Paws and Peace - Fear Free Veterinary Care at Kōwhai Vet

When it comes to the well-being of our cherished furry friends, we often focus on their physical health, ensuring they receive the best preventative healthcare, vaccinations, or treatment when they are sick or injured. But how often do we consider the emotional wellbeing of our pets during those veterinary visits? At Kōwhai Vet, we understand the emotional impact of a visit to the vet and have made it our mission to provide fear-free patient care, ensuring the utmost comfort and relaxation for both pets and their owners.

Understanding FAS: Fear, Anxiety, and Stress

A trip to the vet can be a daunting experience for animals and their owners alike, often leading to high levels of fear, anxiety, and stress, collectively referred to as 'FAS.' When animals are fearful, they face limited responses to a scary situation – fight, flight, freeze, or fidget. Recognising and addressing these emotional responses is at the core of our approach to care.

Creating a Stress-Free Environment

At Kōwhai Vet, our primary goal is to keep FAS levels as low as possible during every visit to our clinic, ensuring a calm and soothing atmosphere for both pets and owners. Here are some of the ways we try to achieve this:

Education: We provide pet owners with valuable guidance on preparing their pets for a trip to the vet, helping to kickstart the visit on a positive note.

Calming Scents and Pet Pheromones: Our clinic is infused with calming scents and pet pheromones, creating a serene atmosphere to ease pets' anxiety upon arrival.

Long Appointments: We allocate ample time for appointments, giving your pet the opportunity to adjust to the new environment gradually. Throughout the visit, we closely monitor signs of FAS and take measures to reduce stress whenever possible.

Pre-Visit Calming Medications: For highly anxious pets, we offer pre-visit calming medications to reduce anxiety levels and ensure a more comfortable visit.

Positive Reinforcement: We offer a variety of treat options to create a positive experience during the visit, helping to alleviate your pet's anxiety and build trust.

Gentle Handling: Our clinic employs minimal restraint techniques to handle pets during procedures, ensuring their comfort and security throughout.

Pain Relief and Calming Medications: In cases where a procedure might cause discomfort or a patient is displaying high levels of FAS, we consider the use of additional pain relief or calming medications to maintain your pet's relaxation.

Dedication to Fear-Free Care

At Kōwhai Vet, many of our staff members have already achieved, or are actively working towards their Fear-Free Certification. This demonstrates our unwavering commitment to providing the highest standard of care for your pets.

Our dedication to fear-free patient care is not just a commitment; it's our promise. We aim to make every visit to our clinic as low-stress and relaxing as possible, ensuring both you and your beloved pets have a positive experience. Contact us today to experience the difference that compassionate, fear-free care can make in your pet's life. Your pets will thank you, and we will, too.