Wednesday, May 25, 2011

My Constant Companion

So, why does Fluffy have to leave the exam room when it's time to get her blood drawn or her nails trimmed?  Will she be OK without me?

We often get asked these questions by our clients.  You bring Fluffy to the veterinarian anticipating that she'll be traumatized by the whole ordeal.  Then, you're asked to allow her to leave your side when she needs you most, right?  The fortunate truth of it all is that nine out of ten pets are far calmer and easier to handle while not face to face with their owners.

Being a loving owner, there is a certain amount of anxiety that goes along with taking Fluffy to the veterinarian - an anticipation of how frightened Fluffy is going to be.  What we don't realize, as pet owners, is that this fear and anxiety is transferred to your pet through body language.  This raises the level of anxiety for your dog or cat.  By removing the stimulation, Fluffy is actually able to calm down, which makes her veterinary visit more enjoyable and less scary. 

From a technical perspective, things such as blood draws and nail trims are able to be accomplished more quickly with the assistance of other technicians in the treatment area.  We all want to think that our pets are incapable of hurting anyone, but sometimes we have to do things to them that may not be comfortable.  As animals, they only have a few ways to let us know that that wasn't cool, so proper, yet gentle restraint by another trained technician helps everyone stay safe.  If Fluffy is still stressed or needs a potentially painful procedure, we will recommend sedation.  With this option, Fluffy comes to see us, takes a nap, and then goes home.

Our favorite part is bringing Fluffy back to you when treatments are done since our pets love their owners better than anything else in the world, and it's the best treat we can give them!

Stephanie Severson, CVT

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