My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

What happened at the Vets?

19 replies

BadHairDyeDay · 09/03/2019 18:59

So I took my hyperactive cocker spaniel for her first manicure at the vets. Well. One nail in it was obvious this was just not her thing. She was very distressed, squirming, bouncing and even growling Sad. The vet nurse says "why don't I take her into one of the other rooms with another nurse. She might settle better without you there. You take a seat in the waiting room and we'll be back soon". I looked at her in disbelief but handed over the lead anyway and did as I was told. Sure enough 10 minutes later, out trots my little pup happy as Larry wirh lovely manicured nails. Now I'm wondering WHAT DID THEY DO???? HOW DID THEY DO THAT??? It wasn't just because I wasn't there surely? Can anyone shed any light? I'm just genuinely curious (sorry this is a bit long winded btw).

OP posts:
Report
BiteyShark · 09/03/2019 19:03

My dog hates me touching his feet.
However, at the vets he freezes and lets them do far more to him than he would for me.

I suspect one nurse held him in the right way and the other cut his nails. Perhaps you just wasn't holding him quiet enough for them to do it quickly.

Report
BadHairDyeDay · 09/03/2019 19:07

No way, she was going ballistic and getting quite aggressive. I was holding her as best as I could without getting bitten and she's usually a really sweet natured dog. They must have knocked her out or something but I can't understand how she round again so quickly.

OP posts:
Report
SavoyCabbage · 09/03/2019 19:09

They wouldn’t have done it if they thought she was getting aggressive. They would have to,d you they couldn’t do it.

Report
TheFaerieQueene · 09/03/2019 19:11

They gave her an iPad to play with to distract her 🤣

Report
VictoriaBun · 09/03/2019 19:14

They muzzled her.

Report
NuffSaidSam · 09/03/2019 19:15

They held her by the cheeks, looked into her eyes and said 'Listen here BadHairDog, you bloody well sit still and let me do your nails!' in their best supernanny voice.

And then gave her a sticker.

Report
slipperywhensparticus · 09/03/2019 19:15

Yup Victoria has it muzzle and a firm nurse

Report
ASqueakingInTheShrubbery · 09/03/2019 19:16

Did you see the Trade Secrets thread the other day? I don't remember whether it was a vet or a vet nurse, but one or the other, said that if animals are being tricky they sometimes take them out the back because they can behave very differently if they're not with their owners. I suppose it's the same principle as my child being absolutely good as gold at Grandma's but a little horror with me.

Report
adaline · 09/03/2019 19:19

I suspect she was muzzled.

Report
BiteyShark · 09/03/2019 19:19

They wouldn't have knocked her out.

My dog can get really angsty when DH and I try to administer medications etc like eye drops. But if I hold him and vet does it then it takes a few seconds and he's perfectly happy after. It really is the administration that makes the difference.

If they can squirm it makes them worse. If they are held firm and the administration or in your case nail cutting is done in seconds then it's totally different. I say this because I have been at the vets many many times and they know what they are doing.

Report
Easterbunnyiscomingsoon · 09/03/2019 19:22

Crocodile Dundee.......

Report
BollocksToBrexit · 09/03/2019 19:22

My dog gets a sedative injection which sends the dozy moo to sleep and then another to wake her up when they're done.

Report
Elephantina · 09/03/2019 19:27

Frightened dogs are much more outwardly aggressive when they have the reassurance of their owner there to back them up (far from being soothed and calm) - so I was told by a clinical vet behaviourist, that I saw for my super aggressive terrier.

When they take you out of the picture, the dog will still be nervous but will pipe down a bit and be more inclined to acquiesce.

We have an arrangement with our vet - I have my dog pre-muzzled, he meets us in the car park not the waiting room, we have our consultation without him touching her, then I leave and he conducts whatever physical exam is required with a nurse while I'm outside.

He reckons she's good as gold without me. So don't worry, they probably popped a muzzle on and whizzed round her nails super quick, job done. Best way!

Report
Nixee2231 · 09/03/2019 19:28

Hiya, I see this all the time in my work and also with my own dog. Dogs feed off your energy and look to you to decide how to feel.

When your dog feels pain or discomfort, you as a loving owner emphatise and probably, whether you are aware of it or not, show him with your body language and your voice that you are worried. If the dog sees that you are worried it will feel that it has to be worried too. Which will make you feel even more tense! And on and on it escalates in a viscious cycle.

When I give all sorts of animals injections or have to do other various unpleasant things to them for their own good, I don't hesitate at all and am very calm so it goes really well and is over before they even know it's happening.

When I have to inject my dog with his allergy medicine which I've been doing for years, it feels as if im about to chop his leg off when I'm putting the needle in! Even though I've done it so many times before!

It's just a lot easier for professionals to keep the emotional distance from your dog, which is very hard for most owners. And your dog, like most animals, will reflect their calmness.

Report
HexagonalBattenburg · 09/03/2019 19:33

Mine doesn't like me fiddling with her paws gently - but turn her upside down with all four legs in the air and massage her paws fairly firmly and she loves that. Just the difference in how I perform the same task makes all the change.

Report
Chelonia · 09/03/2019 19:37

Vet nurse here. Dogs who are quite difficult in front of their owners are very often (say 75% of the time?) much more subdued when just not in the same room as the owner and just held firmly by a professional. Having said that, the ideal scenario for a dog who is nervous of nail clipping would be that they were brought into the clinic every couple of days and slowly desensitised to the presence of the clippers, someone handling their feet, the squeezing sensation on the nail (which is not exactly painful but it IS uncomfortable due to the shape of the nail and puts great pressure on the quick) and generally getting shovelled lots of nice treats while you do it. Sadly not a lot of owners have the time or inclination to do this so we continue to have to do things by force to our pets for a quick fix. Obviously when removed from the owner many pets are just more intimidated and choose to put up less of a fight. Owners can do the above desensitisation at home but the situation of being in a vet clinic is another variable that needs to be desensitised to.

Report
Veterinari · 09/03/2019 19:40

What Chelonia said

Report
BadHairDyeDay · 09/03/2019 19:54

Great answers everyone - some made me chuckle Grin. I think it must just be me Confused. I was beginning to wonder if they'd put her in a great big clamp or something -and was wondering if I could borrow it please for when I'm trying to eat my dinner in peace----

OP posts:
Report
Lonecatwithkitten · 09/03/2019 20:47

She was muzzled the head nurse put in her scary voice and told her 'to stop messing about' held in the firm canine cuddle and the job was done. Our head nurse never raises her voice, but can be quite frankly terrifying when she puts on her firm voice.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.