Why Do Your Pets Get Scared When You Book A Vet Appointment?

Most people dread a visit to the dentist. One may feel anxious as the date of appointment draws near. And when you book a vet appointment, your pets tend to dread the annual visit to the vet clinic. Pet owners are familiar with tantrums thrown by their pets on their visit to the vet.

This experience can take a toll on the emotional health of both pet and pet owner, leaving them both highly stressed. So, why is it that pets dread visits to the vets? There are a number of reasons, but the main ones are as follows:

Bad memories

The dog may find the vet’s clinic a scary place to go to, and for good reason. The first vet experience with a vet for a puppy maybe for vaccinations, which result in fear for its lifetime. If a pet freezes right in front of the clinic or trembles while waiting for the vet, this is not an uncommon reaction. The majority of pets have a certain kind of aversion to the clinic of the vet, with symptoms ranging from nervousness to full-scale panic attacks.

Pheromones

This plays a huge part in the nervous reaction of pets. This is because dogs have an incredible sense of smell. Pheromones are natural chemicals that are released from glands located in the paws, ears and mouth of dogs, especially when they are stressed. Pheromones can be produced in many situations and cannot be controlled. Loud noises, distress, anxiety and exposure to strange environments can lead to dogs releasing fear pheromones, which signal other dogs.

Such smells will be picked up easily by ones’ pet while waiting in the vet clinic. Pheromones are released by anxious, stressed and scared animals who visited the vet’s clinic. When the scents are picked up by one’s pet, they serve as a warning signal for it. One’s pet will exhibit the same stressed and panicked behaviour as the previous canines, which emitted such scents.

Body language

Fear is triggered in pets, not just because of strange smells and scents. Even before arriving at the clinic, a pet can pick up visual signals. Pets, especially dogs, are tremendously skilled in reading the body language of owners. For instance, they tilt their head when one talks to them since their muzzle obstructs areas of one’s face while they read the emotional state of their master. This implies that if a vet’s visit causes stress to the owner, this emotion will be picked up by the pet, causing it to panic.

How to help pets lose the fear of the vet

A vet’s consultation need not be so stressful. Mobile vets are a solution to this problem. They know that vets need not be scary; it is the process of consultation that is a cause for dread. By searching online for mobile vets near me, a mobile vet service can be accessed through downloading an app on Android, iPhones or simply online. They offer vet care right to the home of pets and their owners.

There is no more danger of pheromones or stressed body language. There is just expert vet consultation in the comfort of one’s living room. Whatever be the situation, mobile vets carry packages of medication and equipment to offer care to one’s beloved pet.

How to reduce the fear of the vet

• Ensure that your dog or puppy likes or accepts being touched. Touch the body of your pet like paws, ears or tummy, associating this pleasurable feeling with things they love such as pet food. Thus, when the vet examines your pet, they will not feel uncomfortable.
  
• Stay with your pet all throughout the consultation. It will feel more comforting when you are around.
  
• Arrange a non-slip, comfortable mat for your pet during their vet consultation. This is in contrast to the cold, sterile tables at a vet’s clinic.
  
• Massage your pet to reduce their stress levels.
  
• Play calm music to reduce any stress.

As you can see, arranging a home visit by a mobile vet is ideal for both pets and their owners. A house call vet avoids all the stress of going into a vet clinic and allows you and your pet to relax in the comfort of your own home. To find out how you can benefit from a mobile vet service, download a mobile vet app and book a vet appointment today.