Separation Anxiety - Is it better to stay with your pet at the vet?
Separating pets from their guardians while at the veterinary clinic is not a new practice. In fact, it’s something that has been happening for years. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social distancing, the flames were flared during lockdowns, and owners were denied any access into the veterinary clinic for almost two years.
With the world back to ‘normal’ (whatever that means), it makes me wonder why this is still common practice and why we continue to assume that taking pets “into the back” is setting them up to be more successful for veterinary procedures.
We are often told that dogs do better when they are separated from their guardians. We might hear labels such as “protective” or receive reasoning like, “they’re feeding off of your nerves.”
Let’s imagine your child is going in to receive their vaccinations. You arrive at the clinic and a stranger comes to collect your child, taking them into an unfamiliar room, surrounded by unfamiliar people, and shiny, sharp medical tools, before jabbing them with a needle.
Do you think that your absence makes this procedure less stressful for your child? I personally think it would actually increase that child’s fear, as they have just been stripped of their safety blanket, at a time when they need it the most.
For many dogs, being separated from their guardian - someone they know and trust, who knows and understand them - can cause immense stress in an already stressful situation.
What is “fine” anyways?
Maybe your dog has been separated from you at the vet clinic before, and you’ve been told, “Oh yes, Fido was fine.”
I think there is a general misunderstanding of what “fine” means and looks like in a dog.
Without having education and experience reading and analyzing dog body language, it can be so simple to see a dog who is not barking, growling, lunging or snapping, and assume that dog is doing fine.
These dogs are often (not always) shut down - the exact opposite of fine. They are so stressed out and afraid that they have stopped reacting to what is happening to them. They are often very still, tense, and “checked out” from the environment.
While these dogs are easy for staff to work with and examine, they are, in no way, “fine.” I personally don’t think having a dog tolerate something because they have no other option is what we should be striving for when it comes to veterinary care (or grooming, etc.)
When our dog is removed from us, we lose the ability to advocate for them. We can no longer communicate boundaries, speak up when there is a shift in their body language that might be misinterpreted or missed, or ask for a break if they start to become overwhelmed.
This is not to say that veterinary staff are not capable of hearing and respecting boundaries, or are ignoring body language shifts - but things can get missed. Veterinary staff are under incredible amounts of pressure and have a lot on their plates, and mistakes can happen.
The “get it done” mentality.
I have the utmost respect for veterinary professionals. I worked in a multi-animal practice for over 10 years, and appreciate the amount of stress and fatigue these folks are dealing with on a daily basis.
Veterinary clinics have more patients than they have staff or hours in the day. They are struggling to keep up with the never-ending work load, and more puppies and kittens walk through their doors every single day.
It’s understandable that veterinary staff are dealing with major time pressures, and it can be difficult to find and allot extra time to dogs who might need a gradual acclimation the vet staff and procedures being performed. This, however, does not make it OK to push through a dog’s fear and stress so that we can complete the appointment.
Instead of utilizing a “get it done” mentality, we should be focusing on how to accomplish what we need to do while managing our dog’s fear, stress, and anxiety. I would rather have my dog’s appointment re-scheduled, or pay for extra time with the vet if it means he does not feel pressured or rushed. Not only is this going to make the next appointment smoother and more successful for him, we are more likely to have continued success at subsequent vet visits. However, if we push to complete the procedure despite the dog’s stress, we are likely going to see regression of this dog’s behavior and comfortability upon their return to the vet.
When it’s not safe to be with our dog.
While I do believe that the majority of our dogs will inevitably do better with their guardians support while at the vet, there are some situations where separation might be necessary for safety:
Owner boundaries - if you are nervous about the procedure being done (fear of needles, blood, etc.) you may not be comfortable staying with your dog while they are being treated. If the staff is trying to manage your fear and reactions, it’s going to be hard for them to appropriately handle your dog’s.
An emergency - your dog might have a life threatening illness or injury that requires the vet staff to work quickly and efficiently in order to save your dog’s life. They don’t need distractions or extra bodies to navigate while they are trying to do so.
Radiographs - radiation is not something we want to voluntarily expose ourselves too. Veterinary staff will be utilizing the appropriate safety equipment during x-rays, and have a badge on their person that monitors their radiation exposure levels.
Surgery/anesthesia - the surgery room needs to be sterile, and requires the people in it to have a knowledge of sterility protocols and practices. When a dog is under general anesthesia there will be a lot of monitoring equipment present in order to ensure that dog is safe throughout, and the staff will be focused on monitoring your dog and adjusting their medications as needed.
How to advocate for your dog at the vet.
Many of us, myself included, find it incredibly difficult to speak up when we’re uncomfortable. If the vet requests to take your dog into the back, you might find it challenging to question that, or deny that request. After all, this is the vet - they have a diploma and extra letters next to their name. Who am I to say no?
You are your dog’s guardian - you are their voice, their safety blanket, and their support system. Your voice matters, and it is part of our responsibility as their guardian to have their back in situations that might be uncomfortable.
If your vet wants to separate your dog from you in order to perform a procedure and you are not comfortable with that, here are some things you can do:
request a break for your dog - sometimes taking 5 minutes to reset, or going for a walk, can be all the dog needs to shake things off, and finish their appointment.
request sedation - this will not be feasible for all dogs as there are safety considerations with medications, but if your dog is struggling with a procedure that we feel needs to be done, sedation can be a great way to manage their stress, while still getting the job done.
re-schedule the appointment - if your dog has hit their threshold, and a break does not help them re-set, it’s best to try again another day (and maybe with some pre-visit sedation on board.)
Here are some examples of how you can firmly, but respectfully, say “no” during a vet appointment:
“I’m not comfortable with that.”
“I would like my dog to stay with me.”
“If we cannot accomplish XYZ with me present, let’s discuss alternative approaches/options.”
“Can I show you how I have trained this (procedure/handling) at home?”
“My dog is showing me that he needs a break.”
“My dog does not like that.”
Being someone who thrives on planning and organization, I like to prepare (and often practice) my scripts ahead of time. As much as I despised role playing in elementary school, having a practice conversation with a friend or partner can make it easier to have these conversations, or establish boundaries at the real appointment.
If my dog has boundaries or handling that I know he is uncomfortable with, I will communicate this to the vet staff when I book the appointment, and request more time be booked for the appointment, if possible. I will re-iterate my concerns when we arrive for the appointment, and throughout, if warranted.
Vets see many, many (many) dogs over the course of a week. We cannot expect them to remember our dogs particular boundaries.
While my experiences with my own dog is not everyone’s reality, I do think we need to start asking more questions about the reasoning behind removing dogs from their humans for veterinary care. Our goals should be quality over quantity, meaning we prioritize our dog’s emotional well-being and experience over checking tasks off the to-do list (life threatening emergencies aside.)
We need to ask more questions, and challenge this traditional norm when it comes to veterinary care, and consider that our presence might be exactly what our dog needs.
Stay awesome and advocate for your dog (they need you!)
Vanessa
Vanessa Charbonneau, is the author of Dog Care for Puppies: A guide to Feeding, Playing, Grooming and Behavior. She owns Sit Pretty Pet Services, employing force-free training techniques to work with companion dogs and their owners. Charbonneau lives in Prince George, BC with her husband, two daughters, and one dog.