Dr. Jess Torok from Urban Vet here to talk to you about fear-free practice.
So fear-free practice is something that I have been certified in since 2017, since I opened the clinic here. We have gone through every aspect of this hospital to make certain that your patients are going to be super happy and comfortable while they visit us. We have pheromones in all of the exam rooms that are species-specific for cats and dogs to help alleviate stress. Some of our patients receive pre-visit pharmaceuticals, something to help them relax for the car ride or while they're here with us for our exam. We have toys and treats in the exam rooms to help them be distracted from what's happening, so they’re not in that room panting and pacing, thinking about what’s about to happen to them.
Dr. Jessica Torok DVM
Urban Veterinary Associates
We also know how to evaluate for the level of fear, anxiety, and stress that your pet is experiencing. We’ll probably talk about that with you in the exam room if they’re stressed out. Those are things that we certainly consider as part of our routine evaluation with our patients.
If you have questions about a fear-free practice, please let us know.
We are happy to explain to you how that happens for your animal when they come in. If they're nervous when they come in the door, we’re going to get them into an exam room right away so they're not sitting in the lobby with other animals that make them even more nervous. We look at how we can minimize our handling for some of these patients. What kinds of things can we do as owners, practitioners, and nurses to set those animals’ minds at ease?
Instead of it being a 20 or 30-minute visit, sometimes it’s 45 minutes or an hour so we can figure out what kind of treats they like and establish some trust. Those are the kinds of things that are important to us here at Urban Vet. We hope they’re important to you as well. We hope you will choose fear-free certified practitioners for your pet’s care as you go through their lifetime together.
It’s a very different vibe than what I started with back in 2008 when I graduated. It’s a testament to our profession, pet owners, and the bond we have with our animals that we can offer these kinds of services and opportunities for them.
If you have any other questions, please give us a call at (630) 541-8088. You can also email us at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we are able. Don't forget to follow us on social media: Facebook and Instagram