Fight or Flight!

So what is this thing called Fear Free Veterinary Practice?

The veterinary profession has finally realized that if we want to do more to help pets and owners we can't stress the heck out of them in the name of "help".  When a pet is fearful, anxious, or stressed it will begin down a cascade of emotions that end in Fight or Flight, which is to say that they either hide in the corner of an exam room or they become aggressive to protect themselves.  Fear Free practices attempt to head off the fear cascade by making the office, the staff, the exam room, and the veterinarian positive interactions, erasing the fearful memories of past vet visits.  

Grocery stores have been doing this for years by playing soft soothing music and baking bread or cookies or some other delicious item that brings up positive memories in the shopper.  At Victor Vet Care we use delicious aromas like bacon and shrimp that dogs and cats are crazy about to help reduce anxiety before the visit even begins.  Calming pheromones are diffused around the office and music designed to be soothing to the cat or dog ear is played during your visit.  Yummy treats are used to reinforce the positive experience of the exam.  Behind the scenes special attention is paid to many details such as the color scheme of the walls and enzyme neutralizers to clean the exam rooms between each visit.  We want you and your pet to be as relaxed as possible.  Quite frankly, it makes our job easier too!

Erasing years of frightening memories doesn't happen over night.  In some cases it will take several visits and the use of different strategies to replace bad memories with good ones.  Some very fearful pets may need calming medication to help relax them, these can be sent home ahead of the visit so they are more effective.  On rare occasions, an extremely fearful or aggressive pet may need sedation to be able to handle and examine them thoroughly.  In these cases reversible injectable medications can be used very safely.  Occasionally it may be best to stop a visit and have the pet return when it is calmer.  Each visit has the goal of reducing or stopping the waterfall of fear that pets have been feeling for years.

By treating you and your pet like Friends we can prevent the Fight or Flight instinct.

Winter Blues

With a foot of snow on the ground today who would have thought that we were playing frisbee yesterday!  It is this time of year that everyone looks forward to new beginnings and it is true for Victor Vet Care as well.  Construction has started on our new hospital!  The plumbing is going in and before long the walls will go up.  The time has finally arrived, before we know it the doors will be open and we will welcome all our friends to a very special veterinary hospital.

Cats first or First Cats?

Dogs in the White House seem to get all the attention but did you know there have been many First Cats roaming the halls of the presidents house? And why not...cats have many qualities that we all admire in great leaders:

• Strong independance
• Fierce loyalty when it is in their best interest
• Curiosity, truth seekers
• Intrepid hunters
• Indifferent, secret keepers
• Stately, diplomatic

Besides these admirable traits cats are also affectionate and playful.  They can reduce anxiety and blood pressure in humans just by petting them.  And of course how can you forget the hypnotizing sound of a happy cat purring!!!!  It just makes you forget all your troubles.

The first cat in the White House belonged to Abraham Lincoln.  After that, presidents Hayes, Roosevelt, Wilson, Coolidge, JFK, Ford, Carter, Clinton and Bush all had feline friends to tell their secrets to in the halls of the White House.  So the next time you hear all the fuss over a presidential dog, remember cats have also held the trust of many of the most powerful men in the world.

Baby, it's cold outside!

WOW, What a winter we are having in western NY.  Today's high will be a balmy 2 degrees.  That reminds me of a quote from a Christmas movie... "This weather's not fit for man nor beast"

Nobody needs to be reminded that it is cold outside, but there are some things we should all try to remember about pets when it is this bitter cold. 

• Even with fur coats animals feel the cold; toes and ear tips can gets frostbitten.
• Check between your dogs toes when they come in from the snow, snowballs get easily packed in those spaces and can cause continued discomfort even after they are inside.
• Consider shoveling a path in the snow for dogs who go outside, nobody wants to do their business with snow touching their delicate parts.
• Outdoor cats need a place to get out of the driving wind and a source of unfrozen water.
• After walks wipe down your dog's feet.  The slush and salt can damage feet, mouths, and cause upset stomachs.
• Some dogs (and even some cats) LOVE the winter weather, just know when to say when!  If the temperature is below 20 degrees watch them closely, and ALWAYS bring them in if they show you signs of discomfort no matter what temperature.

And always remember that there is nothing better than snuggling up with your cat or dog to make you feel cozy and warm inside.

Getting started

Having the dream and making it happen.

Victor Vet care is the answer to a lot of hard work and a dream of bringing stress free vet care to families and pets. Let me start this blog by saying I LOVE what I do and I LOVE bringing pets and owners closer together.  Family is everything and I have always thought that pets are an important part of a full and happy family.  Pets teach us everything we need to know, if only we would just listen; Responsibility, Compassion, Care, Scheduling, Teamwork, Unconditional Love. 

I am so blessed to have so many people supporting me at Victor Vet Care.  Fabulous family and incredible friends are what keep me going.  Thank you for joining this journey!