Taking your dog to the vet is one of the best things you can do for their overall health and well-being. Some visits will just be for checkups. Others will be for the diagnosis and treatment of any ailment that your dog may be struggling with. In either case, one of the more challenging aspects of going to the vet hospital can be waiting in the waiting area with your dog. Some dogs get scared or nervous in this scenario. Others get defensive or aggressive. Here are some tips to help make waiting in the vet hospital less of a challenge.
See if the vet hospital offers wait-in-your-car service.
More and more vet hospitals these days are allowing pet owners to pull in, call reception, and wait in their cars until the vet is ready to see them. Call your vet hospital prior to your appointment to ask whether this is an option. If it is, then you can take advantage of it.
Bring a muzzle, if needed.
Muzzles are sometimes seen as being unfair to dogs. But if your dog is only wearing it for a short period of time, it can be a safe and effective means to keep them from biting or barking excessively in the waiting room. Just make sure you buy a humane muzzle that does not keep them from opening their jaws entirely.
Use a harness, not a collar
Some dogs are known to slip out of collars, especially in stressful situations such as sitting in the vet's waiting room. Even if your dog has not slipped out of their collar before, it's best to bring to them to the vet in a harness, if possible. Harnesses are harder for dogs to escape from, and they won't bother your dog as much if they pull.
Send any paperwork you can before the appointment.
Holding onto your dog while you try to fill out paperwork and otherwise square things away with the receptionist can be hard. So, if possible, try to take care of this before the appointment. You may be able to email various papers and forms to the vet before your appointment, for example.
Waiting at the vet hospital with your dog is never fun, but the tips above can make it easier. If your dog is overly aggressive or anxious, call the vet hospital beforehand and tell them. They may have some additional advice.
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