Don’t Just Jump In The Car!

Preparation for a veterinary visit doesn’t start 30 minutes before a scheduled appointment.

Preparing for a successful veterinary visit starts the moment you bring your new fur baby home!

Think about how your new four legged friend might feel the moment you meet them. Think about it, if someone whom you’ve never met before and who doesn’t speak your language, comes into your one bedroom apartment without knocking and the stranger tries to give you a hug! Wouldn’t you scream and run away for help! 

Now, think about a shelter pet…you are entering their one bedroom apartment and asking them to just jump in your lap and hug you! There are definitely pet personalities that like big hugs and kisses right off the bat from strangers, but that is not always the case. 

Preparation for a veterinary visit starts with this very first meeting between you and your furry friend. You need to appropriately introduce yourself. Allow them time to come to you. Be quiet and take in their body language. If you need resources on this, there are hundreds of books and online resources. One we recommend is “Speaking for Spot,” by Dr. Nancy Kay. 

Start a daily routine at home. At first, your routine should stay the same, day in and day out. Wake up at the same time, use the same leash to go out the same door every time. Eat the same food at the same time, everyday. Sounds boring for some of us, but your new fur baby needs that routine to feel safe and know what is expected of them every day. Maybe your fur baby doesn’t even know how to walk on a leash! Maybe your fur baby doesn’t even know that they have to go out to the grass to potty! Start with small steps, move slowly, be consistent and give your pet the confidence that they need to know that you are their leader, defender and safe place. 

Then, add in car rides! Start with short drives. Maybe just run to the bank. No getting in and out of the car. Make sure your pet is in the middle of the vehicle or back of the vehicle and that they are properly restrained to prevent distracted driving. 

Work up to longer car rides and go to different locations to get out and explore. Take your twice daily walks in different environments. Go to the bike path one day and a park another day. Drive past your veterinarian’s office, but don’t stop just yet. Take different routes each time you take a drive. 

Visit pet friendly businesses. Think about going through automatic doors for the first time! How scary would that be if you have no concept of how that works?! Expose your pet to different situations so that they know to follow your lead and be comfortable in many different situations.

Palpate your pet. Palpation means to feel all over from nose to toes on your pet. Your veterinarian needs to be able to touch your pet everywhere. We need to touch around their eyes, in their ears, under their lip, around their armpits and groin, along their belly, down their legs, between their toes, under their tail. When you practice this at home, go slow and make sure you use positive reinforcement. A simple “good girl” and release from the touch is positive reinforcement! You don’t need to use treats. 

After your new furry friend is comfortable with car rides, going to new locations and being touched all over, then you can start to expect for your fur baby to have a successful veterinary visit! 

Full disclosure: Dr. Jess’s senior girls, Syd and Agnes still have to be reminded how to stand for a veterinary visit! Training is never over :)