Trips to the vet don’t have to be stressful. Pet owners often dread trips to the vet as intensely as their furry friend because of how their pet behaves when stressed. Visits to the vet are an inevitable reality of pet ownership, but they don’t have to be so stressful. Here’s how you can have happier visits to the vet:

Reward your pet with a treat. Pets live for treats, so why not give them a reward for going? Over time, your pet may associate visits to the vet with a tasty reward and feel less anxious about the trips. Sometimes, it’s helpful if the vet or vet assistant gives a treat to your pet immediately after the appointment. If your vet doesn’t already reward your pet with a treat, bring one along. And don’t forget to reward your pet with some extra pets and belly rubs. 

Animal Planet offers helpful advice about carriers and car rides that applies to cats and dogs. Just as a treat might help your pet associate veterinarians with treats, car rides and carriers can trigger anxiety. Work on breaking this negative association by taking your pet on random car rides around the block or to the vet to get weighed. Your pet may come to associate car rides and vet visits with all types of experiences. The same applies to carriers. Placing your pet in the carrier on various occasions may help break its association with the vet.

Handle your pet at home. One piece of advice that comes up again and again is to handle your pet at home so it’s used to vet check-ups. The staff at Frontier Veterinarian Hospital recommend gently touching your pet’s face and ears, and handling its feet at home so examinations aren’t so unfamiliar.

At In Home Pet Sitters, we want to be your resource for cage-free boarding in Brevard County. Our caring pet sitters also offer pet taxi services to and from the vet. Call us for more information at 321-794-4477.