Page 17 - Boca Club News - December '24

Boca Club News, Page 17

Pet Matters
Pet Matters

You and Your Pet: Fear-Free Veterinary Practice

By Nadrea Sookhoo, DVM, Calusa Veterinary Center, 6900 anxiety and fear in animals during their visits to the hospital. 2. Assessing yourself to see if you are using a considerate
Congress Avenue, Boca Raton, FL 33487 (561) 999-3000. “Fear-Free” was founded in 2016 and provides online approach and asking for help if needed;
www.CVCBoca.com. education to veterinary professionals. The courses provided 3 Assessing the environment by removing stressors and
You get into the car to take your dog to the veterinary teach veterinarians and the staff how to enhance the emotional setting up a calming environment;
office. You pull into the hospital driveway and your dog starts and physical well-being of companion animals by creating a 4. Creating a veterinary plan;
to shake and whimper in fright. He knows that he is at the positive and happy Fear-Free veterinary experience for pets, 5. Using positive reinforcement, such as toys or treats;
doctor. owners and healthcare providers. 6, Using gentle handling techniques such as minimal restraint
You are trying to get your cat into the carrier to take her Fear-Free starts with a “considerate approach.” This when possible;
to the veterinarian. Your Fluffy runs under the bed, lying refers to how the veterinary team considers and deals with 7. Using calming medications;
flat and you can’t get her out. She holds on terrified like she how the pet is feeling. For example, let’s say a dog walking 8. Creating a low-stress transport prior to and after the
knows where she is going… to the doctor. into a veterinary hospital is known to be afraid of other veterinary visit;
Doesn’t it seem like your pets know when they are going dogs. A receptionist, doctor or technician trained with Fear- 9. Creating a calming exam room;
to the doctor? Why do they have to be terrified to come to Free techniques should be able to recognize how to handle 10. Using species-specific exam rooms, such as a cat-only
the clinic? There must be a better approach, correct? situations to minimize pet fear. In this case it may mean room;
Yes, there is a better approach, and it begins with using putting the dog in an exam room to avoid other dogs. 11. Minimizing use of the waiting area.
Fear-Free techniques. There are 11 Fear-Free steps: Veterinary team members work to promote the health
One may ask, “What is Fear-Free?” It is the method of 1. Assessing the patient for behavioral indication of fear, and wellness of their patients. However, many dogs and
practice used by a veterinarian and staff to reduce stress, anxiety and stress; cats do not know that their veterinarian is trying to help,
and the efforts lead to stress and fear. Stressful veterinary
A Free Opportunity visits cause physiological and behavioral changes which
impair healing, contribute to chronic health problems, make
For Animal Lovers ... treatment and handling more difficult and, in many cases,
increase aggressive responses from patients.
When the fear surrounding veterinary visits is reduced
Now Feed 6 Shelter Dogs and Cats Every Day at No Cost to You ... in Less Than a Minute ... the health and well-being of your pet is improved. It is also
with just “Click” easier for the veterinary team to manage the well-being of
patients who are not scared. For example, your cat Fluffy
Want to feel really good about yourself? If, like most of us, those TV announcements bring tears to your eyes with hates having her nails trimmed. Instead of restraining with
photos of sad shelter dogs and cats in small cages, hoping somehow to be brought into loving homes – when you wish force to have a nail trim a small amount of medication for
over and over again that you could somehow bring joy into their lives, here is an act of loving kindness that will cost you calming prior to the exam would facilitate a less stressed
absolutely nothing ... and take less than a minute a day.
Visit the website: www.theanimalrescuesite.com and click on the words “Click here to feed a dog or cat.” A “button” patient and break the cycle of fear.
will appear on your screen, and all you have to do is click on it once. Each time a person clicks on that button, the website’s For a veterinarian, veterinary nurse, boarding staff,
sponsors provide bowls of food, free, to feed 6 dogs and cats. groomer, receptionist or trainer to be considered Fear-Free
That’s all there is to it. In only seconds each day, you can see to it that 6 animals are fed. The folks who run the website the individual must complete courses to become accredited
never bother you with tons of promotional e-mails. You can, if you wish, click on a link that sends a daily reminder to and certified. Entire hospitals can become Fear-Free so that,
you. I did that; the reminder is e-mailed, and that is it. No hard-sell follow-ups. And if you realize how good it will make from check-in to check-out the visit is Fear-Free.
you feel to be able to do at least something for these poor, loving creatures who are there through no fault of their own More and more doctors and hospitals are realizing the
(some have been rescued from abusive owners), imagine how even bowls of food will help make the animals feel better.
Please take just seconds a day to lift 6 animals’ spirits ... and your own. Thanks. benefits of having their patients free of anxiety and stress,
and slowly taking the fear out of visits.

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