7 Ways To Keep Your Dog’s Vet Visits Anxiety-Free

While it’s important for vets to build trust and develop positive relationships with their dog patients, parents must also do their part in ensuring that their pets are free of fear, anxiety, or stress during their appointed visits, making their vet visits as comfortable as possible.

Here are seven ways to achieve this goal:

1. Get a morning or post-lunch appointment.

Vets, like all other doctors, are often subjected to emergencies, which result in schedule delays. Early morning or post-lunch times have been found to be the best times to avoid such delays and where the likelihood of being attended right away are higher.

2. Ask a familiar face to help, just in case.

If your pup is found to be more relaxed when in familiar company, you may want to capitalize on that and ring a friend to join you. This is not only beneficial to your pet but also to you, when things get rough and you need an extra hand, literally or otherwise.

3. Miss breakfast.

Stress is often manifested through tummy troubles and dogs aren’t exempted. Skipping this morning routine prior to a visit to the vet can save unnecessary delays or clean-ups due to tummy trouble.

4. Arm yourself with treats/toys.

5. Consider having a trainer tag along.

6. Stay calm.

Pets are sensitive to their parents’ feelings. To keep them calm, stay calm yourself.

7. In extreme anxiety or fear, consider low-dose medication.