Anti-Anxiety Medications Can Reduce Fear in Pets Prior to Veterinary Visits

Low Stress Veterinary Visits: the Benefits of Anti-Anxiety Medications

            Patton Veterinary Hospital is working towards Fear Free Certification which means that we are striving to make changes so a visit to the vet is much less stressful for you and your pet.  Gentle handling techniques, offering tasty treats to distract your pet during procedures such as vaccination, and keeping your pet in the exam room with you whenever possible are some of the changes we have instituted.

            But what if your pet is extremely fearful of the vet?  We may suggest drugs and supplements to make your pet less anxious.  Just as some people need anti-anxiety medications to stay calm during a flight or a trip to the dentist, many pets can benefit from some pharmaceutical intervention before their appointment.  This is not only for pets who may display aggression at the veterinary office, but for any pet who is extremely nervous or anxious about the ride to the vet or any part of the visit itself.  Please, don’t be offended if we suggest medication for your pet.  Your pet is not “bad,” he or she is just stressed and we want to reduce that stress.

            Our “Kitty Calm Kits” and “Doggie Glad Packs” are designed to reduce the fear and anxiety associated with the trip to the veterinary office as well as the examination itself and procedures such as drawing blood or trimming nails which can be terrifying for some patients.  The hope is that pets will be calmer with each subsequent visit since the medications can reduce anxiety and may even cause an amnesia-like effect in some patients. 

            The medications are quite safe causing very few side effects in most patients other than sedation.  Of course, there are some patients who are extremely sleepy or others who are hardly touched by the drugs, so, we sometimes need to adjust dosages or even the types of medications used to find out what works best for your pet.

            The standard “Calm Kit” for cats contains a supplement called Zylkene which contains a milk protein (alpha-casozepine) thought to have a calming effect on cats and dogs.  The other component is gabapentin, a pain reliever that can also reduce fear and anxiety in our feline patients.  The “Glad Packs” for dogs also contain Zylkene and a different anti-anxiety medication called trazodone.  Other drugs are sometimes added or substituted depending on your pet’s response. Medications are ideally administered the night before a visit and again two to three hours prior to the visit to allow for peak effect. 

            We know that some of our clients may be hesitant to medicate their pets, but, we have seen some amazing results using drugs and supplements in reducing fear, anxiety and stress.  A less-stressed pet is a happy, healthy pet and our staff and pet owners all want happy pets!

            If you have questions about the Fear-Free Veterinary Movement, the medications used for anxiety or feel that your pet may benefit from a “Calm Kit” or “Glad Pack” prior to his or her next visit, please speak to one of our staff members. 

            This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.