A visit to the veterinarian can be a stressful time for both a pet and a pet’s pet parent. Even a great visit to the vet can trigger a wide range of responses in animals that can impact their attitude and stress level every time they go to receive medical care.

It is common for animals to interpret a trip to your Dallas vet as threat to them, which can make them feel scared and as if they have no control. This type of feeling can elicit strong responses similar to the “fight or flight” response you may have in a difficult situation. A trip to the vet – or even a perceived trip to the vet – can cause an animal to either fight or attempt to run away. Unfortunately, too many pet parents have had the negative feeling of trying to get their pet into a vehicle for a trip to the clinic.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to reduce your pet’s veterinarian stress level.

If you need to go in to get pet vaccinations or to get a problem checked out, do your best to remain calm, even if you don’t feel calm. Your pet will pick up your signals, so the calmer you appear, the calmer they will be.
Help your pet to feel more in control of the situation by desensitizing them to car travel, especially to the clinic. One example would be to make multiple trips to the clinic or mobile vet in Dallas, and simply give them a treat when they arrive, helping form a positive association.
If you have a cat, leave the car carrier in the house open for a while, and leave treats inside. This will encourage your cat to go inside, explore, and even get comfortable with being inside. Again, this will give them a positive association which will make it easier to get them into the carrier when you do need to transport them.
To cut down on stress, reduce the triggers that can cause stress in the first place. One way to do this would be to use a calming pheromone spray, which will help make your pet feel safer. Two examples of this are Adaptil for dogs or Feliway for cats.
Noise can be a stress trigger, so try to keep things quiet before your pet needs to go to the vet.
Clinics can sometimes be intimidating for pets, especially if they have been there before and know where they are going. For that reason, mobile vets can help take some of the pressure off, which will reduce stress and create a more welcoming environment for your pet.

Serving the Dallas-Fort Worth area, The Shot Spot is a mobile vet that can perform services such as pet vaccinations, heartworm tests and preventative medications, and even non surgical male dog sterilization in a safe environment. We also offer a full service clinic which offers a full scope of services and procedures. Contact us to learn more about our affordable services to help your pets thrive without the stress that can often come from a trip to the vet!