this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2025

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Showerthoughts

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Pets hate the vet clinic and groomer because they smell the combined terror/anger of a thousand other animals who've been poked and prodded in that room (self.showerthoughts)

submitted 4 days ago by 58008 to c/showerthoughts

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Dogs especially have an insane superpower of a nose, they surely smell the fear and even just regular body odour of all the previous animals who've come through there in the last week. I don't know if the cleaning protocol of even the most fastidiously-hygienic clinics could get rid of that 'doggy Holocaust train' smell. It puts me in mind of my own struggles with autistic sensory overload. It must be the equivalent of someone like me being walked through a door and out onto the stage at Wembley Stadium without anyone telling me what was about to happen. At least in my case, I'd see the crowd, whereas the dog only smells the ghosts of animals past and has to imagine what might have caused their pheromone bukakke.

The same goes for the vet/groomer themselves; they surely emit the screaming echos of slaughterhouse stank like a pealing church bell every second of the day. They are absorbing pure animal terror into their clothes and onto their skin like an adrenochrome-fiending Clinton.

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[–] cynar 2 points 2 days ago

Dog particularly pick up on our emotions. If you're always worried and stressed when you go to the vet, your dog will pick up on that.

My dog had a few checkups, not that long after we got him. None were stressful either to him, or us. Since then, he LOVES the vets. He has lots of new people paying attention to him and lots of new smells!

A fear of the vets is a learned response. If your vet is that frightening to them, I would consider looking at other vets.

A good excuse for a quick visit is to weigh them. Most vets I've seen have a dog scale in the reception. If you mention you also want to make sure they are not afraid of a vets visit, most will have zero issues with it. It also lets you check they are growing at an appropriate rate.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

Hell, even I can smell that there's been a million other dogs through there, I can't even imagine what it's like with a way more sensitive snout!

[–] bassomitron 45 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Unless you're my dog, who fucking loves going to the vet and groomer. He has zero survival instincts, though.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Depression resistance +1000

[–] bassomitron 8 points 4 days ago

Oh 100%. He's 13 years old and still acts like a big, dumb puppy. Yellow labs/labs in general tend to be like that, though. Just happy with life, haha.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 4 days ago (1 children)

We have a vet open up recently that uses calming pheromones throughout and plenty of distractions for pets to make them feel comfortable. A lot of effort was put into pet psychology in the design of the offices.

[–] Pronell 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

That may be a Fear Free clinic. If it isn't, that certification may be worth them looking into.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago

Bingo. It absolutely is.

[–] Kyle_The_G 23 points 4 days ago (2 children)

My cats don't mind the vet either. My one ragdoll they have trouble taking his heartbeat because he keeps purring and trying to be social

[–] idiomaddict 3 points 2 days ago

My cat’s cool until they try to take her temperature, which she hates. She always looks at me like I’ve betrayed her and I can’t blame her, it’s a pretty invasive thing that I can’t exactly explain to her. She just knows that I brought her somewhere and tried to calm her down before someone put something in her ass.

[–] CheeryLBottom 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I want your cat <3

[–] Kyle_The_G 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

All hail

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I hate the hospital for the same reason. Nothing like the mixed smells of chlorhexidine and death in a cancer ward.

But as a human, I can at least rationalize being there on an intellectual level

[–] Pronell 10 points 4 days ago (2 children)

My wife works at a certified Fear Free clinic. Customers are only allowed in the building when their animals are being put down. (A greeter goes out to retrieve animals from the cars and return them after the appointment.)

Animals are happy to be there, because it doesn't smell like fear any longer. There's no waiting room with other animals. Just the staff who are happy to see them.

It is a real game changer.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

My dogs absolutely love the waiting room and meeting the people in it.

Also, for those who can manage it, it's far better to have your dog put down in their own home.

[–] Pronell 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I'm glad you've had good experiences in waiting rooms! Mine were mixed and now I honestly never have to deal with any of it because she does.

And I completely agree on the latter. We have that done and it's so much ... better? To have that closure, with all the other pets able to be present and see/smell them and say goodbye.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I experienced this last year for the first time.

I don't think our other dog really understood. I think we would have had to wait longer for her to come sniff in order for her to have understood.

I was afraid that I wouldn't want to use the piece of furniture that we had always cuddled on and that we chose for her euthanasia, but after a week or two, it was fine. I don't even think of it now, when using that furniture.

It was definitely the right choice.

[–] Pronell 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

You get to grieve there with your family. The weird people leave with your old dog (sob), after everyone gets to give their respects, and then it's just you and your remaining family.

It's a funeral. And I'm so lucky to have this because we don't get charged for that extra service - the boss considers us family for that. The hospital went corporate and that touch won't last but I appreciate his efforts there for us.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago (3 children)

This puts a lot of trust in the vets and vet staff, I don’t think I’d be comfortable with it. I definitely see the benefits but it seems like owners should accompany the pet to the visit, at least for the exam portion. It’s too much of an opportunity for good communication between the vet and the owner, especially since the pet can’t speak for themselves.

[–] Pronell 3 points 3 days ago

Just replying again since my wife got home.

She said what actually happens is that when the pet is in the exam room, the customer is brought to the room. I just didn't know the whole process post-covid. You were right!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

Do you mean specifically in regards to euthanasia?

[–] Pronell 1 points 4 days ago

Typically the owner is in their car outside so they can still inquire and be brought inside as needed.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago

When my dog hears dogs barking on TV I always wonder what they're saying. The scene may involve the dog being aggressive or scared, but maybe they're actually yelling about the treats their trainer is bribing them with off camera

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Tell me you never owned a golden retriever without telling me you never owned a golden retriever.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

Or Newfoundland or a poodle or a lab or a spaniel or a....

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

So pets are scared of something because pets are scared of something?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

The olfactory equivalent of screams of pain echoing through the halls of a hospital.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

This is a good thought, but definitely not right. My dogs in the 80s and '90s were all terrified of the vet. Early aughts as well.

Since then, none of my pets have been afraid of the vet. The culture seems to have changed. All of my dogs have loved going to the vet since then. They go there and everybody loves on them. The cats are scared, because cats are always scared when you bring them somewhere weird like that, but the dogs mostly aren't. Even my rabbit would get over the car ride and like the attention.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

The first time my chihuahua ever seriously tried to bite anyone and got super aggressive with was the vet when I brought him in to deal with the fleas that OTC stuff wasn't getting rid of. Embarrassing as fuck cuz they asked if he bites and he had always been super friendly as long as you didn't try to touch me, so I said "no."