Challenging Patients
Some cats and dogs are so stressed by the presence of other animals or strangers that a visit to the vet clinic is doomed before they even step in the door. Home care allows for removal of certain key stressors-- a carrier, a car ride, other animals, loud noises, funny smells, and numerous strangers. It also allows the owner to feel more relaxed which often makes a huge difference for the pet. We have seen many pets that do terribly at the vet clinic but are great patients at home.
For those that continue to have strong feelings about vet care we utilize a long list of strategies to help lessen stress. This includes everything from touch transference, use of towels/blankets, high value treats, basket muzzles, the Calm and Cozy cat wrap, medications, and species specific low-stress body language. Call us to chat about your pet and how we can help!
1
Touch Transference
Touch transference allows for a gentle introduction to handling. We use the owner's hand to layer our hand and transition into making contact without the stress of a direct approach.
2
High Value Treats
The best part of home care is that owners almost always have their pets' favorite treats in stock! For those that are running low, we travel with a few high value treats that most pets can't resist-- Churu, Kong spray treat, freeze dried liver are a few fan favs!
3
Medications
There are a number of oral and transmucosal medications that can be given prior to an appointment to aid in stress reduction. Here at VIP@Home we will often do a meet and greet visit to learn how your pet responds to strangers in the home, learn about its medical history, and listen to your health concerns so that we can craft a plan that is both safe and effective for reducing vet visit stress for your VIP.
4
the Calm and Cozy Cat Wrap
The Calm and Cozy Cat Wrap was invented by a fellow house call veterinarian that wanted to provide the benefit of compression therapy to cats during veterinary visits. The wrap is made of soft fleece and helps make the exam and sample collection portions of the visit faster and less perturbing for our feline patients. Check it out: https://calmcozycat.com/
Let's Work Together
If you have a pet that needs more time or a special approach, get in touch and let's see how we can best meet their needs.