Dog boosters

[BuddyBuddyBumBum]

My lovely rescue boy is terrified at the vet. He’s had a few bad experiences over the last few years which have needed injections/sedation and he’s now become fear reactive. We’ve tried twice this year to get him his annual booster injection but he’s got so aggressive we’ve had to abandon ship.

At home he’ll let my husband do anything - scrape his teeth, clean his ears, clip his nails. Is taking the vaccination home for my husband to administer an option? It’s the only way I can think of getting it done while keeping the dog calm. Just being in the waiting room freaks him out ☹️

It might be if he's been seen recently, they can give you a how to demonstration. However generally these days most vets will offer anti anxiety meds/mild sedatives to give at home prior to appointment. Chemical restraint is preferable over physical restraint these days.
Also vaccines need to remain refrigerated but could maybe be transported in a cool bag.
Other option would be a mobile vet If there's one in your area. Brilliant for nervous animals, I use one for my cat who hates travelling.

Agree with PP! My vets do call-outs for nervous/reactive dogs!

I think most good vets do now tbh - better a dog is calm in their own environment than terrified and potentially dangerous out of it.

Thank you both for your replies 😃 we did consider asking the vet about coming to the house but he’s a GSD mix so VERY territorial about people coming into his house. I think that would probably make things even worse!

Sedatives have been suggested so I think that’s the next step. And maybe asking the vet to come outside to deliver the shot rather than take the dog into the exam room? the rooms are small and windowless, my poor boy starts crying as soon as the door closes. He just hates the place and now they all think he’s aggressive and he’s really not ☹️

The vet needs to be able to see your dog in person in order to vaccinate them - it's the law.

They need to get your dogs' weight right and make sure he's otherwise fit and healthy.

They maybe able to try a carpark consult to see if anymore relaxed, give them a call about it as they may also prescribe something to calm you can give prior to the appointment. If a vet comes to your home is he less protective around strangers/visitors while outside of the house? I'm sure vacs are one dose regardless of size but pet stores often have weighing scales.
They often recommend making pointless trips to the vets where nothing happens to build confidence, so could use scales, treats/fuss from nurses etc. You'd probably need to make much smaller steps though when highly fearful and maybe better to see how he is visiting a different practice to get an idea of what things are triggering the anxiety to work on.

I would also look into muzzle training (if you've not already) so can get him relaxed wearing one as there will be less anxiety all round when know biting isn't a possible outcome and vet staff need to be safe. It's a very handy skill for all dogs to learn so not to cause further distress in an emergency as dogs in pain/fear can lash out.

My dog developed a fear of the vets after an anesthetic for a dental at the vets, she had dysphoria (crying, unsettled, not sleeping fully) all night and later discovered it was the sedative buprecare when used alone. She was nervous but mostly ok being handled, much better when our tall vet crouches down/sits on floor. I'd muzzle her if anything maybe particularly painful. The nurses told me that dogs are often much better once their owners aren't present.

When we went to a new specialist vets, a nurse came to collect her from the car (during pandemic) she immediately recognised what this place was and had to forced out of the crate in the boot, apparently she was fine and settled with them during the day. My usual vet has also come to the house and she recognises them, even when she could barely get off her bed she tried to make a run for it.