Don’t ‘Ace’ the Fear: Why acepromazine may make your dog’s fireworks fear worse
Tuesday, Jul 1st, 2014 | By Dr. Marty Becker
Is what you’re doing to help your dog with his fireworks and thunderstorm fears making them worse? Fear of fireworks and thunderstorms can ruin a pet’s summer, but sometimes our best efforts to help our pets feel better have the opposite effect. One of the worst offenders is the drug acepromazine, known as Ace. Once […]
Read more »Tips for pets who are terrified of the exam table
Thursday, Jun 19th, 2014 | By Dr. Marty Becker
Is your dog scared when put on the exam table at the veterinarian? Since I believe fear has no place in a vet clinic, I’ve been working to make visits Fear-Free for pets. Some of the tricks I’ve learned to turn up the happy and turn down the sad are easy and free, and some […]
Read more »Why all my patients love to ‘meat’ me
Friday, Jun 13th, 2014 | By Dr. Marty Becker
In the search to make veterinary visits Fear-Free for pets, one of my favorite tools is a package of deli-sliced lunch meat. “Meat” Stella, a 5-year-old shelter rescue brought in to see me at North Idaho Animal Hospital by her owner, Ray. Ray is a senior with Parkinson’s. After we made friends over a treat, […]
Read more »Why I’m ignoring some of my patients
Monday, Jun 2nd, 2014 | By Dr. Marty Becker
If your veterinarian wants to examine your pet, he might want to start out ignoring him. That’s a lesson I used last week at North Idaho Animal Hospital, when Chulo the Chihuahua walked into the exam room. Chulo is a 4-year-old neutered male who had been so traumatized at the vet that he would growl, […]
Read more »Terrorized puppy survives being shot in head to find happiness
Thursday, Apr 17th, 2014 | By Dr. Marty Becker
Ruby came to me at North Idaho Animal Hospital, a terrorized puppy who had been shot in the head. She was deathly afraid of going to the veterinarian, and terrified to even leave home. Yesterday I was in downtown Sandpoint, ID, and who did I see trotting up to me for a greeting and hug? […]
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