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his post is not a judgment of anything you may have done! I do not know the details or variables of your decisions, nor do I believe there is a single right answer to this complex question. I am only addressing it in the hopes that everyone will consider it:
In recent years it has become an accepted and even expected practice to drop one’s dog at the veterinarian’s office in the morning and return later that day or later that week to retrieve the dog after appropriate veterinary procedures have been completed. Similarly, when owners are present, dogs are routinely taken to a separate room in back for actual procedures and then brought back into the exam room.
In some cases, leaving a dog is unavoidable or the only realistic option. But in many cases, I think owners fail to seriously consider their animal’s perspective, or are simply carried along by inertia and simply do it that way because that is how their vet does it. In many cases, I believe these practices are contrary to the best interests of the animals. So I thought it might be worth enumerating some of the key considerations in deciding whether to leave an animal or stay with them. There are tangible advantages and disadvantages that warrant consideration:
Advantages to leaving your animal at the vet office:
- Convenience for the owner: it is certainly easier to spend a few minutes dropping your animal at the vet than it is to spend all day sitting on the floor with them…
- Convenience for the vet: with animals that are left, vets can get to them when it fits into their schedule, can have techs and students perform tasks they might otherwise do themselves, can spend less time calming worried owners.
- Fewer distractions for the vet: even for the most skilled and experienced vet, having an owner in the room is a distraction. The vet is thinking about perception, how to answer questions, etc.
- Vet not made nervous: vets are human, and having someone looking over their shoulder can make them perform less well than they would if they were alone.
- Some animals are better behaved when their owner is not present. Nobody likes to admit this, but oftentimes animals are much more tractable when their owner is not there to bolster their confidence.
- Many owners are stressed at the vet and communicate this stress to their dogs. Particularly when needles, scalpels, blood, pus, and other medical realities are present, many owners are not relaxed.
- Some procedures can be better and more efficiently performed in a manner that may not appeal to owners. Sometimes what is best for a dog may look bad, and well-intentioned but inexperienced owners may be upset by all sorts of best practices.
- Space is sometimes at a premium, and there just is not room for every owner to be present.
Disadvantages to leaving your dog at the vet office:
- Emotional support: a vet’s office is a strange and stressful place to most animals. Being “left” alone adds to this stress. Having a skilled owner present is the single biggest thing that can be done to provide consistency and continuity. This is hugely exacerbated if the animals is sedated, anesthetized, or otherwise altered–when an animal wakes from anesthesia, it is disoriented, frightened, and generally in pain. It has no idea what has just happened or why, and it does not understand the after effects of anesthesia. It has no way of knowing its owner will return given that this situation is so outside normal events. This is extremely stressful, and extreme stress is not only harmful to animals, it can be extremely deleterious to healing.
- More attention: In the post-op hours, the veterinary staff will check on each animal periodically. If there is an emergency with another animal, an individual may well go unchecked for a long time. With an owner present, the animal will get uninterrupted vigilance. There is simply no way any vet can provide this level of care. Even in the operating room, another set of eyes can help—on at least two occasions, my presence averted a serious mishap.
- Superior baseline knowledge of animal: The vet just does not know the individual as well as the owner does. We are more able to recognize aberrant behavior. We know which of our animals have had a paradoxical response to propofol, which has a heart murmur that is evident only when sedated, which are sound sensitive, which are reactive to other dogs, etc.
- Informed advocacy: Decisions may need to be made on the fly, and if the owner is not present, who will make them? In my view, it is a team effort—the vet is the medical expert, but the owner is the team captain who knows the animal’s history, personality, and future plans. Removing the team captain during a critical procedure weakens the team hugely.
- Animal handling skills: Owners are often more knowledgeable and skilled than most of the people working in a veterinary office. More experienced with animal behavior, more aware of spinal consequences of poor lifting techniques, etc.
- Veterinary knowledge: much though we want to assume our vets know everything, they do not. Particularly when we know our animal has a particular issue, we may have read every study and talked to every expert and be FAR more current than our vet. I cannot tell you how many times I have educated my various vets on latest research on a topic.
- Ethical obligation: many owners simply feel an obligation to be there—we made an absolute commitment to our animals that we would take care of them, and we cannot do that if we are not present.
Every case is different. The best answer depends upon many variables, in particular the abilities and attitude of the owner, the vet, and the techs; the temperament and experience of the individual animal; and the procedure being performed. If you are going to leave your pet, get him ready for it: leave him several times with a friend for a fun afternoon, leave him in a crate in a strange place for a few hours, arrange with your vet to leave him there on days when nothing happens except they give him a few cookies and pats throughout the day. Get him used to being there, apart from you, and to the strange smells, sights, and sounds….
Before you leave your animal anywhere, including the veterinary hospital, think carefully about the risks associated with doing so. Think about it from the animal’s perspective— what are his past experiences, how will he feel, what will be going through his mind? Do not simply follow protocol—do what is right for your animal. At the end of the day, you are his advocate, his owner, and you are the one who must make the best possible decisions!
I can see your points clearly. I agree, it would make it so much easier on the animal that is in question. I’ve asked my vet why they don’t do procedures right there in the exam room. Vets have told me that the animals seem to handle it better– they’re calmer and fight less. If the owners were there, they would cry more, fight more, move more which could hinder whatever procedure. It has bothered me for a long time. I wish that there were one way mirrors on the back walls of the vets offices– the owners can see whats going on through the mirror/window but the animal on the other side won’t be able to. I want to see what the truth is.
I appreciate this topic immensely. I recently left a vet that I was very fond of to go to a vet 45 minutes away because this new vet allows me to be with my dogs throughout their treatment. Even the doc who I used for 15 years, who I know respected my knowledge of my animals, had a staff that wasn’t comfortable with my skills as a “mere” owner, taking my dogs through the door without me for most complex treatments. My new vet is golden, she invited me to sit next to her while she removed several ugly, weepy wart-y growths from my 16-year-old retired SAR dog, knowing that I wouldn’t be grossed out or nervous. I was able to carefully watch my old boy for signs of stress that went above a threshold that was impossible for me to describe, or know ahead of time. I just knew when he had had enough, and no one else would have a clue. An occasional shower of blood and the smell of burning flesh wasn’t pleasant for me, but what was a little yuck compared to the love and confidence I could give this wonderful dog, who had given me a lifetime of adventure and devotion?
You hit a home run with this topic!
Thank you for this thoughtful presentation of both sides. I drive 30 minutes to my vet because they permit me to accompany my dogs into the back. It helps greatly that the staff know that my dogs are trained and (a) are calmer and more tractable in my presence (several have been rescues with trust issues) and (b) will respond to my cues to lie still on their side or back for X-rays or other procedures.
My dog is vomiting from the morning and he is become aggressive also. What is the problem?
Thanks for presenting both sides. As responsible pet owners, we surely know what’s best for our pets.
I started using my current vet about 20 years ago. I made an appointment to meet with him without my dogs and said I was willing to pay for an office call but wouldn’t have a dog with me. I just wanted to talk with him. He was agreeable and he answered all my questions and gave me a tour of the facility. He freely admitted that he had never seen my breed and knew nothing about them, but if I had any books or information he would like to read up on them. He didn’t have a problem with “breeders”, thought that neutering was up to owners and is the only vet I have ever met that, at that time, had his home phone number on his answering machine. (We now have to E clinics open 24/7 so he no longer takes night calls)
I know some people do drop off their dogs and it may work for them. I can’t imagine leaving mine. I’m with them every step of the way and hold them rather than letting a tech do it. He only gives the vaccinations that I want him to give, discusses at length treatments and has called me as late as 9:00 at night to ask how my dog is.
A few years ago he moved from the clinic a mile from my house to open his own clinic about 12 miles across town. I still go to him even though traffic can be crazy. He’s my idea of what a vet should be.
I agree that when leaving your pet at the vet you need to make sure it is convenient for the office personnel. I can see how making sure you ask about this before you leave your dog can not only help you understand how the veterinarian office works but also it will help the personnel help you better and let you know what they can do for you. I will make sure to ask about his next time I need to leave my dog with a health care provider. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for talking about the opportunities to leave your pet at the vet. I agree that doing this can sometimes help your pet behave while you are away and make it easy for the people at the clinic to examine and treat your dog.I will make sure to remember to ask about this next time I’m at the clinic. Thank you for sharing.
When the pet owners leave their pet at a veterinarian, they aren’t understanding of what happens to their beloved pets when they leave. Your blog post, help all the pet owners to aware about the advantages and disadvantages of veterinary, when they decided to leave their pets here. If you leave your pet in veterinary, then you are lack of understanding the real problem of your pet and failed to impact the relevant information, that can later on lead to anxiety. If your pet requires some surgical treatment, then you need to arrange it in advance and will be on time when the surgery time arrive particularly.
I like how you mentioned that it is important to learn how the pet would feel if you leave them at the vet since their perspective would be quite important too. I’ll be sure to take this into consideration if I would need to leave my pup with any vet. I’ll try familiarizing him with the ones nearby our new place. Thanks!
As a vet tech for 30 years I find your perspective humorous. The dogs are just fine when left, it’s the owners that suffer. Once you have walked out that door, they immediately turn to us for direction and comfort. Most of them are perfectly happy with their new surroundings. Those that aren’t, often have clingy, neurotic owners or unstable temperaments. Or perhaps owners like you who have giant egos and believe that they are the only ones that could possibly understand or handle their dog. My jaw hit the floor when you stated that owners are more knowledgeable and skilled in animal handling than the staff! Good lord, what kind of hospitals do you visit? Please steer clear of ours! SMH.
Coming from a pet owner who just lost my beautiful fur baby because the idiot vet tech didn’t know the basics on handling brachycephalic dogs. So he killed my baby because he was not educated enough to see my english bulldog was getting stressed when his nails were getting trimmed. Rather than stop when he saw signs of distress he kept going pushing my baby & then instead of giving oxygen put him in a kennel where he died! Not to mention it was the first time we had to leave him because of all this coronavirus stuff! It’s techs like you calling loving owners neurotic that get insecure if an owner may be more knowledgeable when it comes to their dog and dog bread. You really think you or any vet tech could possibly know more than the owner who loves their their animal very much, knows their likes/dislikes, small signs they may show when upset, and are with them every single day. How would they not know more about their baby than you, or any other vet tech, and the vet for that matter. I think it would only be smart to lean on the owner for guidance on certain things. Obviously, I am not saying the owner is going to perform surgery because we are there for a reason. But it only screams arrogance to not want the owners input on certain things!
@Kelley Moss
Vet assistants like you couldn’t become a real medical health profession cause you are incapable of having any brain whatsoever let alone understanding of why owners do not want to leave their fur babies at the hands of strangers! Fur babies cannot speak thus assistants like you can do whatever the heck and get away with it. You are clearly ignorant and have no idea how it feels to be a true pet owner. I recently had my Bella murder by some idiotic aides like you from Arrowview animal clinic and everyday I wish death on them and worse their kids. My pets aren’t pets they are family and heartless souls like you who belittle pet owners who just happen to be guilty of over loving and protective over their babies, I just want to wish the worst to happen to aides like you and that evil cunt who killed my Bella. Vets and especially Vet aides are pretty much the reject of medical field. And you sound dumb. Oh yah forgot that’s why you became a vet aide 🙂 I LOVE YOU BELLA.
That is not what she said, she said owners are more skilled in handling THEIR animal. which they are. I know the signs when something is wrong with my dogs better than a stranger, even one who happens to be a vet. I have also had plenty of vets say to me ‘You know him the best’ .
So your post is very insecure. They turn to you for comfort, sure, but sometimes they don’t and thats because the owners are clingy and neurotic? It could be because the vet tech is terrible at her job.
Thanks for explaining when it could be good to leave a pet at the vet for a while. It’s good to know that this is good if you are stressed and don’t want to stress out the dog or pet. This seems really important if you want to make sure they cooperate with the vet.
I like what you said about veterinarians being more able to recognize aberrant behavior. Finding a good pet clinic is vital in the event that your pet experiences health struggles. If I were to notice anything off with my cat, I would spare no time finding the best pet clinic in my city.
My issue is trust.
Can I trust them to be kind, or gentle, when I know my cat will hiss at them, or maybe even bite them if I am not in the room.
Or can I really trust the integrity of the care giver.
I took my cat for emergency care once, and she mowed worse after treatment than before.
When I left her to get her teeth cleaned she hid from me for two days afterwards.
If it were a child we would never leave them alone with a care giver.
Why are we expected to do this with our pets?
Hi there. When it is a wellness exam I book an appointment and am with him the whole time.I have only left my cat when he had surgery. The vet said to drop him off in the morning after not eating the night before. Is it ok for an owner to be there when he is sedated and being operated on? Are owners permitted to stay in the recovery area and wait for their pet to wake up? If he wakes up acting out of the norm it may frighten me and I might pass the anxiety onto him. Not sure what would be best.
I think it is important that every case is different. My cat hates the vet and my dog loves it. My dog has been sick, so I will need to find the best service in my area.
I liked that you mentioned if your dog is sick, it is best to leave him at the vet to fix the problem. My husband and I adopted a dog last month, and we are looking for information about how to take care of him. I will pass this information to him to see if it helps with our little pup.
I was not aware that some pets could behave better without their owners present. My husband and I adopted a dog recently, and we are looking for advice about how to take care of him. I will let him know about the benefits of leaving our dog at the vet’s office to make sure to keep him healthy.
Thank you for pointing out that when leaving your pet at the vet it can be more convenient for the owner and the vet so they can make it work with their busy schedule. My husband and I have to ave our dog to get his shots. I think we should find a vet where we can leave our animals for the easiest visit.
I like that you shared a pet boarding offered by veterinarian services will offer convenience for owners as well as the vet. It makes sense to hire a veterinarian that offers pet boarding because the vet will be well-versed with our pet’s condition and health. My family and I just moved to a new town and because we often travel, we are looking for a pet boarding service. I will make inquiries and ask if any local veterinarian offer such a service.
It’s interesting how you said that some pets behave better when their owners don’t stay in the vet office. My brother got a puppy a few days ago and he says that he does not know what dog’s diet to give him. I will recommend him to take it to a vet so that he can get professional tips.
I like what you said about leaving your pet with the vet so that they can be examined properly. My sister wants to make sure that her dog is cared for properly in the coming weeks.
Its been really a unique piece of content. Thanks! for sharing both the aspects so nicely.
Hi! Roland, I would just like to thank you for elaborating on both the aspects very clearly and deeply. Keep posting…
This is an old post but I just wanted to thank you. I had no idea that it might be even [i]possible[/i] to go into the back. Like, even if they don’t want you there for the surgery (or if that would wig you out), why can’t you be there in recovery when your pet is waking up disoriented? I will ask my vet about if this is an option and, if it isn’t, perhaps I will look around for a vet that would allow it.
I agree that it is easier to leave your pet at the vet than waiting with them all day on the floor. I love my dog but I have other things to do. I’ll see what I can do about finding a vet near me that I can trust.
I agree that it is easier to drop my animal off at the vet. I love my pet but I could get other errands done while he is getting taken care of. I’ll be sure to find a vet that he get salong with first so that he won’t be scared to be left alone.
It made sense to me when you said leaving a dog is sometimes inevitable or the only viable alternative. However, I believe that in many situations, owners forget to consider their animal’s point of view, or are just dragged along by inertia and do things the way their veterinarian does them. My father had earlier informed me that a tumor had been detected on the lower abdomen of our dog. Perhaps it’s time for our pet to get an ultrasound from a reputable veterinarian. Thanks.