Is your pet afraid of the vet?

By Yasmin Neale

Working at an animal hospital can be incredibly rewarding. You often get to greet families with their new pets and it can be a lot of fun to watch them grow and see the training progress but sometimes it can be difficult to see them injured or sick. One thing is for sure, not ALL pets enjoy visiting the veterinarian.

If you notice that your dog becomes more anxious during car rides to the clinic or even just walking by than that will be something you may want to work on. No one wants to feel like they are forcing their pet to do something they don’t want to, especially the staff here at Richview.

One of the best recommendations would be to have your dog stop in for social visits. So, if you are out on your walk perhaps walk by the clinic more often and come in for treats and belly rubs. It is best if we can get give them the impression that the clinic is not only a place they go when they are unwell, or a place for vaccines but a place they may come for treats, pets and kisses.

As far as most cats go, there isn’t much fooling them. Once they are in the carrier, they have decided they aren’t impressed. However, there are exceptions to every rule and there are many cats that enjoys walks and outings so if you have one of those cats feel free to pop in with them too for pets and treats.