# worst vet visit ever !!!



## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

dylan is terrified of the vet's office and everyone in it.
(get mental image of terrified 105# senior gsd)

he has an ear infection so we had to take him. no choice. had to go. 

so, we're in the waiting room, and he's antsier than he's ever been. won't sit still, won't lie still, won't stay up on the seat. whinning, panting, barking at everyone, dh too stupid to wait outside with him. getting the picture ? 

by the time we finally get into the exam room, dylan is in a full-blown panic attack, so much so that he poops on the floor.







not once, but twice. the gooey stuff that you have to mop up







the upshot: at least we didn't have to take in a sample and he missed my foot....

$145 and an hour later, we finally get to leave with clipped nails (one that is bleeding), a jar of antibiotics the size of horsepills, ear drops and anti-itch pills.










anyone want to share their worst vet story? ................


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## Skye'sMom (Jul 11, 2004)

I'm so sorry Dylan's vet visit was difficult for all of you.







My oldest dog, Solo used to be terrified of the vet's office. I would give her 1 or 2 melatonin tablets about a half hour before the visit. 

They let her calm down enough not to shake or struggle. Best of all, after 2 or 3 times she evidently realized it wasn't such a bad place and I stopped using it.

You can get melatonin in any health food store - it is natural and not a sedative.

Hope the ear infection clears up quickly.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Elsie,







I am so very sorry this happened to you, DH, and Dylan. Try to think of it this way-- Dylan is home now in The Land of Dogs Getting Spoiled (yep, your house!







), enjoying his toys, his bed, his food, his people-- plus he is on the road to feeling better with his ears.







I am also totally positive Dylan could feel you caring for and about him as he went through that. Issues or not, he is a wonderful dog, and you have such a caring relationship with him. No matter what, Dylan has you for a caring, loving Mom-- Dylan wins.


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

Sheba is getting worse with age at the vets office. In the last few years during different incidents, she has both pooped and peed on the table. I warn everyone now that there is a possibility that may happen again. 

She gets so worked up that I won't subject her to the waiting room. I let them know that we are there and that I'll be waiting outside, and to let me know when they are ready for her. I'm lucky that its a small practice and the and the receptionist just has to stand up at her desk and wave so I can see when to go inside.


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

aww, thanks, patti.

i was ticked-off at dh, tho. 
i think dylan was telling us he had to go!
and if dh would've listened to me and taken him outside to wait, dylan would've pooped outside, not in the exam room.
if only dh was as smart as my gsd...........


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

Bonnie,
thanks for the tip.
i'll have to get some for the next time


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i'm glad your boy is ok. so far i we haven't had a bad visit. our puppy classes were in the Vets office, in the waiting area. we also took our dog to the Vet when nothing was wrong just so he could get a treat and some attention. i think it's key to visit the Vet when there's nothing wrong just so they can get use to the Vet. when they get a chance to go to the Vet without being stuck with a needle or poked or pulled or put in a uncomfortable position it's a pleasant visit. i don't think we should wait untill something is wrong before we go to the Vet. so i just try to make the visit to the Vet a happy time by going for no treatments. my thinking is he won't think of the Vets visit as something unpleasant.


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## butch33611 (May 4, 2007)

Sarge does not like the vet, like your dog he gets very upset. He doesnt bark but it doesnt like the exam, wont hold still ( picture a 90 shepherd trying to get into my pocket). I cant bring him onto the waitting room with the other dogs. He thinks its a little tiny dog park and its time to run and play so we sit outside in the jeep until called. Then we enter the side door.

Sarge and I were sitting in an exam room waitting to see the doctor. Sarge is sitting nervously at my side. Out in the hallway other techs are moving dogs from here to there. This youg gal comes in and says, Ill take him now. I asked her If I should come along, it might be better. She says oh no...we'll be fine.

She takes the leash and her and sarge leave. In about 30 seconds I hear someone yell....LOOSE DOG!!! LOOSE DOG!!!. I thought, gee, wonder who that could be...lol

Here comes sarge around the corner and sits down beside me in his original spot. Followed by the tech. So I asked her again, would you like me to come along this time??? Maybe you should she says...lol

When sarge sees the vets office its like...OH NO!!! IM NOT GOING IN THERE!!!


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## chevysmom (Feb 15, 2008)

Aww sorry Dylan had an unpleasant expierence at the vet's office!









I take Chevy once a week to get weighed and he is totally fine in the waiting area. He doesn't like the actual exam rooms though


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## margaret13 (Jan 21, 2008)

I'm sorry for laughing, and I know karma will strike at my next vet visit because I think this is funny(!), but the picture of a 105# senior GSD pooping not once but twice in the vet's exam room is hilarious.
You'll find it funny later.








Oh god, I love it


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## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

Apollo actually doesn't mind the vet, despite his situation. All of the nurses love him, and he practically has a cheer squad over there, since they watched him recover from his illness.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

About 15 years ago I had my first experience with a dog that LOVED the vets. I came home from a morning walk with my pound puppy to find Bosco injured in my back yard - bleeding from a neck wound. Several frantic calls to vets found someone who could see him NOW and in we went. He probably hadn't been to the vets at all before then and they saved his life... so he loved them. And he taught my mix that the vets were a good thing - almost. Later they gave obedience lessons outside the clinic - our challenge was to heel past the door without a dive for it... 
Now, we did go in one day when the vet wanted a urine sample. He was not cooperating so she inserted a cathater - and got a couple of pints all over the table! Then as we were checking out he decided to leave a fecal sample too. Nicely formed, very big pile of dog crap right at the reception desk for the people he loved! The vet, the techs and I laughed ourselves silly over both incidents. 
What I've put together about vet visits is: 1. Keep them up beat and cheery 2. None of the cooing BS (and try to get the vets to stop that too!) 3. March right into that examine room like no body's business 4. Distract your dog with whatever works to distract them - obedience commands with rewards, grooming while you wait and so on. My youngest wants to declare all the territory for us and what keeps her from insisting on this is to be brushing her out while she waits with other dogs. It's also a good use of my time so.... And my eldest in her prime didn't just like the vets - she was crazy about them! She knocked stuff off counters in her excitement, she was hard to restrain when we were going in (because she wanted to be there!)

Yeah and keep yourself up beat too. If your dog's manifestation of stress starts causing you to get upset it will only escalate the dog's anxiety... No sense getting po'd at dh or anyone else - save that for later because the dog will pick up on the tension.


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## CertainlySpoiled (Dec 2, 2007)

My last vet visit with Elle (GSD mix) was a total nightmare, and all we were there for was to get her neails clipped.

She walks in to the building like she was a hot shot and as she owned evrything, but when it came to getting her on the table and the Vet came out with those clippers, she freaked out and squilled like someone was killing her and that was before he even touched her...she paniced and peed all over the table...Good thing Vets are used to that... finally after baabying her and trying to talk her through it...All her nails were trimmed with no bleeding!!!

not very happy about this....


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: margaret13
> 
> 
> 
> ...










you'll get yours one day









thanks for sharing you experiences.
and thanks for the good advise...
i agree that if you can, teach them while they are young that vet visits don't have to be bad experiences. 
i am convinced something may have happened to him when he went in for his 'snipping', other than the obvious... ever since then, he's terrified of the place. as soon as we pull up to the building, he starts. i keep saying that i'm going to find a new vet, but, lets face it, when we have a crisis, we're not going to shop around, eh.

dh is still grumbling about the whole thing. oh, i forgot to mention. dh dropped his keyes in the waiting room, and when he bent over to pick them up (he bent over dylan who just happened to be smelling his keyes), dylan lifted his head up, hard, and got dh right in the side of his face with the "point" on his head. dh will have a shiner tommorrow


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## TMarie (Jul 6, 2006)

OH Elsie,

What a way to start out your weekend. I am so sorry. Poor Dylan, but at least it is over now.
My dogs are all pretty good and well behaved at the vet. 

Of course, we will be going tomorrow morning to get Jarie's staples removed. So, I am a little concerned, and hoping she doesn't react going back in a bad way. We have never had issues at the vets with her, but after 2 surgeries, and 3 days staying there, I am hoping it didn't phase her.

Your poor DH, he will probably still be talking about this tomorrow, with his shiner as a reminder.


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## Sherush (Jan 12, 2008)

My last dog Jed was like that almost but not as bad and we found the right answer we changed vets and it was a vet that came to the house.... and he wasn't scared any more, lucky for us Jed, St. Bernard lived to 10 years and never had anything major where we needed xrays etc so home vet was good enough. On top of that the home vet took care of our cats and even did surgery (took out teeth) on my dinningroom table.

Jesse thank god I have made every attempt to make him love the vets office and he does. Even during his neuter, I made **** sure every staff member followed my instructions with redirecting Jesse during all procedures and they did and it wasn't a bad experience at all and the staff fell in love with him too because he was so good.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

My worst vet visit? Hmmm. Well, I think it is when I had Arwen in for an x-ray to see if she had puppies or not as she was due that day. They took her in for x-rays, and I am in the room and hear my Dad come into the vet's. He brought Cujo in. I had been out all night with him at the ER with Cujo and thought there was a plan to wait, so things must have gotten worse. I went out to talk to him. 

Then I went back in the room to wait on Arwen. 20 minutes later they tell me they have not done the x=rays yet and Arwen is doing fine in there. WTH. The bitch is majorly pregnant and I really do not want her stressed out. 

Then I hear one of the techs rush into where the vet is and say, "Doctor, a dog is seizing in the waiting room." ****! I knew that was Cujo. I run out there. The vet came rushing out with a vial of valium and a syringe. Everyone is hanging around with their mouthes open. It looks awful. Poor Cujo. 

He needs to hold the animal down to do an injection. The dog is drooling and running lying on his side and peeing on himself. Finally he starts to calm down. 

The vet tells dad that it is definitely epilepsy and that the dog needs to be on regular meds and that it may take a while for it to be figured out. Dad gets his perscription and takes Cujo home. 

I finally go back to retrieve Arwen and they give her back and I wait, and then the come back to take yet another x-ray. The poor bitch had been x-rayed twice early in the pregnancy because they had thought she had a mass. Then she had an ultrasound. Then they leave her in the x-ray room for over half an hour. Then they come back and take her again! 

So the vet comes in and tells me we have one puppy and it is gigantic and she does need a c-section. 
**************************************************

Euthanizing Kitty was a close second, but I think this was my worst one.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Poor Dylan. Poor you but atleast you found some humor in it!


> Originally Posted By: elsie and he missed my foot....


I had a nasty one with Rex, who had a bowl obstruction. *** Stop reading if your squeamish*** the vet had to go in with a big rubber glove and it gushhhhhed all over the room. He hadn't pooped in a while. The smell, oh mercy I still remember that smell nearly 16 years later. The vet completely remodeled the offices not long after. New floors, walls the works.

Then there was Luther, who loved the social aspect of the vet. He was fine in the office unless they tried to take his blood. He FREAKED at the site of a tourniquet so they had to go in his back leg. Then he started freaking over the electric shaver. 

When Luther was about 5, he started having seizures so he had to have blood work often. Morgan was his mother hen so she used to go to the vet to keep him calm. She's a total stoic for her exams, always has been, she doesn't care.

One time, I was extremely pregnant with my twins and didn't bring Morgan. They had to take Luther off into the back room to get his blood. He howled and cried and screamed, I think people 5 blocks away must have heard him! 

LOL, the vet techs still talk about my big bear, that scarey looking german shepherd that turned into jello every time someone took his blood!


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## CherryCola (Apr 24, 2006)

I'm sorry the vet visit didn't go to plan









I think my worst would have been with Logan.. He had aggression issues, so we had to wait outside with him in the freezing cold until it was time for our appointment and then go in the back door.

We got in there and he wasn't too bad, they put a biiig muzzle on him and then the vet felt around his 'private area'. He didn't like that at all and he growled and was foaming at the mouth and I felt so bad







Then he spun around really quick, pushed his head against the wall and got the muzzle off.. I'm not sure how he did it. The vet look terrified and I had to scramble to get it back on. I wished people could see what a baby he could be at home









Logan was grumpy for the rest of the day







He reeeally hated the vets.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

"Yooof! Yooo-yoo-yoof!!" announces Grimm as he barges his 85lb, 17 month old sable body into the vet's tiny, cramped reception area, nose twitching as he snorfles the air for the scents of 7 dogs jam-packed like sardines into the adjacent waitingroom behind frosted glass door.

"Woo-wooooof!! Yoof-yoof-yoo-*..uh?" Grimm is suddenly caught up short as someone brings in a cat in a carrier, and the feline begins a mind-meld with Grimm, chiding him for his behavior, scolding and admonishing, instructing and advising.

Grimm shuts up.

Grimm sits.

Grimm sits quietly, head cocked, listening to feline instructions and politely answering in mind-meld.

"Yes, am a good boy... yes, have many toys but not enough..... oh, you right.. should be grateful for what have... uh-huh-- yes.. know how to be good.... yes... know to never bother a kitty... uh-huh..... accept kitties rule world... yes.. be good at vet's now.. okay.. bye-bye..."

Nice quiet doggy for about 3 seconds until the kitty got carried off to it's appointment and Grimm wanted to again let the other dogs know that he was here, at full volume once again.


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

patti







you're a hoot


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

kim, logan and dylan share(d) the same issues with the vet....
fear aggression, muzzles that they try frantically to remove themselves, etc.
i feel so bad for them when they are like that
a generally sweet, loving pet instantly turned into a frothing beast at the mere metion of a vet visit.........


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

jenn, i think rex's experience was way worse than ours....


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## GSDLVR76 (Aug 6, 2007)

Shilo really dislikes the vet as well. The last vet we had in Illinois, she had to be muzzled. She would growl and snarl at her any time she went. Here in Alaska, there are a couple of vets in the office we use and the last one that saw her, wouldn't muzzle her and when Shilo growled at her, Dr Rember just told her "I hear you and there is no need for that" in a firm tone. Shilo just looked at her with this look like "Hey, you aren't afraid of me!" and she was fine from then on out. So now when we take Shilo we request to see Dr Rember. She has this calming effect on Shilo.


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## halley05 (Apr 17, 2007)

My guys are not crazy about the vet either. Sorry it was such a bad experience but try the melatonin that Bonnie suggested. We use that also & it works well.


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## ceardach (Apr 11, 2008)

I'm lucky that my vet has two waiting rooms. It's supposed to be cats vs dogs, but really it's animals-good-with-others vs animals-not-so-good-with-others. hehe.

Taedyn belongs in the animals-not-so-good-with-others category. However, the receptionist desk is in the animals-good-with-others room, so I hold Taedyn behind me and peek my head in. This woman with another GSD says to me, "Oh, he's good with others!" and I respond, "Yeah, but she isn't!!!"

Taedyn is generally insecure, and in order to make her feel more secure she needs to be holding something. It was previously rocks, but I recently was able to move that over to stuffed toys. Perhaps some of you who are having problems with insecurity at the vet could try bringing their favorite toy to the vet for them to hold. It may make them feel better.

The worst time ever I was at the vet is when I took my cat, Sunshine, because I thought she was dying. Their waiting room was gigantic, with virtually three seating sections. It was L-shaped, and if you can imagine it, I was sitting at the top most of the L. This







dog owner was sitting at the bottom right of the L, with his large dog on one of those long extending leashes. The owner didn't have the leash locked, and the dog was effectively roaming freely, and he wanted nothing more than to try to get to Sunshine in her kennel. 

Before the dog even started roaming, I was already crying profusely because I thought Sunshine was dying. So now this dog comes over, starts pestering Sunshine, and she got all stressed hissing madly. I'm trying to get away from this dog - still crying - and even more stressed out thinking this dog is going to take a few days of life away from her due to the extra stress he's giving her. Ugh. So traumatic.

Luckily, Sunshine was able to perk back up and live another three years.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Onyx doesn't like the vet either, has to be muzzled. We had two visits in the past month and we went we were there for almost two hours the first time, blood draw for heartworm, ear swab(which I did) and vaccinations, the vet then spent time just giving treats, and then slowly massaging Onyx into a calmer state. We were the last appt. of the day. Then two weeks later we went for ear re-check, clinic was packed and noisy, waiting room for 1/2 hour then exam room for another 1/2 hr. wait with dog fight going on(so it sounded) in the waiting room while we waited in the exam room and finally Dr. Paula came in and told Onyx that she "didn't need to growl, and is this what we will go thru every time?" sat down sideways next to her and treats, massage touch til Onyx calmed again. She took time with her, which I thanked her for! I didn't mind the wait as I felt it was good for Onyx, in both the waiting room and exam room. Both times were fairly good experiences and I hope Onyx will eventually get over her fear.

In regards to the melatonin, does this help with other situations for anxious dogs? Are there any side effects to be aware of and can it be used frequently?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I just saw the other thread about storms and melatonin links so no need to reply to that question!!


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

ceardach: thanks for sharing your experience (sniff sniff). dylan took one of his babies with him once (he always has to take one along everywhere he goes), and dropped it at the front door. he only had interest in it when i picked it up... he grabbed it from me then promptly dropped it again... we did this several times until i hid it under my shirt









76 & onyx: your vets sound like awsome drs. taking extra time, and having a caring disposition to calm their patients... that is awsome. vets like those are few and far between.


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## ceardach (Apr 11, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: elsiedylan took one of his babies with him once (he always has to take one along everywhere he goes), and dropped it at the front door. he only had interest in it when i picked it up... he grabbed it from me then promptly dropped it again... we did this several times until i hid it under my shirt


Taedyn will go through periods of doing this, too. I have a toy with long legs, and I just hold on to the end of one of the legs so she can pick it up and drop it at will and it won't go anywhere.

Other times I will just kick it around as we're moving to keep it with us.


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## Lola1969 (Mar 6, 2007)

You know, Ozzy just gets automatically taken to "the back" for his check ups etc. and I wait in the lobby after an initial consultation in an exam room.

I have no idea what goes on back there, but I never hear anything and he always comes out very mellow and not traumatized in any way. The vet then sits with the both of us in the lobby and lets me know of any issues and he is stroking Ozzy the whole time which Ozzy does not mind (which is a miracle since Ozzy is uncomfortable around men).

I assume there is something on his chart about being taken to "the back?" I would just as soon not see any shots administered and I know he is not fond of strangers handling him so perhaps they muzzle him.


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

uh-oh... ozzie's been labeled









i'm surprised they haven't done that to us yet


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## marylou (Apr 21, 2006)

Aww...sorry about the vet visit. 

Tasha was fear aggressive and very fearful of our vet. We were lucky - for shots our vet came outside to a picnic table where we had Tash muzzled; she did not have to wait inside or go inside and get all worked up. She still growled, but he just talked to her and gave her the shots.

Like someone else posted, I now bring Misha and Chaos into the vet just to be weighed, petted and get a treat from the nurses.


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## Helly (Mar 31, 2008)

So far, Jackson has been great at the vets, no crying when he got his shots, just a funny look at DH when he was having his fecal done. Doc has been very complimentary of Jackson's disposition.


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## Chloedancer (Mar 13, 2008)

I have not seen a thread on Melatonin. I will look for it. I need that lol and know what it is but would prefer to know about interactions with dogs, etc.


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## LuvsDieter (Feb 2, 2006)

I can't complain too much, but we've been asked not to leave Dieter at the vet unless he's been under sedation...

The last time we left him there for the day to update shots and get his nails trimmed, I got a call from the tech asking me to come pick Dieter up during my lunch hour because he pulled the door of a kennel in (one of those 4 x4 chain link kennels) and they couldn't put any other dogs in the other kennels in the room!! I had warned them that he doesn't like being crated or locked up, so please be careful about that. Guess they didn't listen to me and he pulled the door in. He would bark and growl at everyone while he was in the kennel, but once he got the door open, he was just fine and loved on everyone. This is the dog that's destroyed 2 wire crates and pulled the door in on his plastic airline crate.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: Lola1969You know, Ozzy just gets automatically taken to "the back" for his check ups etc. and I wait in the lobby after an initial consultation in an exam room.
> 
> I have no idea what goes on back there, but I never hear anything and he always comes out very mellow and not traumatized in any way. The vet then sits with the both of us in the lobby and lets me know of any issues and he is stroking Ozzy the whole time which Ozzy does not mind (which is a miracle since Ozzy is uncomfortable around men).
> 
> I assume there is something on his chart about being taken to "the back?" I would just as soon not see any shots administered and I know he is not fond of strangers handling him so perhaps they muzzle him.


What probably happens is that he is much better behaved without you around! The dogs are often much easier to handle if their owners aren't present while someone else is doing the "work."


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