# Your dog and the vet



## trish07 (Mar 5, 2010)

How your dog reacts to the vet? Most dogs I see are afraid of vets.

Mine owever absolutly love to go to the vet LOL! He is absolutly not afaraid of vet and he is curious about it. Vets and technicians just love him so much because he is friendly with them and wants to play. They told me numerous time how adorable he is and how they love to have calm dogs like him, especially big breeds 

How is your dog at the vet?


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Stark loves the vets office. Tones of treats, dogs and cats to meet and pets from everyone.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Lucy's very good at the vet. I bring along a bag of carrots and she's a very happy camper. 

She had pneumonia at a very young age so i was in and out of there a lot when i first got her so everyone knew her there and she got used to it. She's pretty good about it. She lets them check whatever they want to check without any kid of fuss.


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## cshepherd9 (Feb 11, 2010)

Dallas just went to the vet yesterday. She does well until they put her on the scale and then it starts to lift. Then she gets a little nervous and there is some panting. However, the second they are done and she is back on the floor she completely fine and will do tricks for the staff and collect her treats. 
Willow has only been the vet for puppy shots and a few random visits for a weight check but it has always been positive and she enjoys the attention.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

I checked GREAT, LOVE IT - this applies to all four of the current Hooligans.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I had to go with unsure, a little afraid. But I can say all 3 are well behaved in the office.
Apache 8yrs is a chicken, he goes to the ophthalmologist at least 1x a year now and they were amazed how good he was even the 1st extensive exam.
Kiya 6ys became afraid after her seizures, I found out they put a muzzle on her and kept her in the cage all day. Ever since then she is afraid.
Lakota 7 months is a chicken.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Stosh is especially popular at the vet's office- he loves to go and acts like a big fluffy clown. They're always impressed with how well behaved he is and how much he loves going with whoever has him by the lead- no separation anxiety for him! He's 7 mos and sometimes pees on the vet's foot when she's examining him, she calls him The Lemon- a squirt every time she squeezes.


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

J has a bad temperament to start with... Our vet trip includes me and someone else he trusts restraining him and covering his eyes while he's muzzled, the vet sneaking in and doing her thing, and leaving quickly...


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## mass18th (Jun 26, 2010)

Sunny has only been to the vet once (we just got her) but the entire trip there, she howled like a monkey. At which point we almost renamed her to Monkey Dog. While there she was nervous but was soaking everything in and didn't have a problem being poked or prodded. We stupidly then thought, lets take her to the pet store and get a collar that fits her. She howled all the way there too. We thought all would be good on the way home because she was asleep in the cart, nope - woke up and howled some more.


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## JudynRich (Apr 16, 2010)

Mia loves them-they love her...Bella is reserved, but an excellent patient!


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Both my dogs are nervous and stick to me like glue, hiding behind me, the whole deal. But they let the vet do whatever to them as long as I'm right there.

The cats on the other hand... Yikes! I always feel sorry for the vet.


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

all 3 of mine are afraid of the Vet, but they let the vet do her work, she even clipped Max`s nail once while he was standing, and when we are working on Heidi, Max gets up in the chair and sits there to watch, the Vets and the staff love my 3, they are always well behaved in the waiting room


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I wish there could have been a 'Does Well', as Hondo is a good patient and behaves very well, I wouldn't say he loves it.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I make it a point to bring my dogs in often as pups, just to weigh them. 

some might be a little afraid if someone comes right up and pets them or has a screechy voice, but generally they are just in their element.

They get treats at the vet.

I was there for an hour or so with Joy yesterday. She was socialized to kitties. They brought them out of the carrier and put them on the scale in front of her. She was interested and I had to tell her leave it, but was ok. 

A large old shepherd came in. she was interested in him when she saw him but was ok. Mostly she just lay at my feet. When the shep came out and went the other way to leave, she could not see and grumbled a little. But nothing to worry about. 

They do not wig out or shake or anything. 

But, if you only take the dog there when it is seriously ill or injured, than I can understand them being a bit nervous. 

A couple of times I have had to take injured dogs to the vet, and because I do it just for weigh ins and treats, they tend to be extremely relaxed even during nasty treatments. The worst was them cutting off Rushie's toenail -- that had me feeling awful. He had busted it high up and it was at a 90 degree angle, and it had to come the rest of the way off. I KNOW it hurt bad. Three of us held him while someone cut him. Then they spent more time putting a burning substance in there to stop the bleeding. But as soon as they stopped with the paw, he was all wags and love.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Yes there needs to be another choice. Bianca doesn't LOVE the vet but she isn't afraid either. She tolerates whatever they want to do with her, and is fine with it. She is a blood donor so one of the requirements is to not be scared or freak out at the vet!


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## IllinoisNative (Feb 2, 2010)

My dogs aren't timid so they see it as a new, exciting place with different sounds, smells, dogs, people. 

My one dog had parvo as a puppy so he spent a week at the vets office when he was 10 weeks old. I don't know if that means anything but he's never been afraid of it. He gets treats and the vets have always been kind/friendly. They both had to go get neutered and one had an ear hematoma. They've both had to give blood. And still they are fine.

Neither of my dogs fear it. They whine in the car like they do when we go to the dog park...lol. Or when we did go to the dog park. Heh.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Molly loves, loves, loves the vet!!! Even though she is there all the time she still is so excited to go in and receive the love


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My dogs don't like it. Onyx has fear aggression, muzzle & eye cover /prom-ace is the protocol. 
We put her on a table and that does relax her somewhat. Something about being eye level vs having someone bend over her.
Kacie will let them do their thing, but isn't happy about it. Karlo is a big baby and touching his rear end is just not acceptable to him, too rude in his mind. 
The vet is very nice, accomodating to my pups, and I do all the handling/ear swabs etc that is allowable. I don't let the dogs out of my sight(though I hear they do better with out the owner at their side) I was lucky enough to help with Onyx's emergency hematoma surgery.


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

Sigurd loves the Vet! He lets the Vet touch him wherever, poke, prod, etc. He sits nicely for her, too. She's done a few ear cleanings and he's been fantastic for those. He went into another room with the Vet for his recent needles, the Vet said he did wonderfully (and said the office kitty was playing with his tail). They say he's so happy. All the vet techs love him, our Vet is so good with him. He is such a good little guy.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Like selzer, I made regular field trips to the vet's office to be weighed and just sit in the waiting room. We even practiced laying quietly on the examining table while being touched all over. They enjoyed the attention, 'good dog' compliments and treats- and the vet really appreciates their behavior.


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## Klaus13 (May 18, 2010)

Just for a routine check-up,my mix was so shaky,even the dr. commented that she was shaking out of her fur! She is a country girl! Her family consists of her pack,and us.We have friends and family,and she is such a friendly dog towards strangers.Which is actually the reason we got a GSD.

I do most of her vetting,but still take them in to get regualr check-ups. She is an offleash dog,and was surprised she let the leash lay slack the whole shaky trip inside the building. She layed on the ground making it difficult to be examined.

I just stared as people came and went around me with dogs barking,and whining and pulling of their leashes,as we just sat and looked at each other in the waiting area.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

from the time my pup was 10 weeks
old we started going to the Vet
reguarly for pets, handling and treats.
we probably went to Vets 3 or 4
times a week.

our vet welcomed our visits (no charge).
the Vet or a staff member would come out and pet,
treat, give mock exam to our pup.

i was allowed to go in the back
and put or pup on the exam table
and ride him up and down, weigh him
and let him visit the cats. there was a cat
loose in the office that would walk
right up to our pup with no problem.

as my pup got older going to the
Vet was like going to the dog park.
i can say "let's go to the Vet"
and my dog will get his leash
and wait at the front door.

now when we're in the office
my dog is allowed to go behind 
the desk (unleashed) and hang out with the staff.

my dog ignores all of the other animals
in the office.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

doggiedad said:


> from the time my pup was 10 weeks
> old we started going to the Vet
> reguarly for pets, handling and treats.
> we probably went to Vets 3 or 4
> ...



Because of the line breaks, I thought this was a poem at first!


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

My lab loves the vet and sees it as the place everyone gives him kisses and tells him he's handsome- as a bonus they have awesome treats.

Zoe the GSD HATES the vet and snarls, growls, barks, and tries to get away the minute they take us back. She likes dogs and cats and is fine in the office, but once we hit the exam room the muzzle goes on unfortunately.


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## trish07 (Mar 5, 2010)

Good_Karma said:


> Both my dogs are nervous and stick to me like glue, hiding behind me, the whole deal. But they let the vet do whatever to them as long as I'm right there.
> 
> The cats on the other hand... Yikes! I always feel sorry for the vet.


Hahahah @ cats!

Once, I was at the vet. There was only one men with us with his two little girls. They were waiting for their grandma who was on a visit with her cat. Everything was so calm in the waiting room until they came and took the kitty....OH MY GOSH! This cat was ****. I've NEVER EVER heard an animal growling, making noises like that! Even Phenix was impressed!!! 3 technicians and 2 vets were harmed and injured by the cat lol.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

poetry rhymes. 



Chicagocanine said:


> Because of the line breaks, I thought this was a poem at first!


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

My cats are fairly well-behaved at the vet's office. They don't try to escape or bite. The only time they make noise is when they try to take blood from my cat Church, then he will yowl and try to get away. One of them, Spot, is also in the blood donor program that Bianca is in, he is SO laid back. He's the only one in the program because he was the only one big enough, they have a weight limit.





doggiedad said:


> poetry rhymes.


Not always!  There are plenty of poems that don't rhyme (ie free verse.)


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## Clay (Apr 2, 2010)

Kaiser (7 mo.) loves the vet. He just loves people.


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## VomBlack (May 23, 2009)

Odin looooves the vet, but he spent practically everyday at work with me from the time he was 8 weeks until he was almost a year old, so he got to see all aspects of the hospital from a young age which really helped.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

"Great, love it"

I even take Nikon along when other animals have to go to the vet. He gets weighed and mooches a treat. None of my dogs really care one way or the other.


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

Zoeys mom said:


> My lab loves the vet and sees it as the place everyone gives him kisses and tells him he's handsome- as a bonus they have awesome treats.
> 
> Zoe the GSD HATES the vet and snarls, growls, barks, and tries to get away the minute they take us back. She likes dogs and cats and is fine in the office, but once we hit the exam room the muzzle goes on unfortunately.


 That sounds familiar! Anja is fine (though she would probably prefer being somewhere else, the treats get her through it and she is a good patient.) She does have to be kept away from other animals though, her prey drive is over the top, and she is dominant and bossy. Conor is fine with other dogs, but wants to kill the cats. Muzzle goes on when the vet comes into the exam room - he doesn't attempt to escape or bark, but growls and curls his lip when he sees her, and doesn't quit until the muzzle comes off. Then he will take treats from her, no hard feelings. Go figure.
____________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## spidermilk (Mar 18, 2010)

Dax is fine at the vet, a little excited to see the other animals there. On his first few trips he was pretty nervous/scared when he was on the exam table and mostly when the vet inspected his mouth/ears/nose. He has gotten much better though and now is only mildly annoyed (all those puppy classes and me looking at his mouth all the time have helped I think). He is big enough that the vet doesn't make him get on the exam table, just does everything on the floor. He has really warmed up to the vet and last time he didn't even seem to NOTICE that he was getting a shot (he was watching a cat in the back room).


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## Honeybee1999 (Mar 2, 2006)

I said "Unsure, a little bit afraid", but she's actually very afraid at the vet's. But she is controllable, at least by me. In the waiting room she'll try to visit other dogs, otherwise she'll lay by my feet. Once in the exam room, she'll hide under the chair I'm sitting on, with her butt poking out, but she thinks no one can see her. She's okay while being examined, but if they have to do anything to her, she starts to freak out. And if they have to take her in the back for anything, forget it. They have to drag her because she plants her feet and refuses to move. 

She's still better than my male cat, though. He tries to attack the vet. It took three people and one of those net paddle thingies to microchip him.


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## NightSins (May 31, 2015)

Maddie is perfectly fine at the Vet. I guess it boils down to how they perceive the situation. Positive feed back for rolling over and listening to the vet's commands goes a long way in my opinion. I just wished this method would work for the vet's assistant who keeps trying to up sell services


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## RZZNSTR (Jan 24, 2015)

Valor likes the Vet. He doesn't like being in the examining room!


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## acacia (Jun 15, 2015)

As far as Amina is concerned, she's getting to go for a ride and visit somewhere, which is all she cares about. It doesn't amtter that it's the vet, it's still an exciting adventure.


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## Mudypoz (Mar 3, 2016)

All my dogs love the vet. One of my Dobermans was terrified when I first got her as a 1-year-old, but she overcame it easily with visits to the waiting room with treats and meeting nice people.


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## KaiserRodriguez (Jul 25, 2015)

My dog gets very afraid and cowers in the corner or under the chair. It is such an ordeal. We have even walked him around the vet clinic, even in the back rooms, but nothing seems to help.


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## Bentwings1 (May 29, 2017)

My Aussie likes the vet trips. They treat her like a family dog. The last time we were there she got on the scale quickly then sat on the bench next to me. A lady came in with a big cat and sat next to us. I thought for sure this was going be serious but I think Samantha somehow recognized the cat was not well and just looked at it. I think she would have friendly licked the cat if I had let her. I'm sure it's very stressful for dogs at the vet. Probably like us going to the dentist.LOL at home Sam often curls up and sleeps for an hour or so after vet visits.
Byron


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## konathegsd (Dec 3, 2016)

Cattle dog needs to be muzzled and my gsd is just nervous of the vet but doesn't need a muzzle or anything like that. She just wants to be with me the entire time lol


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Deja was fine and friendly until she needed a major treatment that hurt her. Now she is muzzled as a precaution.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Wow, it's been 7 years since I last posted on this thread. Joy was my youngster then. Now Joy is one of my steady old bitties. Well, she will be 8 next month. 

My dogs are fine at the vet. Yes, if they come in with some horrible instrument that looks like a giant caliper to measure them for x-rays, a youngster might get a little worried. I just tell them that it's not a big deal, and they are ok. 

Last week for the first time, I had the vet come to the house to do mass rabies/parvo-distemper vaccinations. That was awesome!!! I think we got all 7 (that needed it this year) done in less than half an hour. It would have taken me half an hour to drive a pair of them up there get the shots, and bring them back. 

Dogs had no issue with the vet being there and giving them shots there at the house.


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## Grez (Feb 11, 2017)

Hello ? I have recently visited my vets with my GSD Male Puppy over the last few weeks as he was having vaccine injections. He was great! ? Loved the attention and never flinched a muscle when he received his injections. Also likes the treats he got of the nurses ?. He slept a lot each time after he got back from having the injections. ?


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

Newlie loves to ride in the car going ANYWHERE, so he is fine on the way to and from the vet. The office has several decent size waiting areas and the staff tries to keep everyone a good distance away from everybody else, so there has not been a problem with off-leash dogs wandering up to Newlie. I used to wait outside with Newlie until our name was called, but I am comfortable enough and he is calm enough now to go inside and wait. I always make sure that we are a good distance away from any other dog and I insist that he stays right by me. Usually, I have him lay down. His behavior really has improved the past couple of years. Last time, there was a golden mix barking aggressively at all the other dogs in the waiting room when we were back in the exam room, and when we went to leave, Newlie walked past him without misbehaving in return.

When we get back to the exam room, I let Newlie wander around and sniff. He gets a little anxious if we have to wait very long for the vet, particularly if he can hear other dogs barking or crying, but this just takes the form of whining and wanting me to pet him. All the staff like Newlie and are good with him. The vet and vet's son usually play with him for a minute or two, then put him up on the table. If some sort of procedure needs to be done, the vet's son, a big guy, usually holds Newlie's head to his shoulder in such a way that it is comforting, but keeps the teeth turned away. Newlie can see me and I talk to him during any procedure. He will sometimes give kisses to the vet and/or his son afterward, but he is definitely eager to get out of there. I am usually flying behind him when we leave.

Going to any other doctor, like the surgeons after his ACL repair and removal of a mass on his leg, I hold Newlie's head myself. He generally sticks his nose down between my thighs (If I can't see him, he can't see me.) and cries and grumbles and growls while he is being examined. Although he has never done anything, it is understandable that people who don't know him would be somewhat afraid. He is, after all, a big dog with big teeth. I have little patience with people who don't want their dog muzzled during procedures, yet are too scared, themselves, to hold their own dog. If you are so sure your dog won't bite, face the teeth yourself.


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## astrovan2487 (May 29, 2014)

My GSD does not like going to the vet but she is not aggressive. She does the whole ears down, slinking around stance like she does not want to be there but when a vet or vet tech talks to her she lights up and wants to give kisses. The only time she gets really upset is anything involving her rear end...had anal glands expressed once, she screamed, vet tech tried to take her temp once and also screamed.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

My vet does home visits. There is no trauma at all associated with my vet visiting. The vet takes her time and knows my dog well.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Dunkirk said:


> My vet does home visits. There is no trauma at all associated with my vet visiting. The vet takes her time and knows my dog well.


Mine are fine at the vets, but because 7 needed rabies shots in the rest of this year, we decided that the best way to do this was by having her (the vet) come to my home and do them all. 

That was great. She was there less than half an hour, and that's with me running out back and putting this one here and that one there, so I could bring another up front. 

The next time I have a slew of them needing vaccinations, I will do it that way.


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## gsdforlife22 (Dec 26, 2016)

Buck loves his vet & the staff and they love him too. The big goober likes the attention & treats.


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## marycrft (Jun 1, 2009)

My 5 all love the Vet.


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## thegooseman90 (Feb 24, 2017)

I picked agressive, only because I couldn't pick more than one. His first visit was about two weeks ago and at first he was very confident honestly. Walked in and he didn't really pay any mind to anything. Then all of a sudden, of all things a ****-zu, came by and as he moved closer to do whatever I accidentally stepped on his foot. Originally the pup squawked like he was being murdered and kinda ran a circle around me then out of nowhere he was agressive towards anything that moved. Every animal that came withing ten feet made him bark and and growl. He would yank to the end of his leash trying to get to whatever it was. One old guy walked by and he did the same thing. A couple of the vet techs came over and visited and he was good with them. When we went to the back for our checkup he was great. Vet gave lots of compliments about his behavior and said how impressed he was with the dog. Coming back out into the waiting room he was a changed man. Very confident and relatively social again. Didn't pay any mind to the other dogs and was social with the people who wanted to come give him a pet or two, and there was plenty. I don't think people here see many gsds so we got caught up talking to everyone for a little while. Overall he did great other than the first half of the visit and since this was his first time seeing another dog or person, besides the family, id say he did great. 

Tl;dr - first half dog was agressive after I accidentally stepped on his foot, second half he was great.


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

I picked unsure a bit afraid because my dogs don't love it and there was no other choice... They are neutral. Not scared, not happy, not guarded although perhaps a bit suspicious that something will be stuck up their rump, lol.. But no tucked tail or aggression. Just not tail wags and joyous barks either.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Mine are both a little apprehensive. They both know nothing bad happens till we are in are room and the actual vet arrives. They know who the vet is vs other people.

My girl wishes she could escape but submits to whatever. The boy is fairly stoic but will tense up and resist whatever is being done to him. He will always try to sit to keep them away from his butt.

He has grumbled displeasure but I don't think there is real intent there. Nonetheless, he is tense and has grumbled a bit so if vet or tech has to get in his face (like to draw blood), I muzzle him. He has never showed teeth or acted like he was going to really use his mouth and I honestly really don't think he would. The muzzle doesn't bother him so to me it's a no brainer....it's a totally preventable thing. I had him in this week for a tick test and he was fairly composed the whole time. not really too tense, obviously would rather not be there, but basically calm. I still muzzled him for the blood draw because two people he doesn't know were right smack in his face and he is so big and strong I have no confidence that I could restrain him enough to stop a bite if things went south. 

He is sensitive about his butt, after all the anal gland stuff, but all he does is sit down quick to try to stop them getting back there and really I can't blame him.

he is a perfect gentleman for me to do stuff to at home, nothing I feel like I can't do with jim. So I feel like we are good.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I posted when this thread first appeared. Last Friday, Karlo bloated. It was in the early evening and I noticed his symptoms right away so off to the E-Vet we went.
To hand your heartdog over to someone you do not know, is very hard. The ER does not want the owner to handle their own dogs, as they have no idea if the owner is capable.

I always muzzle my dogs for procedures and they know that is a given. For the safety of the staff, I do think all dogs should be conditioned to a muzzle. For emergencies it is crucial that the dog doesn't stress if one is placed on and they've never had that experience.
They should also know that crates or kennels are ok. 
The stress of an emergency situation is bad enough, but these two simple things can really calm a dog. 
Karlo survived the bloat incident...he also survived a bout with Leptospirosis and spent two weeks at MSU recovering. He is a very good patient even though he hates being touched and handled by strangers. 
I think vetting is stressful for many dogs, I always want to set them up for success and have the staff feel comfortable if I am not there to handle my dog.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Jane, sorry about Karlo, that is awful. Glad he is going to make it. 

It is great to have this conversation though because it brings up something that is very important: we are NOT familiar with the staff at the E-vet and they are NOT familiar with us. Insisting upon handling our own dogs, or slamming them with questions, etc, it is not the time or the place. We sometimes need to step back and let them do their job, so that our dog has the best chance of survival. Which it sounds like you did. So this is really in general, something we can think about before it happens, and not be upset by it when it does.

At my vet, the only one who has ever suggested a muzzle or put one on, has been me, and it has always been unnecessary. But, I would rather be safe than sorry, and it won't kill the dog to have a muzzle during something that might hurt or be very scary. This is really rare for me. But, I have put a muzzle on one or two of them for something or other over the years. They (my vet) are great about letting me be right there and answering my questions -- all but surgery. 

The repro-vet that is a couple of hours away, is a 24 hour clinic, and they even let you watch surgeries, and you are there all the time with your dog, etc. 

But the e-vet (which I hate to go to, and really don't trust, because you never see the same vet twice there and so forth), they are there for emergencies. I will ONLY go there if I think the longer trip might be detrimental to the chances my dog has of living. But because there is no relationship there, it's good to remember or to think about it when we are not in the middle of a crisis, that it has NOTHING to do with us. It is about the dog. It is not they they don't trust us to hold our own dog, it is that they DO trust their vet tech to hold any dog. They do not know us at all, and if we don't get stuff like that straight before walking through the door, we can impede treatment for our dog by taking things personally and being irritated. 

Yes, I agree with dogs being familiar with crates, because some day they may have to be crated at a vet's office, and we really don't want them to be weirded out by the crate itself. 

I used to take them in just to weigh them. I still do, but now I want to know the weights. But I really want my dogs to be "normal" at the vet's office, so that when they are hurt or ill or acting oddly, they are not masking that with overall fearful behavior. Mine really don't have a problem at the vet. I'm generally relaxed about what is going to happen, so they are too. 

Case in point: my dad was raised Christian Science, in a time when you go to hospitals to die. He has a real aversion to anything to do with medicine, hospitals, doctors, dentists, etc, even though the religion has changed to one that doesn't hold the same views. When he would take Cujo to the vet, the dog would shake and be totally scared. When I would take Cujo to the vet, the dog was happy and fine and wagging his tail. I think being more familiar with the vet's office, can help ourselves as well as our dogs. Popping a mint in your mouth might help too, especially if it is a visit that is scarier for us. I think a lot of times, we get uptight worrying about how our dog is going to be, and our dog senses that uptightness, and has no idea why we are uptight, but it must be bad. Who knows what is going through their brains. Susie's scared, something bad is going to happen. 

I am kind of a no-nonsense person. If I want to put a muzzle on my dog, I am just going to do it. Same with cutting toenails. Just do it, quickly, and don't put up with any baloney, and the quicker it is done the quicker the dog knows we aren't trying to kill him, and he isn't stuck in a very bad space for hours while we get through with all 18. So, I don't condition a dog to a muzzle. Most of mine never need it, and if they ever do, the reaction I always get, is that they trust me enough to let me put it on in the heat of the moment where it is required, and it is then off so quickly that it becomes no big deal. If it will help to condition them to it, then do that. But my dogs have never seen the muzzle before and may never see it again, so they don't get a chance to really object to it before it is all over.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I had to leave my girl at the vet hospital for a day and a half for her endoscopy. It was brutal for me leaving her there. We have literally been apart like 3 nights in 10 years.

The my had to give her seven enemas along with fasting....

The vet said she was the best shepherd they had ever had and she even continued to wag her tail every time he went into her kennel. 

there is one 24 hr emergency clinic under an hour from me and I hate them and I think they hate me. I have had some great vets and some horrible ones and this one is horrible. I think I would drive 2 and a half hours to the big hospital before I would leave a dog of mine at that clinic. their front desk staff is incompetent and made some big mistakes that they then tried to blame on me and being I was there with a very sick dog I lost my cool and yelled at some people. not super proud about that.

My current vet I have a great relationship with and he is on call like a horse vet. if he couldn't handle what was wrong I would just drive I guess because I would never trust those other idiots with my dogs


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> I had to leave my girl at the vet hospital for a day and a half for her endoscopy. It was brutal for me leaving her there. We have literally been apart like 3 nights in 10 years.
> 
> The my had to give her seven enemas along with fasting....
> 
> ...


When a dog is in distress, time may not be a luxury. Bloat is one of those times. I would not chance driving an hour away(blue pearl is the other option for me) I wanted that 20 minute drive to my closest ER(VCA) to only be 10. I am not a chain hospital fan at all..but when push comes to shove. I had to trust they would do right by my dog. FWIW, bloat is probably one of the easier things ER's have to deal with, so that did give me some comfort while waiting for a midnight call update. 24/7 and I could have stayed there.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> I had to leave my girl at the vet hospital for a day and a half for her endoscopy. It was brutal for me leaving her there. We have literally been apart like 3 nights in 10 years.
> 
> The my had to give her seven enemas along with fasting....
> 
> ...


It really is the same situation here, save my regular vet that is 4 miles away does not necessarily do after-hour calls. Once they came in a Sunday for me, my bitch had a c-section at a vet in PA that they sent me to, and the next day she started hemorrhaging. But usually their answering service will refer you to the clinic about an hour away, that is an ER, and everyone (including me) has a negative story about them. But, if your dog's intestine is twisted and minutes are going by where the organ is not getting blood to it, what will an extra hour and half do to your dog's chances of surviving? 

When Karma maybe ate the rat poison, I scooped up what was scattered and the carton, and her and picked my dad up en route to the farther clinic. Dad drove. I called them to let them know what I was bringing in. They told me what they were going to do, check the blood, etc. They suggested I go to the nearer place. Finally, I agreed and as it was in the same direction, I went there, calling them to let them know what I was bringing in. 

They did nothing the other vet said they would do. In fact, they just weighed the amount of poison that was left and said the missing portion was possibly a toxic dose. Then they gave me vitamin k pills and said she would have been fine if I waited and took her to my vet on Monday. They gave me only enough vitamin k to get me to my own vet, so I could pay their excruciating ER walk through the door fee, and my own vet's fee. Whatever. My dogs are worth it. And she lived. Maybe she just spread the stuff around and didn't eat it. So maybe she would have lived anyway. The worst thing was, though there was only one other patient there, my dad and I waited an hour and a half before the dog was seen by a vet, or anyone other than weighing her. Maybe the vet on duty was performing bloat surgery or something. But we could have made it to the other vet clinic in that time, and they would have had a vet there for her.

I haven't been back there, since. But if I assess the dog and feel that 2.5 hours is too long, I will probably take the dog there. I will call again. Maybe if the complaint was different (bloat) they would have come out right away and did enough to stabilize her, or tell me where to take her over the phone if their vet was stuck in emergency surgery and to go to the next place.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

My closest ER is about an hour drive. 50 minutes. My vet lives down the street from me. They have an answering service. Only the one vet does surgeries so if she is out of town, the dog would be screwed anyway, but maybe if you tell the answering service that you think the dog is bloating and the ER is an hour away, they would put through a call to the vet. From home they could get to the clinic in time, and maybe put in a call for someone to assist. I've assisted on x-rays when it was just me and the vet once, but I don't know if I could be good help in surgery.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My own vet is about a block away...but she said that she would send me to an ER even during working hours, as they are so versed in this and it would throw her appointments into a spin of delays. She use to have an emergency service, but now refers out. The reason I was initially with this vet was due to the proximity, and she lives on the property of the clinic.
I completely understand the reason she now no longer does emergency vetting.

I did a follow-up with my vet on Monday to make sure the ER protocols were on board with what my vet would do. She gave me 20 minutes (free) for a consult. I have to bring her in some blueberry cheesecake or something now for that, lol.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

onyx'girl said:


> My own vet is about a block away...but she said that she would send me to an ER even during working hours, as they are so versed in this and it would throw her appointments into a spin of delays. She use to have an emergency service, but now refers out. The reason I was initially with this vet was due to the proximity, and she lives on the property of the clinic.
> I completely understand the reason she now no longer does emergency vetting.
> 
> I did a follow-up with my vet on Monday to make sure the ER protocols were on board with what my vet would do. She gave me 20 minutes (free) for a consult. I have to bring her in some blueberry cheesecake or something now for that, lol.


I rushed Odie to the vet after I got her, because I thought she was bloating. She was pregnant, because I bought her bred, they waited to confirm pregnancy with ultra-sound and then all the blizzards were making it impossible to fly her in. We got her after Christmas, and on New Year's eve, I rushed her in because she was acting like she was bloating. They did tell me that with her as full as she was with puppy, she could not possibly bloat -- just a lot of gas, probably from the flight and change of food. 2-3 days later she had the pups. But yes, I rushed her 2.5 hours and was praying that if she was bloating, I wasn't doing the wrong thing by going to the farther place. 

My vet that is 4 miles away is really good, and I do understand why they want emergencies to go to the ER, at least in off hours. I just wish the ER was better -- their attitude. I wish there was more continuity with the vet there, but that just may be the nature of the beast. You don't go there every month or even every year, and vets probably use that kind of a job as a stepping stone.


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