What is Fear Free Veterinary Care?
Veterinary experiences are often stressful for our pets. They come in close contact with other animals, are handled by unfamiliar people, and sometimes are already in discomfort and pain due to an injury or medical condition. Therefore, they often develop negative connotations associated with veterinary visits. At Roswell Veterinary Associates our Fear Free Certified staff we strive to make every pet feel comfortable and at home while in our clinic. Using low-stress handling techniques and fear-free methods, our goal is to make sure every pet is happy to see us!
Our Fear Free Techniques
Through our own experience and training through the Fear Free Certified Professionals program, our veterinarians and staff are well-versed in low-stress handling and animal behavior. We tailor our techniques to each individual pet so no two handling methods are exactly the same. The techniques we use may include the following:
Before engaging your pet, we engage you and will have a conversation about your pet's health. This gives them time to get used to us, and lets them see that we are on friendly terms with you. When they are ready to greet us, we'll be ready to greet them.
We know that cats love hiding places, especially when they're scared. Therefore, we make sure we have enough time for your cat to come out of their carrier on their own time.
Cats are notoriously uncomfortable around unfamiliar dogs and other animals. Instead of leaving cats and dogs together in the lobby, we usher cats and their people straight to an exam room to wait in peace.
Instead of hoisting a dog or cat up on an exam table, we get down to their level. We'll examine them on the floor, in our lap, or wherever they're most comfortable! This keeps their feet underneath them, giving pets a sense of control that puts them at ease.
Pets love treats. If a pet is being a little too curious about what we're doing during an exam, we may use appropriate treats to divert their attention from us, so we can better examine them.
For more information about fear free veterinary medicine, visit fearfreepets.com.