention.

 

I've been trying to think of ways to get Sophie happier with people - unfortunately she finds food very stressful    Four years with me, and I think she now trusts me, but if I offer her something new to eat, or a treat somewhere that she doesn't normally get treats, she still won't take it until she's seen the boys get some and not get in trouble  Outside the house she'll take food from me and my mum happily, my OH sometimes, and that's about it.  And as she doesn't do toys, or appreciate a fuss, I'm stuck on how to make people seem a good thing.  I'll have another think about it.

 

I do ear touches with Sophie while we're waiting if she is at all stressy, and when we're in the room while I talk over what is wrong with the vet.  It has been a couple of years since I did any proper TTouch with her - I might need to book another 1 to 1 session to refresh myself, as I think I've forgotten most of what I knew.  But its a good idea and something I will look into.

 

Abby, I hadn't thought to try calming signals at the vet.  I use them with her when there are fireworks/thunder or she is spooked at home for some other reason.  Think I'll invest in the book so I know what I'm doing, rather than making it up as I go along.

 

Thank you

 

 

[ReikiAnge]

I've been trying to think of ways to get Sophie happier with people - unfortunately she finds food very stressful Four years with me, and I think she now trusts me, but if I offer her something new to eat, or a treat somewhere that she doesn't normally get treats, she still won't take it until she's seen the boys get some and not get in trouble Outside the house she'll take food from me and my mum happily, my OH sometimes, and that's about it. And as she doesn't do toys, or appreciate a fuss, I'm stuck on how to make people seem a good thing. I'll have another think about it.

 

Are any of your other dogs happy and calm at the vets? I just wonder if you could take another dog along with you and see if that helps relax her. If she doesn't do food or toys and is that nervous, just a thought

 

Lots of great ideas already Sno's rather nervous but he has got better and he's not too bad at the vets now, though I do try to book him to see a female vet which helps I think.

[Mrs B]

Just shows how easy it is to forget simple things.

 

I "forgot" that other people can talk calmly and reassuringly to their dogs. Mind you, I do tend to do lots of happy smiley faces to make up for it - and am quite convinced that the way you show feelings in your face is picked up - so if you look concerned and worried, that will be noticed by Sophie.

 

Shame about the food. I'll have a bit more of a think.

[Abby]

One of the main reasons I use calming signals with Dyl is that he is quite highly strung at times and with touch is very easy to wind up further. Also, he won't accept food, like Sophie, when he's stressed or over excited.

[Laurel n Hardy]

I was going to say TTouch as well.

 

The regualr visits to desensitive Sophie is a good idea too

[Amie]

Parker is absolutely terrified of the Vets,thankfully he has only had to go a few times in the past 5 years. The only way, we could get the Vet near him, was for her to come and treat him in the car Park. He just would not go into the surgery full stop. She was a great Vet, sadly I don't have her anymore. I just keeping praying that he stays well because not sure new Vet would do that.

[Sophie]

Are any of your other dogs happy and calm at the vets? I just wonder if you could take another dog along with you and see if that helps relax her. If she doesn't do food or toys and is that nervous, just a thought

 

Sky also gets stressed at the vet, but is easily won over with food    Logan might be an idea, except he still has the tendency to believe that the world revolves around him and I can see him shoving his hairy snout between Sophie and the vet as he wants to see what is going on   

 

 

 

Just shows how easy it is to forget simple things.

 

I "forgot" that other people can talk calmly and reassuringly to their dogs.      Mind you, I do tend to do lots of happy smiley faces to make up for it - and am quite convinced that the way you show feelings in your face is picked up - so if you look concerned and worried, that will be noticed by Sophie.

 

I think I worded myself badly - I find it very difficult with Morse and Sky not to over fuss.  Sophie finds fuss and 'happy' talk very scary, so it's easy not to do with her.  Will work on not looking to serious though.

 

 

 

One of the main reasons I use calming signals with Dyl is that he is quite highly strung at times and with touch is very easy to wind up further. Also, he won't accept food, like Sophie, when he's stressed or over excited.

 

Sophie was back at the vet again today, and I tried some TTouch on her.  Couldn't remember much, but she certainly seemed more relaxed.  She then started throwing calming signals at me - licking lips, yawning, turning head away, so I mirrored her.  I definitely need to read up about it, as it is clearly something that she recognizes.