Fear Free Veterinary Medicine
You may have heard the term “Fear Free” when it comes to veterinary care, but not known where it came from. Dr. Marty Becker developed this initiative in order to take the “pet” out of “petrified” and make animals feel welcome and safe at their general veterinary practitioners with special attention to removing anxiety triggers and putting in their place gentle and considerate control techniques.
Feeling safe not only helps a pet’s emotional wellbeing but can help veterinary staff better care for their physical wellbeing also, ensuring that Fear Free certification is a rewarding process for everyone involved.
Learn MoreFeeling safe not only helps a pet’s emotional wellbeing but can help veterinary staff better care for their physical wellbeing also, ensuring that Fear Free certification is a rewarding process for everyone involved.
Healing Paws Veterinary Clinic is proud to have the first pet hospital in the Springfield, Missouri area where our team is fully certified in Fear Free Veterinary Medicine. You can rest easy knowing that the individual you or your pet interacts with is a Fear Free Certified Professional, working hard to look after your pet’s emotional and physical wellbeing.
Fear Free Certified Veterinarians and Staff - Springfield, MOOne of our tricks (unless it’s medically inappropriate of course) is to give your pets a lot of tasty treats during their appointment so they begin to associate the vet with yummy and good things.
Our veterinarians and staff are trained to handle your pets with gentleness and calm, to keep stress and anxiety to a minimum. We have seen for ourselves the difference these techniques can make.
Fear Free Certified Veterinarians and Staff - Springfield, MOOne of our tricks (unless it’s medically inappropriate of course) is to give your pets a lot of tasty treats during their appointment so they begin to associate the vet with yummy and good things.
Our veterinarians and staff are trained to handle your pets with gentleness and calm, to keep stress and anxiety to a minimum. We have seen for ourselves the difference these techniques can make.
We also use pheromones, calming chemical signals to help your pets relax with us from a sensory level. Plug-in diffusers have been scattered throughout the pet hospital, along with ensuring that towels, blankets, and bandanas are all sprayed with these special pheromones.
We’ve even utilized relaxing instrumental music known for its calming effects on dogs and cats.
We’ve even utilized relaxing instrumental music known for its calming effects on dogs and cats.
Your pet’s Fear Free experience starts at home!
Here’s what you can do to help:
Help our veterinarians get to know your pet by filling out our Fear Free Questionnaire prior to your appointment. Along with helping us avoid any potential triggers for your pet, this can also help us prepare the kinds of treats and things your pets enjoy to make their visit as comfortable as possible.
We recommend that cat owners practice helping their cats get used to their cat carriers in advance, by training them with rewards and putting some of their favorite toys and blankets inside to help make it feel like home.
Their ride to the vet is equally as important: after you’ve ensured they feel settled and safely secured inside your vehicle, play some calming music on the way over.
Use calming pheromones at home and in the car.
Bring some of their favorite toys and treats with them to their visit.
If your pet is especially anxious around other animals, you can let us know and we can have them wait in the car until we have your exam room ready for you.
When possible, be an active part of their visit. While we do require veterinary technicians to hold them during their exams, you can still help them feel more comfortable and relaxed by talking to them or feeding them treats with us to help put them at ease. Having their pet parent with them can help them know that everything will be okay.
Some pets require extra measures to keep them calm. If your pet is still anxious after our best efforts to make their visit Fear Free, our veterinarians can help you discuss additional options including medication and sedation if necessary.
Our pet clinic is happy to answer any questions you may have about tailoring your pet’s experience to make it as Fear Free as possible. Every pet is unique and we want to make sure they have the best experience possible.
Our animal clinic couldn’t be happier to provide care and a Fear Free experience to the wonderful pets from Springfield, Battlefield, Nixa, Republic, and across the state of Missouri. We want you to feel that our pet clinic is a comforting home away from home, anytime you visit!
Request AppointmentOur pet clinic is happy to answer any questions you may have about tailoring your pet’s experience to make it as Fear Free as possible. Every pet is unique and we want to make sure they have the best experience possible.
Our animal clinic couldn’t be happier to provide care and a Fear Free experience to the wonderful pets from Springfield, Battlefield, Nixa, Republic, and across the state of Missouri. We want you to feel that our pet clinic is a comforting home away from home, anytime you visit!
