Fear Free October

October is right around the corner, and folks are already planning their spooky outings. They have names like Fear Fest, Fright Fest, and Halloween Horror Nights.  Unfortunately, some dogs and cats feel like going to the veterinarian is scarier than a Halloween venue. We are working hard to change that and to make veterinary visits less terrifying and more fun! Here are some of the things we are working on.
For food motivated dogs and cats, we ask owners not to feed their pets before their appointment. Then we use tasty biscuits, cat treats, pill pockets, and canned spray cheese during your pet’s appointment. Hungry pets are more receptive to treats. I try to use treats to distract animals while we are giving vaccines or checking their ears.
We use calming pheromones in each exam room, and spray pheromones on our clothes to make cats and dogs feel safer. Many cats respond right away to the plug-in pheromones, and many will purr during their exams.
We try to examine each animal where they feel most comfortable. For cats, I like to use a warm towel on the table to make them more secure. For medium-sized dogs, we use a yoga mat on the table or floor to prevent slipping. I like to get on the floor with my patients whenever possible and talk to them in a calm voice, which works well with larger dogs.
We always try to keep noise levels to a minimum. Large, clanging cage doors are frightening to an animal. We try to open and close cages gently. We separate noisy dogs from cats. We provide boxes or towels that cats can hide under.
Some animals are so frightened that they cannot be examined without sedation. We always offer sedatives for those truly terrified animals, and talk about sedatives that owners can give at home before the next exam.
We are committed to reducing stress in our dog and cat patients. We are looking forward to making this October the least fearful ever!
For more information about Stevenson Ranch Veterinary Center call 661-799-0655 or go to www.srvc.com. We are located at 25832 Hemingway Avenue in Santa Clarita.