If your pet is scared of the vet, the signs usually start before you reach the door. Shaking in the car, pulling back on the leash, a cat who disappears the moment the carrier comes out. And when your pet is nervous, you feel it too.
In the first episode of Meet Your Team, Keshon Smith, a veterinary assistant at our sister hospital, Columbia Pike, talks about what he tells pet parents in that moment. At Town and Country, that same worry is the reason every booking is a Fear Free Appointment.
Book a Fear Free AppointmentCall or text (703) 273-2110
Why are so many pets scared of the vet?
A veterinary hospital is full of things your pet never meets at home: new smells, other animals, unfamiliar sounds and being handled by people they do not know yet. For a pet who cannot understand why they are there, that is a lot to take in at once.
Pet parents feel it too, and Keshon knows that from his own life. “I have my own dog at home,” he says, “and if he has a little cut on his arm, I’m nervous.”
What does Keshon tell pet parents who are worried?
He starts with empathy. He tells pet parents he understands what they are going through, and then he reminds them who is in the building: “a huge team of people who love animals and want to help animals.”
His words are simple. “You’re in good hands. Your child is in good hands.”
Keshon Smith, veterinary assistant at our sister hospital, Columbia Pike Animal Hospital.
What happens during a Fear Free Appointment?
Town and Country is a Fear Free Certified Practice, and every doctor, technician and support staff member holds individual Fear Free certification.
Keshon lists vaccines, nail trims and blood draws as everyday parts of his job. At Town and Country, blood draws, vaccinations, nail trims and minor procedures are done in the exam room whenever possible, with you present.
The rooms are set up for calm, with pheromone diffusers, calming music, non-slip mats, cat trees and treats for positive association, and handling stays gentle and low stress throughout. Before you arrive, we may send a Pre-Visit Questionnaire so we can learn your pet’s personality and stress triggers and plan the Fear Free Appointment around them.
A treat for positive association, before the Fear Free Appointment even starts.
How can you help your pet before a Fear Free Appointment?
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Three things that help Tell us what worries your pet. The Pre-Visit Questionnaire is the place for it, and so is a quick call when you book. Make the car ordinary. Short practice rides that end somewhere fun teach your pet the car does not always mean the vet. Bring a piece of home. A favorite blanket or toy that smells familiar can help a nervous pet settle in the exam room. |
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After hours When Town and Country is closed, our sister hospital, Columbia Pike Animal Hospital and Emergency Center in Annandale, is open 24/7 with no additional emergency fee. Every Town and Country wellness plan includes emergency exam visits at Columbia Pike. |
Still have questions about nervous pets?
Can I stay with my pet during the Fear Free Appointment?
Whenever possible, yes. Blood draws, vaccinations, nail trims and minor procedures are done in the exam room with you present.
Is everyone at Town and Country Fear Free certified?
Yes. Every doctor, technician and support staff member holds individual Fear Free certification.
What if my pet has had a hard time at the vet before?
Tell us. The Pre-Visit Questionnaire helps us understand your pet’s stress triggers, so the Fear Free Appointment can be planned around them and handling can go at your pet’s pace.
How do wellness plans and pet insurance fit in?
Our wellness plans cover routine care and include emergency exam visits at Columbia Pike. Trupanion pet insurance helps with treatment when something unexpected happens.
Ready to book a Fear Free Appointment?
Book a Fear Free Appointment at townandcountryanimalh.com/schedule-appointment, or call or text us at (703) 273-2110. We are at 9836 Fairfax Blvd in Fairfax, and you can learn more about Fear Free care before you come in.