Pet Anxiety Stress Free / Fear Free Practice

Anxiety. We’ve all experienced it. The butterflies in your stomach before a big performance or presentation, the sweat gathering on your forehead during a job interview, or the suffocating feeling of being in a large crowd, unable to move freely.

Did you know that our pets experience anxiety too? Dogs and cats can become anxious for a variety of reasons. It could be a car ride – maybe because they often involve a vet visit or maybe because the pet suffers from motion sickness.

They might feel anxiety when left home alone. Pets may also feel anxious when encountering unexpected or unfamiliar people, animals, or situations.

Video credit to – @Fear Free Happy Homes

Keeping our pets healthy is important to us. The earlier sickness is found, the easier it is to treat, so regular checkups will help your pet have a long and healthy life. There is often more than one reason your pet may be stressed by a veterinary visit and these can add up which may increase your pet’s fear or anxiety. Avoiding veterinary visits to prevent stress could harm your pet’s health. We can reduce stress by preparing for the visit which includes choosing the right cat carrier, understanding how to travel with your pet, and learning tips for when your cat gets back home.

SOMETIMES MEDICINE CAN BE HELPFUL

For some pets, travelling to the veterinary practice is still stressful even when you have worked to create a better experience.
This might be due to trips that did not go well in the past, or early life experiences even before you adopted your cat. When this happens, it can be helpful to give your pet some medicine from your veterinarians before traveling.

Now available at Sydney Animal Hospitals for stress-free vet visits for pets are a ‘Vet Visit Calming Packs – VVCP’.

Stress associated with transportation, examination, and diagnostic procedures often deters owners from bringing their pets to the clinic to receive regular veterinary care.
Multiple strategies have been explored to reduce stress and increase pet cooperation during veterinary visits.

As part of Sydney Animal Hospitals commitment to fear-free treatment and handling, we will provide COMPLIMENTARY single visit of medication for clients of Sydney Animal Hospitals, to assist in reducing stress for pets visiting the hospital as part of their consultation. T&C’s may apply.

This medication can be collected from your local Sydney Animal Hospitals prior to your pet’s consultation and given to your pet the night before your appointment.

Also just like us, pets can have travel sickness. They may vomit or drool during travel. If you think your cat feels sick during travel, ask your veterinarian for medicine to treat nausea.

CARRIER TRAINING IN 6 SIMPLE STEPS

Spend enough time on each step so your pet gets used to it before moving on to the next step;

Encourage your pet to lie/sleep on a security blanket
Put the security blanket in the bottom of the pet carrier
Add the top to the carrier and encourage your pet to stay calm
Encourage your pet to remain in the carrier with the door closed
Increase the amount of time spent in the closed carrier
Pick up the pet carrier from the bottom (never just holding the handle) and get your pet to feel comfortable in the carrier

TRAVELLING WITH YOUR PET TO THE VETERINARY PRACTICE

Travelling to the veterinary practice can still be upsetting for your pet. They can be scared by the movement of the car, and the new and strange noises, sights, and smells. Here are some helpful tips:

• Cover the carrier with a blanket or thick towel before moving from your house to the car. This will help to reduce sights and sounds.
• Make sure the carrier is secure in the car. The safest space for the carrier is on the floor between the back and front seats.
• Be sure the car has good ventilation and keep it at a comfortable temperature for your pet. Try to limit loud sounds in the car by turning off the radio or music, and limiting loud voices or use of the car’s horn.
• Never be tempted to open your pet’s carrier, even if they are meowing/barking, as this is not safe for you or your pet. Use a quiet, calm voice to comfort your pet during the trip and plan to try carrier training or ask your veterinarian about medicine for travel.

Ask our team about our new ‘Vet Visit Calming Packs – VVCP’ to reduce the stress for your pet when visiting us.

If you have any further questions, please speak with one of our friendly veterinary team at your local Sydney Animal Hospitals on;

Newtown (02) 9519 4111 Inner West (02) 9516 1466 Norwest (02) 8883 0411 Kellyville (02) 8883 0533 Newport (02) 9997 4609 Avalon (02) 9918 0833