We get asked a variety of questions pertaining to how or why we do certain things a certain way in our hospital.  I plan to post some now and then that we commonly hear and the reasons behind why we do what we do.

Why Does My Vet remove my pet from the room for certain procedures (nail trims, blood draws, exams, etc.)?

            1) Safety and calming are first and foremost.  Some pets are better behaved away from their owners.  Pets who get anxious or upset in the room are often feeding off of the owners’ anxiety or protective of the owner or territory, and by removing the pet from the situation we reduce the anxiety and protectiveness.

            2) Resources: Our treatment area has more room, better lighting, and more supplies to do what is necessary.  We also can call on extra staff members for assistance when needed.

            3) Procedures: Many pet owners do not like seeing their pet having blood drawn or being restrained a certain way.  Please know that restraint techniques are used with safety first in mind for all involved.  What may look like too much to a pet owner is often the safest and best for the pet and people involved.  We attempt the "less is more" theory in our restraint, which works well for many pets.  Some may need a muzzle to calm them or keep them from biting if they become anxious or upset.  Some pets do better for procedures such as nail trims if they are restrained lying on their side.  We work with your pet to determine what will work safely and efficiently.

If we tell you "We're taking your dog/cat to the back," what we mean is we are taking your pet to our treatment area.  Everything we do is with safety and your pet's well-being in mind.

I will occasionally post questions and answers such as this one.  If you have any questions you'd like answered, please let us know by sending them to darchey.sac@sbcglobal.net.