Summer 2018 Newsletter

Tips for a Stress Free Visit to the Vet

A trip to the vets can be a nervous time for some animals. The car journey, the waiting room and lots of unusual smells and sounds can all make it feel a bit stressful for both you and your pet.

Here are a few helpful tips to make your next visit to Culverden a little bit easier.

• Bring your dogs to visit us regularly, even if they are not unwell. Pop in and weigh them, or bring them along when you’re picking up their parasite control or food. Our staff are always pleased to see you and are expert treat givers and cuddlers.
• Leave your cat or rabbit carrier out at home, so your pet can get used to going in and out as they please rather than only seeing it on the day of the vet visit. You can pop some treats in now and again to increase their enjoyment of the space.
• Try using a cat pheromone spray like Feliway in and around the carrier both before and on the day of the appointment to help make the carrier a happy place to be.
• Cats especially prefer to be higher up and away from prying eyes, so in the waiting room try to keep the carrier off the floor, away from dogs, and cover the basket with a towel or blanket. In Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells we have a special cat stand for you to use, and we are always happy to offer your pet a quiet spot behind the reception desk, so please just ask.
• Handle your pets at home, almost like a veterinary check, so they get used to being examined all over.
• If it is a nice cool day feel free to sit with your pet in the car until it is time to see the vet – just pop in to let us know you’re waiting.
• Make use of the free dental, weight and parasite checks we offer so that your pet can spend some time with our lovely vet nurses and associate their visit to us with lots of fuss and cuddles.
• Finally, always remember that here at Culverden we really pride ourselves on looking after our human clients as well as our furry ones, so if there is anything we can do to help make your visit to us a more pleasant experience please do ask. We will always go the extra mile if we can, and all of us are pet owners ourselves so we really do understand!