How to avoid fear of the veterinary visit

Like humans, we are often reluctant to go to a medical specialist. Our pets can also experience a veterinary visit as a traumatic experience.

Generally, when an animal needs attention Medical is not due to a general review, but to the diagnosis or control of a disease, or in any case to the practice of a treatment that invades your comfort zone.

Therefore, elusive behaviors , barking, crying and even urinary incontinence are frequent reactions both during the previous moments and during the veterinary visit.

Alleviate fear of the veterinary visit

Next , some of the tips provided by specialists to mitigate this phobia are presented:

• The owner must show a relaxed attitude before and during the veterinary intervention.

Many times we are the humans themselves who project We are nervous of our pets, so we contribute to increase the tension of the animal. To avoid this, it is best to have a trusted veterinarian and, above all, to stay on track to create complicity between the three.

• Ensure that the veterinary experience is as traumatic as possible.

Although the practice of certain treatments or interventions can be uncomfortable and even painful, the owners can mitigate them with such simple aspects as: improving the transport conditions of the animal on the way to the consultation with comfortable and safe transporters, caress and adopt a strict and calm attitude so that the orders are not understood as punishments but as duties and, above all, reward strong>.

The prizes in the form of sweets, feed grains, bones ... are essential to highlight the good behaviors of our pets, so they can be administered both at the end of the veterinary visit and during the visit, as long as the professional deems it appropriate.

• Encourage the socialization of the anima l from the beginning of its development.

This aspect is paramount, especially in the case of dogs and cats, because contact with other people is more viable. Encouraging encounters with other individuals helps to increase their confidence and, therefore, to avoid defensive behavior reflecting their tension.

• Accustomed to manipulation .

From the first moments it is key that the animal feels relaxed when it is caught or inspected. Practices such as cutting the nails, open your mouth or simply hold or immobilize for the bathroom help create such essential complicity.

• Call the vet at home.

In certain cases, either because the animal needs a special treatment or show excessive rejection of the consultation that prevent visiting the clinic, or because the specific characteristics of the species require it, there are options for veterinarians at home.

These interventions, in general, are usually be more relaxed for the security that transmits the animal to the family.

It is understandable that our pets show some tension before this type of procedure, but in our hand is to help them cope with it as best as possible.