Visiting the vets can be stressful for any dog; the combination of new smells, sounds and tolerating a veterinary examination is a lot to ask from any pet, no matter how confident they are. A stress- free vet visit is not only a more pleasant experience for your dog but also allows the vet to complete a more thorough examination, leading to a more accurate diagnosis. This article will look at ways that owner and vet can collaborate to ensure your dog has the most positive experience possible. These techniques are not just for nervous dogs, but also dogs who currently are happy at the vets and want to stay that way!

1. Food
Many dogs are food motivated, and tasty treats have the dual benefit of acting as a distraction technique, as well as building a positive association with the vets. All our consult rooms have dog treats available, but if your dog has a particular treat they like or has specific dietary needs, bringing in your own treats from home can be beneficial. Food toys such as lickimats or Kongs filled with your dog’s favourite food can also be used during a consultation to facilitate a positive experience and stress-free examination.
2. Creating a stress-free environment
The veterinary waiting room, particularly at peak times, can become very busy. This can be stressful for any pet. If you think your dog will find this stressful, clients are invited to wait in their car or wait outside the building prior to their appointment. Once checked in for an appointment, please inform the client care team of your car details or where you will be waiting, and the vet will be able to come out to you. Other ways we can make the environment as stress free as possible is by using calming sprays in the consulting room, we also use fabric clouds on our ceilings to help with noise absorption.
Some dogs, particularly senior dogs, struggle with slippery flooring. This can cause anxiety and fear as they feel unstable. If your dog struggles with this, non- slip mats can be requested at reception or with your vet.

3. Training prior to vet visits
When your pet comes to the vets, they are not only in a strange environment, but they are also experiencing an unfamiliar person handling them in an unfamiliar way. Part of a routine vet visit includes looking at your dog’s teeth, down their ears, listening to their chest, feeling their abdomen and lifting up their tail. This stress can be reduced if they are familiar with these kinds of sensations. This can be achieved at home, by practicing this type of handling with your dog’s favourite treat in a positive way. We recommend starting with an area your dog is comfortable being touched, then slowly starting to build up to unfamiliar areas.
Keep these sessions short and fun for best results. This helps to build a positive association and means that one less thing is completely novel to your dog when coming to the vets.
Although the aim is to not need to use one, muzzle training is another way to reduce novel and stressful things at the vets and is recommended for all dogs. When stressed or in pain, the friendliest dog can bite and by muzzle training at home it will keep you, the vet and your pet as safe as possible.
Sometimes the most stressful part of a vet visit can be placing a muzzle, if this is a learned behaviour it can make a more successful vet visit. A more detailed way of achieving this can be found on the link below.
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/training/outdoors/muzzle-training
4. Anti- anxiety medication
Anti- anxiety medication is an easy and effective way to reduce anxiety prior to arriving at the vets and can be very useful in supporting a fear free visit. These drugs also cause a mild sedation effect, allowing an easier examination. These medications are appropriate for almost all types of appointment, except for suspected brain or spinal disease (this is because these drugs can cause wobbliness in some dogs). They are also useful in more aggressive dogs and can facilitate placing a muzzle and examining them safely. If you think your dog would benefit from these medications, or you would like some more information, please call the main Mount Vets telephone number at least 48 hours before your appointment.

5. Understanding your dog’s limits
Sometimes, despite our best-efforts, dogs can become overly stressed during a vet visit. It is important to watch your dog’s body language and advocate for your dog and communicate this to your vet if you feel they are becoming too stressed. Sometimes coming back another day for a non- urgent appointment is the best option for everyone involved. If this is the case, try not to feel disheartened and talk to your vet about ways to make the visit more successful next time.