Behaviour
The veterinary experience starts the moment you put your pet in the car. By helping to keep your pet not only safe but also stress free and relaxed on the journey to the vets, you should hopefully help to make the consultation process smooth and calm for your pet.
The veterinary experience starts the moment you put your pet in the car. By helping to keep your pet not only safe but also stress free and relaxed on the journey to the vets, you should hopefully help to make the consultation process smooth and calm for your pet.
Our Top Tips
- Ensure you leave enough time for your journey, so you do not have to rush, but don’t leave too much time so that you are sat waiting for a long time before your appointment.
- Place familiar items in your dog’s travel space such as a blanket/bed/toy
- Use pheromones such as pet remedy/adaptil sprayed onto a bandana/towel/toy/pet bed to help promote a calm environment.
- Use food to create a positive association such as treats, filled kongs® and lick mats.
- Use quiet, calm background music. Avoid startling, loud noises.
- If your pet struggles with mobility, consider using non slip mats to make them feel more secure and comfortable during transit.
- Think about using sunshades stuck to windows to block out external stimuli, if your pet finds this stressful.
- If your pet struggles with motion sickness ensure you have a pre visit consultation with a vet to discuss drugs that could help with this.
- If your pet finds travel very stressful have a telephone consultation before a visit to discuss if the use of drugs could help the travel period less stressful.
- If your dog finds travelling stressful spend some time acclimatising them to travelling in the car. Spend some time with your pet in the car when it is stationary, make the car a positive place, use food and toys. Start of with just a few minutes, building this up gradually. If your pet is comfortable with this, then do this with the engine running, again building up the time slowly and ensuring time in the car is positive with play/food. Once your pet is comfortable with this take your pet for a short (few minutes) drive again with something positive such as food/toys to distract your pet. Build the length of journey up gradually.
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