A trip to visit your vet doesn’t have to be stressful on you, or your pet. In fact, it can be a stress free experience if you plan ahead and work on making sure your pet is ready for their visit. In fact, there are several things you can do to help make your next vet visit as easy as pie.

Ease your pet’s anxiety

Just like their humans, pets can be fearful or apprehensive of new situations, people and places. It is completely normal for your dog or cat to exhibit signs of nerves before and during their vet appointment.

It’s important to do what you can to ease any anxiety or fear your dog might have about going. To do so, you can start to make a trip to the vet seem commonplace. For instance, if the only time your pet rides in the car is when they’re headed to the veterinarian, it’s time to take a drive. Travel to the park, the pet store or just down the street so that your dog or cat doesn’t only associate your car with a trip to the vet.

If you intend to use a pet carrier to transport your small pet, set the carrier out where your pet can see it and smell it several days before your planned appointment. This way, they can get used to the idea of getting inside. You can help them with this by placing treats of favorite toys inside their carrier before appointment day too.

Be careful of saying the word “vet” in front of your dog. It might sound silly, but dogs can have vocabularies that include dozens of words. Your pooch might just associate that word with a negative experience and you want to avoid any undue stress.

Keep your pet safe

A car ride can also be part of what makes your pet uneasy. If your pet doesn’t like the car it might be beneficial to let him climb in and out of the vehicle a few times before the day of the appointment as well.

Keep loud noises to a minimum once in the car by lowering the radio and fan speed. You also should buckle your dog in using a seat belt harness,or place small pets in a travel carrier. This way, they are unlikely to scramble around the car, or get sent off balance around a corner.

Keep your pet on a leash while attending an appointment too. This will help keep him safe from other patients who may be feeling uncomfortable, sick or grumpy; it also will give you the opportunity to keep him close and calm.

Make the vet’s office a happy place

Our whole staff here at Tipp Vet want our office to be one of your dog’s favorite places to visit. To help us become a favorite place, try bringing lots of your pet’s favorite treats with you. Bring the high value treats like cheese, meats, and peanut butter that your pet doesn’t get every day. This way, we can generously spoil your pup while he’s here.

Bringing a prefilled Kong toy can help distract your pet, and ease his nerves while he’s waiting to be seen. Distraction is a great way to help your pet tackle unnecessary anxiety.

Also, consider coming in to visit us on a day that you don’t have an appointment. This can get your dog used to our waiting room, lobby and exterior spaces. Our reception staff would be glad to give your pet a treat and a cuddle while you visit too, this way he continues to associate great things with our office and the people inside. You don’t have to stay long, just pop in and have a seat in the waiting area. This will let your dog understand that every time he’s here we aren’t giving him shots or otherwise making him uncomfortable. We want to help your trip be as stress free as possible.

Schedule wisely

Play with your pet or even take him for a short walk before leaving your home for your vet appointment. This will give your pooch a chance to burn off any nervous energy he might have. To do this, you might need to schedule an appointment a little later in the day to accommodate a nice walk first. A good idea is to call your vet to see what days and times they are the least busy.

By scheduling during a slow time of day you are eliminating any distractions or stressors that might be caused by other patients in the office.

Be calm

Your pet can sense your fear, frustration and anxiety as well. Our best advice is for you to remain calm as well. Your calm demeanor will likely rub off on your pet and make the entire situation run more smoothly. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your pet will become.

Make vet days fun

If you can find the time, consider ending every vet appointment with something joyful. Maybe you bring your dog’s favorite toy for the vet tech to play tug of war with him, or perhaps you go to the park for a swim in the pond every time you leave the vet’s office. Whatever you do, try to end the appointment with something fun and happy for both you and your pet. Knowing a good time will follow the appointment helps to make you and your pet both feel better about going.

Embrace the importance of taking your pet to the vet

It is really important that your pet regularly sees the vet for a comprehensive wellness exam. Even if there is nothing wrong with your dog or cat, an annual exam can help you and your veterinarian catch any potential health problems before they get out of hand. It is the best way to keep your pet happy, healthy and a member of your family for a long, long time.

While you’re visiting with us, be sure to ask your vet about any questions you have about proper nutrition, exercise, and grooming of your pet. By taking advantage of this one-on-one time with your pet’s provider you can get answers to questions, and likely reduce your need to have to bring in Fido unexpectedly in the future.

You can schedule your appointment with Tipp City Veterinary Hospital from our online portal, or give us a call 937-506-4284 to discuss when your pet can come in to get acquainted with the building. We can’t wait to help you and your pet have a stress free visit.