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This blog post was published in March 2016; it has been updated with new information given the COVID-19 restrictions any of us are experiencing.

We have four dogs and two of them are terrified of the veterinarian; the other two are attention hogs and love any opportunity to get love from humans. This was never an issue because I went into the vet's office with my dogs. They stayed by my side, we see the vet, treats are given, I pay the bill, and we head home. But now, I park my car, call the vet's office, they come out and take my dogs inside without me, and it's not pretty. Not at all.

Prior to COVID-19, I believed that the best way to help a dog get over their fear of the veterinarian is to make trips to the vet that aren't scary. Years ago, a veterinarian suggested that bring my dogs by for a treat and to say hi, so I began a habit of taking my dogs to the bet to be weighed. This ended because life got too busy and I dropped this helpful habit. Now, it just seems disrespectful to interrupt my vet's busy day to help teach my dogs that she's not scary.

In this post, I'm sharing what I'm doing to help my dogs with their anxiety when we go to the vet's office. Please keep in mind that these are the things that work for me when going to a scheduled veterinarian appointment.

1 – Go for a Long Walk

Before a veterinarian appointment, I take my dogs for a long walk. Either near our home or near the vet's office, whichever is best based on how much time we have. If the reason we're going to the vet prevents a long walk (i.e. an injury), then we go for a drive with a couple of stops to smell near the car. Yes, this seems like a lot of work, but it works with my dogs. Going for a walk (or drive) is a great distraction for the dogs, knocks the edge off their anxiety, and makes them a little more cooperative when we reach the vet's office.

2 – Use a Supplement for Anxiety

There are prescription medications and natural supplements that alleviate anxiety. I always reach for CBD oil (list below) or a favorite supplement to calm my dogs.

I was introduced to WINPRO Pet several years ago and after seeing how well it worked for Sydney (improved her mobility within 48 hours), I began using all of their supplements for my dogs. WINPRO Focus is a chewable supplement that my dogs think is a treat (shhhh, don't tell them). I give them a treat about an hour before a veterinarian appointment and 15 minutes before we go inside for good measure.

WINPRO Focus doesn't work as a tranquilizer, they just take the edge off for my dogs so that they are calm enough to walk into the vet's office with the friendly vet techs (and not me).

3 – Essential Oils for Calm

I love essential oils and have more than enough, but I only use a few on my dogs. AnimalEO is a line of essential oils formulated by Dr. Melissa Shelton. My favorites for calming are:

• Calm-A-Mile
• Sunshine in a Bottle
• Boost in a Bottle
• Warmth
• Strength

I apply 6-8 drops on my dogs' back, starting at the tail and moving to the neck) and then massage the oils into their coat, which also serves as a relaxing body massage that the dogs love and helps me check for lumps, bumps, and other things their vet needs to check out.

On the way to the vet's office, I diffuse lavender or another calming oil in the car.

4 – Send Favorite Treats Inside

And sending my dogs' favorite treats inside is always a win for my pack. But what's even more fun is having the Milk-Bone dog treats offered by the vet staff. Treats are treats, and because none of my dogs have dietary issues, I don't mind if the vet techs and their veterinarian give them a treat that I don't buy for my dogs. It's a couple of treats – no big deal. And they're being given to instill calmness in my dogs and improve their relationship with their veterinarian. So, if a couple of Milk-Bone dog treats visit go more smoothly, I'm happy to turn a blind eye. And, to be fully transparent, I may have dipped in the dog cookie jar at the vet's office a few times. The dogs love them!

My dogs love protein treats, and I often send them to the clinic with a jerky treat because they're not messy, they're a healthy alternative, and if they eat the whole bag during an appointment, no biggie – I'll decrease the amount they eat at dinnertime.

There are so many amazing jerky treats available, just check your local, independent pet store. I always keep Small Batch Pet jerky treats on hand:

• Pork
• Beef
• Turkey
• Chicken

What About CBD Oil?

I used to worry about giving my dogs CBD oil before a wellness appointment because I worried that the CBD oil would impact their bloodwork. But my veterinarian assures me that this isn't an issue.

There are three brands that I trust and consistently work for my dogs:

• CBD Oil from CBD Dog Health – CALM is an option for anxiety; HEAL and EASE work too; I use EASE with my dogs because it's also great for arthritis and inflammation (canine lymphoma)
• CBD Oil from King Kanine – Kanine Kalm
• CBD Oil from CannaPet – I like their capsules because I can add them to a meal the night before an appointment and the morning of if one of my dogs needs additional support.

If you're concerned about using CBD oil prior to a veterinarian appointment, call your vet to confirm whether this option is okay.

What About Dogs with Severe Anxiety?

I'm not sure how our system would work for a dog with severe anxiety.  Although our dogs have fears, their anxiety doesn't morph into destructive or dangerous behavior – they shake and want to crawl into my lap.  I'm mostly trying to alleviate their fears to help them make it through an appointment.  My concern is that if I force them to consistently face fear, their mild anxiety will blossom into a serious problem.  So I use these products so that we can make it through a vet appointment without the shaking, expression of anal glands (Zoey), or piddling on the floor (also Zoey). Thankfully, Zoey hasn't had these issues in years. So I must be doing something right.

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