Importance of Pre-Visit Medications for Dogs

The health and safety of your pets is the priority of our doctors and staff at Animal and Bird Hospital of Clearwater. Much like some children, coming into a veterinary office may produce severe fear and anxiety due to different and scary sights, smells and sounds. With pets, the more scared they are, the more likely they are to injure themselves or the staff or even the owner, making us unable to perform a proper physical exam. That is why we often recommend pre-visit medications for dogs and cats. These safe treatments help calm your pet, making the visit less stressful and ensuring we can provide the best possible care. Please understand, even if the medicine makes your pet loopy, it is not harming them. Instead, forcing them to feel the fear and anxiety associated with the visit does much more harm to them in the short and long term.

Pre-Visit Medications for Bulldogs and Pugs

This is even more important when it is related to the flatter-faced, brachycephalic breeds, such as but not limited to, French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, and Pugs. Because of their anatomy and physiology, the simple act of breathing can be difficult for them. If you add stress and anxiety, they can begin to hyperventilate, and their temperature begins to rise. They then become more anxious because they can’t breathe well, and a downward spiral begins. What was to be a routine annual exam has now turned into a life-threatening condition requiring hospitalization and potentially thousands of dollars to stabilize these pets. Conditions like stenotic nares can make breathing even harder for these breeds, so minimizing stress through pre-visit medications for dogs is especially important to protect their health.

Please understand that when the doctors are prescribing these medicines, it is only for the safety and well-being of your pet. By following instructions carefully and giving pre-visit medications for dogs as directed at every visit, you help us provide the best care, reduce anxiety, and avoid any unnecessary harm. Together, we can make your pet’s veterinary experience safer, calmer, and healthier.