Feeling a bit disheartened. For a little background for those who don't know, we got Simba as a "hand-me-down" when he was about 9 months old or so. His previous owner tried to be a good dog mum but she had no experience with dogs and she was working a lot, leaving Simba at home with her mom and siblings and little kids, who I think probably handled him quite roughly and at the very least, left him confined in the owner's bedroom. When we got him he was rambunctious and not trained and had resource guarding issues. He also was very collar reactive and did not like being handled - I think they had hauled him around quite a bit, especially by the collar. I did a lot of work with him on all this and he is much better now, although especially with strangers one has to be careful about the collar thing. He went to the vet a couple weeks after we got him and we had a horrible experience because of all this, so by the time we had our next check-up visit I was very worried about how it would all go. I spent quite a lot of time doing desensitization on handling with him beforehand, and lo and behold he did great! Second visit, he did great! Third visit (last year) I took a bunch of treats and basically streamed them into his mouth while the vet did the injections, temp reading, etc, and he was a little wary but he did great! So today, off I go with my treats (really high value ones) feeling rather optimistic. Hah. First off, the temperature read - he did not like this and snapped at the vet. Vet tried again with the same result, only worse. Treats weren't cutting it. We had to get a muzzle and he growled through it, and objected strenuously to the injections. I'm sure he would have attacked the vet if he could have, we were both gently restraining him but he was very distressed. My vet is a calm guy, plus he knows Simba outside of the practice - our families are friends and he is the one who often takes Simba for walks and feeds him, etc when we are gone for the day. So.....what to do? I don't know how to desensitize him to this - I mean, I suppose I could try getting a rectal thermometer but...hmm....not sure how that would go. And it might be perfectly ok with me at home, doing it, but taking him to the vet and having it done there might be a completely different story, anyway. I see the thread about muzzle desensitization - maybe I should just go that route? Definitely feeling discouraged about it all.
Oh Lisa , I`m sorry you are so down . The only thing I`m thinking is this : Simba knows and trusts the Vet , is fine with him outside the Vet surgery , so, its therefore possible that its the place rather than the person or the actions ? Would it be possible to take Simba into the Vets reception , a few times , just to have treats and then come away ?
I did wonder about that too if you have a vet who knows him does he have to be seen in the surgery at all?
I suppose that might be an option to explore. I'm pretty sure he would do that, I can ask him about it. But on the other hand since he is one of the only people I can call on to take Simba on walks and look after him when we are gone, I really don't want to start any bad associations with him coming to our place. It's a dilemma.....
Yes, I could do this, but I'm not sure it would help. Up to this point, he hasn't been bothered by the place at all. He was eager to go in this morning and happy to sniff and see everyone. He didn't like the kennel cough vaccine but tolerated it, with a growl as the vet held his muzzle, and then the temperature taking was too much. He did not like it and that's when we had to muzzle him, for the vet's safety.
Mocha fell in an ugly way from the examination table when she was 6 months old. She never forgot this. Due to other issues I switched vets, and the new one invited me to visit his office as often as I wished until she felt comfortable coming to him. He also wears funky printed shirts with pictures of hunting dogs. They look like they're strait out of the 1950s.
The kennel cough vaccine is quite something out of all the vaccines as it is squirted up the dog's nostrils. None of my dogs are keen on it but three will tolerate it whilst the other two will strongly object. I never have anything else done when they have their kennel cough vaccinations. The vet will even come out to my car and I get each dog out in turn onto the tail gate and a second later they are back in their box. Maybe you could do something similar. The kennel cough vaccination is not pleasant and it must feel like an assault having this liquid squirted up their noses. To then follow that up with a thermometer at the other end is probably a bit too much. It would most definitely be for my Alice and Murffi.
Does anyone know why the kennel cough is up the nose? In Andorra, it's just another injection. I'd agree trying vet visits elsewhere, where he's already comfortable. Is there anywhere other than your house that might work, if you're worried about that?
Don't have any advice or anything helpful to say I'm afraid. I just want to say, wow, you have done such a great thing taking him on and doing all you have done. I have nothing but huge admiration for you folks who take on dogs who have had such a difficult start and present such tough and sometimes threatening challenges. Lots of good and helpful stuff from every one else. Very best wishes and I do hope you will come out the other end of this, 'fixed'
No other advice to add really, except to say I have spent a lot of time desensitising Harley at the vets. It's taken a few years, but with regular pop ins etc it is working.
Sorry to hear this. Do you think you need to do any work on "The vet is actually a good guy" by having him around right now to the house to reinforce all is well before you need him again in a non-vet role? Other than that, I have no experience, but am pretty sure Stacia also does the treatment in the car option like Heidrun. Hope the big lad is okay.
I'm sorry to Lisa as we all know how very hard you have worked to desensitise Simba. I have a friend that has a very reactive dog to everything. When he needs to go for his vaccinations he is kept in his car crate and the vet administers the jabs that way. I think the anxiety for some dogs being in a vet surgery is a powerful thing and not necessarily the person. Desentisation to a muzzle might worth a go as you had such good success with the collar. Try not to feel too down, easy to say I know, but look at all the successes you have had with Simba and all you have trained together. I hope you and Simba are OK. xx
I don't have any advice - just wanted to say I hope your both ok. It must have been a stressful experience for you both. Xx
Thanks all. I will have a think about the suggestions. Perhaps doing the kennel cough separately might be an idea. That is really no fun, I don't know why it has to be up the nose but that is the only way I've ever seen it done here. Wish he could get all his preventative stuff done with pills - now THAT would be easy! I don't think it's the place - at least up till now it hasn't been the place. He was fine up until the vet tried the kennel cough up the nose spray and it all went downhill from there. It was the actions of the thermometer up the bum which he didn't like and then the injections, which of course hurt a bit. We let him calm down for a minute before taking the muzzle off - he would have attacked the vet, otherwise, I am sure But after a minute he was fine and we took the muzzle off and he was fine with the vet and allowed him to pet him, etc. Blah. Well hopefully we don't have to go back for another year and in the meantime I will try to pop him in there a few times and give him treats, etc when we are there. And I'll think about the muzzle desensitization, too.
Sounds a very stressful visit for both you As the vet is a friend is possible to arrange to visit him with Simba in the surgery and just have a fuss and some treats to make some better associations with the place? I avoid Kennel County with any othere treatment as many dogs find ithe uncomfortable and I can't say I blame them. For those occasions when a temperature is needed you can do some desensitising by running your hands down Simba's back from head to tail. On the third run down the back take hold of the tail near it's base and gently lift a little to simulate the action of the vet lifting the tail, and treat
Hmm. Not sure. I suppose I could see if he could stop by this week after work just to make sure Simba is ok with him. Might not be a bad idea.
I'm not sure, I suppose I could ask the vet about it. Maybe HIS house, ha ha. Although he has a rambunctious and not that friendly beagle, so that might not be productive.
Cooper has not had a rectal temp at the vets since she was about 5 months old. The vet has pretty much She reacts to "tools" which unfortunately includes brushes and clippers. She keeps her nails pretty well worn down, but we are working to desensitize her to brushing. She is a very cuddly as long as you don't try to brush her. Any brush from a Zoom and Groom (rubber) to a Furminator puts her over the edge.
Ah Lisa,not nice and I bet it felt worse because you weren't expecting it..... Muzzle training might not be a bad idea alongside the other desensitisation suggestions?...then if it comes to it and you feel the situation warrants it,he's comfortable with it so having to wear it doesn't add to the stress of the situation.....He's come such a long way from that unsettled dog you inherited . The vets is bothersome to varying degrees for a lot of dogs...Dexter tolerates everything but he looks completely miserable,we all sit on the floor and he backs himself up right in between my legs and he was shaking last time
