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, bite, thrash around, and express his anal glands.
His owner had brought him all the way down from Cranbrooke, Canada, to see me for an exam. While he didn’t have the benefit of Fear-free pre-treatment protocols, there were a number of things I was able to do to put him at ease before examining him.
First, I avoided eye contact with him, and chatted with his owner while we let the pheromones that were in the room and on me take effect.
Then I put spray cheese on the floor by me. As you can see, Chulo came over for a tasty treat. He did not growl, attempt to bite, or struggle, and I was eventually able to examine him.
The owners were so happy, and so was Chulo. And you know what? So was I! Another Fear-Free veterinary visit happy ending!
