Did you know an entire organization is dedicated to low-stress pet handling? This group, Fear Free, offers tips and tricks but also runs training courses, which many of our vets have completed to train us how to best put your pet (and you) at ease during visits. Nothing is perfect, and not every pet needs this help or will be receptive to the concepts, but if your pet does need assistance, please know you are not alone, and we can help.
What is Fear Free? De-Stress Your Pets!
The most important part of this concept is open communication between you and your vet. You may be surprised that one of the top reasons owners delay seeking care for their pet is because their pet had a negative or stressful experience at the vet. If your pet is anxious, you may know that it is hard to do a thorough exam or deliver information to you during these stressful visits, which limits our medical expertise and can impact our ability to deliver excellent care.
However, don’t worry. We have some options to help make this situation more tolerable for your pet, allow us to do a better exam on-site, and reduce your anxiety upon scheduling and bringing your pet in.
We work to keep our facility as calm and quiet as possible. We also have high-value treats in each room so your pet can learn that the vet can be a tasty excursion. For some pets, distraction is enough to alleviate stress.
We also utilize Feliway, a natural product with a scent that is pleasing to cats.
You may notice that we wrap your pet in a towel or place an Elizabethan collar so your pet can focus on seeing you and not on what we are doing as part of the exam behind their line of sight. Some pets even feel more comfortable when muzzled, and these tools are all part of low-stress handling.
Our team can also prescribe anti-anxiety medication to help make your pet more comfortable at vet visits. Just like us, pets can experience high fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS), especially when they are out of their normal routine or environment. Pre-visit medication is a wonderful and safe tool for decreasing your pet’s FAS.
In rare cases, sometimes we lean on telemedicine for follow-up appointments in the right situations to further alleviate stress but not limit our ability to deliver care and ensure progress is made in healing.
When the FAS is decreased, veterinary care is easier for them and the team to deliver.
- Decreasing FAS allows us to provide the best emotional and physical care
- Coming to the veterinary office will be easier for your pet and subsequently for you
- Easier examinations and treatment delivery
- More accurate vital signs and test results
- Allows us to decrease the doses (hence reducing the risk) of sedatives and anesthesia when given in advance*
- Many pets have reduced FAS for future visits when the FAS cycle is broken
- Decreases your pet’s fear of building memories of veterinary care
These low-stress principles are not just something we work on with you during outpatient visits. Still, our surgical patients are also often given oral pre-medication to help alleviate stress. If they need hospitalization, we are also constantly monitoring their anxiety levels and medicating if needed to help facilitate healing without undue stress.
These concepts constantly evolve, so you may notice things change over time, but please know that we CARE about your pet’s physical and emotional health. If this information is interesting or helpful to you, please don’t hesitate to ask us how we can help your pet in the future.
Take the first step today!
Ready to transform your pet’s well-being and create a genuinely stress-free environment? Implementing Fear Free principles is an investment in their happiness and your peace of mind.
Don’t let fear hold your pet back from living its best life. Embrace the Fear Free movement and witness the positive impact on your pet’s health, behavior, and overall happiness. Start your Fear-Free journey now!
