how to prepare your dog for a veterinary exam
Regular veterinary visits are important for your dog’s health and wellness, but for many dogs these visits can be stressful. Who wouldn’t be anxious about being in a strange, uncomfortable place, in unnatural positions, and being poked, prodded, and pricked in sensitive areas by unfamiliar people? Fortunately, you can reduce your dog’s anxiety by teaching him or her to accept restraint and examination.
In this video, KPA CTP Jessica Benoit demonstrates the first steps for conditioning your dog to touch by conducting a mock veterinary exam. Jessica begins by touching each area of the dog’s body and following each touch with a treat. For example, she briefly touches the dog’s head, and then removes her hand and offers a treat. Next, she briefly touches the dog’s ear and then offers a treat. By pairing each touch with something that is motivating for the dog, such as treats, the dog learns to have a positive emotional response to the procedure. Once the dog is comfortable with brief handling, Jessica works on building duration when she is touching his mouth, eyes, and ears so that the vet has more time to inspect those areas during the examination.
You can use the same handling skills to set up your dog for success for future vet visits. If you notice any signs of stress, such as lip licking, yawning, panting, averting your gaze, pulling body parts away, or moving away, you should stop and decrease your criteria.
For more tips on how to prepare pets for successful vet visits, check out our Better Veterinary Visits course!
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