You need to take your pet to the veterinarian regularly to monitor their health and wellbeing. Not many pets are fans of going to the veterinary clinic so you have to start early on acclimatising your pet to the clinic environment and the processes.
You have to choose the right veterinarian for your pet
Both you and the pet have to be comfortable so that it adds up to a positive experience. You can search online for veterinary clinics in your local area. Also, if you have friends, family members or neighbours who have pets, you can ask them for recommendations. You can visit the Byford veterinary clinic to get an idea of the environment at the clinic and meet the staff. By visiting potential veterinary clinics you can have a better idea of how each facility approaches pet care. You will have to do a bit of research when it comes to veterinary clinics.
Once you have selected a place, you need to make sure that your pet associates the clinic with positive experiences. This means visiting the clinic even on days when you don’t have a treatment or an exam. You can simply take your pet there so that they can receive affection and treats from the staff. You need to clear this from the staff before you take your pet there and let them know you are trying to get your pet’s anxiety about vet visits to go down.
Make sure that
Your pet gets used to being handled and touched. This is something you have to introduce from the time they are very young. You need to touch the pet’s ears, mouth and paws gently and regularly so they get accustomed to this action. These areas are commonly examined during vet visits and being accustomed to this will help them get used to the examinations easily.
Positive reinforcement is a great way to associate positive experiences with the veterinary clinic. You can bring the favourite treats of your pet to the appointment every time they need to be examined and make sure to praise them for good behaviour. You can give treats after the vet visits as well.
If you have a smaller pet, they will need to be in a carrier when visiting the clinic
This is another thing that they have to get used to. Many pets will associate the carrier with the vet visits which can be a trigger for stress. You can have them become more familiar with the carer by having it out in the home so that it is more accessible to them. You can place toys and treats inside so that they associate positive experiences with the carrier. You can encourage the pet to explore the carrier.
They can enter and exit it freely and even relax inside it once you have put bedding to make them more comfortable. You can also practice car rides and get them used to it. Make sure to take them on a car ride to places that don’t lead to the vet such as the park or a friend’s house. This way, they won’t associate a car ride with a vet visit all the time.
