Less Stress, Better Care: The Case for Staying With Your Dog at the Vet

Veterinary visits can be one of the most stressful experiences in a dog’s life, and for many dogs, being separated from their owner is the hardest part.

Research shows that the majority of dogs display fear at the vet, with studies reporting that up to 78% show signs of fear on the exam table and many are reluctant to even enter the clinic (Döring et al., 2009; Edwards et al., 2019).

But here’s the important part:

Dogs are often more relaxed when their owner is present. They frequently look to their person for reassurance during exams, and that familiar presence can help regulate their emotional response (Csoltova et al., 2017).

Even more compelling, research indicates that owner presence does not make exams more difficult for veterinary staff, and may actually support better handling by reducing fear-based behaviors (Mariti et al., 2022).

References

Döring, D., Roscher, A., Scheipl, F., Küchenhoff, H., & Erhard, M. H. (2009). Fear-related behaviour of dogs in veterinary practice. Veterinary Journal, 182(1), 38–43.

Edwards, K. M., et al. (2019). Prevalence of behavioral signs of stress in dogs during veterinary visits. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Csoltova, E., Martineau, M., Boissy, A., & Gilbert, C. (2017). Behavioral and physiological reactions in dogs to a veterinary examination: Owner presence vs. absence. Physiology & Behavior, 177, 270–275.

Mariti, C., et al. (2022). Effects of owner presence on dogs’ stress responses during veterinary examinations. Journal of Veterinary Behavior.