Does Your Pet Hate the Vet? Try a Fear Free Veterinary Clinic
If your cat or dog loved to go to the vet, would you feel differently about providing your pet with necessary routine health care? “America’s Veterinarian” Dr. Marty Becker is answering that question with a resounding “yes!” and so are tens of thousands of Fear Free Certified veterinary professionals around the country. I am in the exam room with George, a brown, stocky dog who eyes me suspiciously from behind his mom’s legs. His ears are back, his tail is tucked under his belly, and every couple of breaths, he shudders quietly. His mom shares that he is petrified at the veterinarian’s office. He get so stressed, she has not brought him to the doctor in over a year even though he needs a rabies vaccine and a blood test. As a Fear Free veterinarian, I have seen cases like George’s where going to vet is so frightening that the pet isn’t getting the healthcare they deserve. Stress can negatively affect the quality of life of our fur babies when they are at the vet and when they get home. In addition, patient stress inhibits the veterinary healthcare team’s ability to deliver quality medical care and effectively treat what ails your little one. Enter Fear Free. For pets like George, Fear Free vet visits can hold the key to better healthcare and a happier life.
