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675347 tn?1365460645

My dog is terrified at the vet's! Does anyone have any suggestions?

My dog is happy, healthy right now, and I make sure she has a good life. She and I have what I believe to be a good healthy relationship. She accepts me as her 'pack leader' and she is one of the most wonderfully-behaved dogs I've ever known. But when I have to take her to the vet she is scared. Today I took her for her booster innoculations, and she was hunched, her tail far between her legs, kept trying to get out of the door of the surgery, turning away from the vet, so it was very difficult for him to examine her. Her heart races, and her tummy muscles tense, and she is so cringy and hunched she looks like a very unhealthy, regularly-beaten dog!!!Now I know that whenever she goes there she gets a needle-experience, or maybe smells illness in other animals, and isn't stupid. But as time goes by she is just getting worse about this, to the point that I feel she is becoming traumatised by a visit to the vet.
Just before I 'rescued' her about 7 years ago she nearly died from Parvo, and spent a week in hospital there. Then over the years, I've taken her for little (benign as it happened) lumps which often had to be needle-biopsied. Then there's the annual health-check and boosters (needles again) So I can see her logic.
I treat her with a firm, gentle (no-fuss) positive attitude when we're there.
But, apart from sedating her with drugs (which I would rather not have to do, and haven't done up to now) does anyone have any suggestions for her to be more ok and relaxed about her vet visits?
13 Responses
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441382 tn?1452810569
Ginger, seriously try to get hold of a clicker.  It will make the job a lot easier.  With the clicker, it's very easy to mark a behavior because that sound gets their attention IMMEDIATELY and it sounds like nothing else.  Watch every move she makes, finger on the clicker, and the SECOND you see her posture change from fearful to interested (ie,  ears go up to listen to something or the tail comes out from between the legs) CLICK IT.  Immediately after clicking, give her the treat.  Watch her again and continue to click IMMEDIATELY when you see her relax, even if it's only a subtle sign.  It wouldn't necessarily be significant enough for someone who doesn't know your dog to even spot, but your dog will know what she was doing when she heard the click, and she will know that it means a yummy treat, and she will soon start to perform the behavior knowingly.  Soon she'll be relaxing on her own.

Ghilly
Helpful - 0
675347 tn?1365460645
COMMUNITY LEADER
Thanks Trish, that happened once with my Misty. Another vet (not her usual one) made her yelp when giving her innoculation booster. Dogs never forget certain stuff, do they? They'll forget that eating rotting crow (or some such nasties) gave them a bad belly, and go and do the silly stuff all over again.....but they never forget a vet's needles!!
Helpful - 0
725621 tn?1314843247
Oh yeah!! those are all great ideas for u ginger!
with my pup! she was just like that :-) frighten of the vet, examining table and the needless. Especially since she had a bad experience with her first inoculation( her kind of injected her too hard) he indeed apologized to lady and i profusely. So it was a whole stress :-) i remembered every time we'd have an appointment. But to curb this behavior he did tell me to talk her around the compound let relax and interact. However i have changed vets and she started off the way at our new veterinarian clinic and i have improvised the same technique just we don't go that often since she's had all her shot and stuff. Still which every suit you best and i hope things work out bye!!
Helpful - 0
675347 tn?1365460645
COMMUNITY LEADER
Gosh! I'd go anywhere, do anything MYSELF for those treats. Just reading it made my mouth water! (but I am a greedy pig) She might like that
As it stands, the vet does what he has to do to her (very gently and considerately, often doesn't even ask me to put her up on the examining table, but goes down on the floor with her) He is a very calm nice guy. Then after the needle things, he gives her treats (which, still cringing like a beaten dog, she wolfs down) The only time she refused was after the needle-biopsy! Can't say I blame her! The desk receptionist also gives her little treats, (which she wolfs down) It doesn't seem to have stopped her being very upset about going in that room with the vet! But I shall persevere. I'll do what you suggested. If she gets SATURATED with yummy treats, it will really reinforce positive things I hope. I will also try a homoeopathic remedy/rescue remedy to give her a head start.
Helpful - 0
441382 tn?1452810569
Ginger899:  That is a good idea, something I haven't already tried. I will do that, see if it works.

Thanks.  I had been thinking about it, and the more I thought, it made sense that if you can get her out of the idea that going to the vet means scary things, she might start relaxing about the trip.  And what better way to relax a dog than to give them cookies!  Once you get her relaxed and thinking she's going to get cookies, then maybe you can get her inside to see the vet next time she has to go there with a minimum of nervousness because the trip will be so routine to her.  In fact, next time she has to go to the vet for anything, unless of course it's something she has to fast for, take the cookies with you, give her one or two before you go in, and then give her one periodically even while she's inside.  One or two in the waiting room.  A couple in the exam room.  And then a couple before you leave.  Let her start to associate going to the vet's with getting something that she really, really loves.  

You might even use special cookies for this.  Buy sliced beef liver from the grocery store.  Boil it until it's cooked, and then put the cooked liver slices on a cookie sheet, and put the cookie sheet in a 250-300 degree oven for about 45 minutes until the liver is pretty dried out.  Then cut it into tiny pieces and use these pieces as your training treats for "Project Vet".  I don't know of any dog that wouldn't sell their soul for liver prepared this way, I make it in big batches and freeze it, all diced up, in little zippy bags as treats for Kate and the cats.  Everyone here does cartwheels for it!  I think they'd rob a bank if I asked them to for a piece of that liver!  LOL

Ghilly
Helpful - 0
675347 tn?1365460645
COMMUNITY LEADER
That is a good idea, something I haven't already tried. I will do that, see if it works.

To arachnaphob: Oh yes, I know they have souls. Anyone who suggests otherwise needs their brains examined. Anyway....why on earth would God make soul-less dogs?? That would be a real bummer.
Helpful - 0
660872 tn?1238641245
I think there must be something wrong with my dog. She likes going to the vet. As soon as we walk in she heads straight over to the weighing scales and hops on. (my worst nightmare)

I don't understand why she would like it.  She always has needles. Because of her Addisons Disease she has to have a lot of blood tests and when she's having a crisis she has to have drips and then there is the yearly heartworm needle. (she can't have her vaccinations because she is immunocompromised)

In fact she seems to like having a drip in her leg.  She has been sent home a couple of times with the drip still in with instructions for me to take it out in a couple of days if she's well.  I have to wrestle with her to get her to let me take it out.  She won't even let my other dog sniff at it.  I think she's a bit neurotic and likes the attention.

I love the way they all have their own personalities.  Of course there's a heaven for animals, they definitely have souls.

Chirley
Helpful - 0
441382 tn?1452810569
Most animals are quite apprehensive about going to the vet.  If your vet is close to your home, try this...

Put a handful of her favorite treats in a baggie and drive to the vet's.  Get out of the car but don't go into the building.  Keep talking to her in a happy, up voice, and give her one of her treats each time you see her relax a little.  It would be even better if you have a clicker because then you can really mark the behavior well with the clicl, followed immediately by the treat.  She'll soon draw the line between her relaxing and the fact that a treat soon follows.  Then get in the car and go home.  Do this a couple of times a week and soon she'll stop associating the vet with fear and start associating him with fun and cookies.

Ghilly
Helpful - 0
675347 tn?1365460645
COMMUNITY LEADER
Yes, I do that. It makes sense. I kind of did it by instinct, took her round the little park area just outside to sniff trees & pee and stuff, which she did happily. She even comes in the office area, through the doors, just fine. It's when that door opens and the vet calls us.....that's when it kicks in!
It's a bit like going to the dentist when you're a little kid. You don't mind waiting in the waiting-room, reading the magazines and all that....it's just when he calls you in, reality suddenly hits and you think....UH-OH! (I'm thinking back to the primeval days when I was 10 and the dentist didn't use anaesthetic for drilling!!!!!)
Helpful - 0
82861 tn?1333453911
One other thing that can help calm down a dog who "knows" he's arrived at the vet clinic is to allow 15 minutes for a walk upon arrival.  Take a little time to walk him around the area and sniff everything, maybe eliminate, whatever.  One of our dogs had a terrible fear of the vet, but she didn't fight.  It was obvious from the sucked-in tail and ears that she was terrified.  Giving her time to walk around and sniff the outside perimeter and mark it really helped her get past the trauma of going through the door.
Helpful - 0
675347 tn?1365460645
COMMUNITY LEADER
Oh wow! Thank you so much for the suggestions, both of you. I never thought to try Rescue Remedy for this, but I have used it in the past and it is very good. Also, I completely overlooked Homeopathic remedies! Yet I know they work very well.
I'll give these things a try (yes, and let the vet know. Also if he knows he might be able to recommend the same to anyone else whose dog is like this)
Helpful - 0
441382 tn?1452810569
Try some Bach's Rescue Remedy.  It works wonderfully!
Just make sure it's OK with your vet beforehand, since you want him to know that she's "on" something when he sees her and can take that into account during his examination of her.

Ghilly
Helpful - 0
298824 tn?1349955177
There is homeaphathic liquid you can get at the pet store...You put it in their water...They should have it for dogs I have it for my cats...The vet also gave me valium for him to...Best of luck
Helpful - 0
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