Does anyone else have a normally well behaved dog that acts crazy at the vet's?

[puffkin]

My family had a beagle. Sweetest, most mild mannered dog ever. Loved every person you could ever meet. My dad couldn't hunt him because he would run up to other hunters in the woods to be social. Loved kids, etc....you get the picture.

I usually took him to the vet when I came home from college on spring break since his appointment always fell then. He was horrible for 2 years in a row...he turned into a monster at the office. Growling, snapping, hissing (yes, dogs can his). His hair stood on end. The first time I got him calmed enough so they could examine him, the next year they couldn't even get near him. My mom took him the next week and same results. That dog loved my dad more than anything in the world so my dad figured it was just us (mom and me that couldn't handle him). Well, he did the same thing for my dad. Just went completely bezerk.

After that, whenever he went to the vet, they prescribed a tranquilizer for him. It basically made him all sleepy and calm for about 12 hours. They hated doing it, but it was the only way to safely get him there and examined. It wore off after a good nights sleep. They are used to that type of behaviour, but when it becomes a hazard to the owners and the vet staff, they will prescribe the tranqs. My best friend is a vet and she couldn't believe when I told her about it....she never would have thought he would be "that" dog.

My beagle loves the vet. We go a lot (chronic ear problems) and he sheds up a storm while there, but he likes the attention. He only hates being weighed, but other than that he is fine. My older cat loves it too. She also loves the attention. The vets and techs all come in to visit her because she is so sweet and friendly to them. They will carry her around and show her to everyone there (it is a big place). She just loves it. My second cat isn't a big fan and trys to escape at every possible second. Weighing her is a challenge, because she bolts. THey ahve to be really careful with her to keep her confined when coming in and out of rooms.

 

[DISdreamin']

I have another cry-baby dog at the vets. She is the sweetest, most mild-mannered pup at home. Very loving, but a tad vocal. At the vets, she shakes and whines incessantly! It's pathetic. And this is in the waiting room!!!

Our other dog, our big-dumb-dog as we call him, is a nut at home. Big, goofy and wild. At the vets, he's a total moosh. Lies on the floor with his head down, totally calm.

It's like they are their own alter-egos at the vets!

So you're not the only one, and I know most pet owners don't assume that how pups behave at the vets has anything to do with how they are in real life! Oh, and the next time you go to the vets, you need to have someone with a video camera! You'll be a hit on Funniest Home Videos!

 

[irisbud]

My six-year-old 30 pound dog Petey is a wonderful, well behaved dog anywhere we go, except the vets. He climbs people like they are trees there and hangs on shaking, scratching, and clawing while making a moaning sound that breaks my heart. He was so bad one time when I took him alone that the vet (who knows DH well from doing farm calls for the horses) told me not to bring Petey back without DH to help.

Now we usually just have the vet give him his shots when they come to do springtime stuff on the horses..

 

[tinker1bell]

I can feel your embarrassment. But I did have to laugh because if my French Bulldog could have howled, he would have too. He had to be dragged into the examination room and when placed on the table, it shook horribly.

Our one cat Cobain had to be given valium before I could take him to the vet. He had a red sticker on his chart. BAD KITTY One time he did bite me while at the vet's office and after that, the vet would come in with big oven mitt type gloves!!!

At home, he was the best, such a love bunny. It nearly killed me when we had to put him down last year at age 15 cause he was in such pain with arthritis and just this Sunday his buddy Miles died in my arms at age 16. I keep saying I would do anything for those problem days again. Watching him try to walk around with the collar after surgery and stumbling all over the place. Such good memories. Yesterday was the worst coming home from the vet and Miles was not there to greet me.

It is amazing how our fur babies get under our skin and never leave. We love them unconditionally.

 

[aubriee]

At home, he was the best, such a love bunny. It nearly killed me when we had to put him down last year at age 15 cause he was in such pain with arthritis and just this Sunday his buddy Miles died in my arms at age 16. I keep saying I would do anything for those problem days again. Watching him try to walk around with the collar after surgery and stumbling all over the place. Such good memories. Yesterday was the worst coming home from the vet and Miles was not there to greet me.

It is amazing how our fur babies get under our skin and never leave. We love them unconditionally.

So sorry to hear about your loss. Yes, they do get under our skin don't they? I love the big lummox, but still I could have killed him when he wouldn't quit howling, tried to jump into the vet's arms, knocked him against the wall, then jumped up on him wrapping his arms tight around his neck, howling like he was being killed with that panicked look of 'Hey partner, help me, they're killing me' on his face. Then to have him bury his face in the vet's groin and try to just barrel through him, with all four feet spinning trying to get out the door. It was hilarious, mainly because he is so well behaved normally. Then when the vet slipped out and got a bag of treats, the big lummox immediately settled down and gobbled treats as fast as the vet could hand them to him, never even noticing when the tech cut his nails and gave him his shots. My little shih tzu, who is normally not the brightest kid on the block, would have sat there like a little lady with her nose stuck up in the air and her paw held out, not making a sound and wagging her tail. But no, my 80lb akita decides he has to jump howling straight into the vet's arms blubbering like a baby.