Dread Vet Visits Now Been Told We Need Skin Scrapes

Hi I was wondering if anyone else has this problem, My Mastiff has anxiety he's wary of people but never showed aggression and he loves other dogs, But he hates going to the vets he has to use the back door as the waiting room makes him a quivering wreck he's OK in the Vets room he will go to the corner as soon as the vet looks at his eyes he lunges its the only time he's shown agression and then panics to get out even having potty accidents! we have him muzzled and secure its such a nightmare, But now after a month of being on antibiotics and steroids for a skin condition which as now returned he wants to perform skin scrapes and will put him to sleep to do this procedure I am dreading this I was in tears this morning when I found out he's so nervous and I feel like such a bad dog owner when he acts the way he does in the surgery he's fine every were else, has anybody ever had to have their dog put to sleep to perform skin scrapes and if so how do they go about the procedure and how long will he be out for? thank you

I am sorry to hear that your dog is so terrified at the vets - maybe it is the vet him/herself that is causing the problem and possibly a change of surgery/vet would help?

As for skin scrapes, they take literally seconds, so to have to give a dog a GA for such a minor thing sounds way OTT to me.

Good luck.

Thank you the vet we have now Alfie is still wary of but we think it may be the bad experience he had with a female vet a couple of months ago he wasn't as bad visiting the vets before seeing her! The vet finds it hard to believe that he's not aggressive outside the surgery But I am part of a dog walkers club in my area with about 8 other walkers and their dogs he's a gentle giant and the dog walkers find it hard to believe he shows aggressive tendencies in the vets, He hates it I have anxiety myself so I shall be glad when next Tuesday is outta the way

I think the GA is because he's such a big dog and wont let the vet any were near his face and that's where most of the skin condition lies ;(

Hi my late Afghan had issues,and caught the mange from Foxes,wouldnt let the vet near her,she was sore and very hot to the touch,when it had been confirmed by skin scrapings its like us using a pummy stone,the vet said on her next appointment if you puta towel in the bath of luke warm water,wring it out place on the dogs back,or I used a tee-shirt,for same reason it does work, even after the mange when it was hot used that idea,my afghan instead of becoming stressed,panting,once she had her tee on,she just used to go to sleep crystalgirl

Some dogs just hate the vets even if they've never had a bad experience. To see my old GSD sat on my lap in the waiting room with her snout firmly shoved under my armpit so she could shut the world out was quite a spectacle!

My old Cavvy was fine with vets until one gave her a 'bad injection' she SCREAMED the place down and I mean screaming, not barking or howling. It was horrible to hear and she got a bad reaction on the site which turned to a sort of growth later too.

After that it was like trying to pull an elephant into the vets when she needed to visit (even though I changed my vet so she wouldn't recognise the premises).

Talking of elephants - I reckon DOGS have longer memories than they do!

*and I never felt like a 'bad owner' I just felt so SORRY for my dog and as if I'd let her down or was delivering her into the hands of evil.

Thanks so much for all your comments and advice much appreciated I have had a dog trainer work with him and followed a schedule she gave us for months and it's helped him immensely but the Vets thing is just something he will always hate I so wish they didn't have to put him to sleep but throwing antibiotics at him and steroids isn't helping we need to get to the root cause ;(
Has anybody else ever had to have their dog have a GA for simple skin scrapes?

Thank you Crystalgirl if you don't mind me asking if your dog wouldn't allow the vet near her! did she have to have GA in order to do the skin scrapes?

Thanks

I dont know how helpfull your vet would be,but would he consider actually taking the scraping away from the surgery?maybe just outside the property or in your own home or maybe even while the dog is out for a walk?There are also sedatives that your vet could give to your dog that just dont quite knock him out.You may have to administer them before your vet arrives so he is already relaxed.If he is stressed and you give them to him then,im afraid they do not work so well.

I would find a way of doing this procedure with out GA,its just not worth the risk and i feel a good vet will help you to find a way of doing it.

I deal(not own)an extremely aggresive akita and so far we have always managed to do any veterinary care without GA.It would be alot easier but its not the answer.

Long term i would ask your vet if you can take your dog to the vets on a very regular basis(4-5times per week) and just do nothing.Wait in the waithing area when it is quite.then after a few weeks walk him into the consultation room and just walk straight back out again,dont close the door.I take all my puppies to the vets regularly just to say hello and play and get treats.All my dogs love going to the vets.There are lots of things you can do to help your dog but it takes along time.It is also really importent to not feel sorry for your dog as he will pick up on this and react to it.you must go into the vets confident and in charge,even this will make a difference.

Good luck.

Can I just suggest you mention you are anxious, if he knows that he may be reacting to you, you react to him and it's a vicious circle. I only know because I did that to one of my dogs the answer for him was get someone confident to take him there, I waited in the car and within minutes the problem was solved. He never went to the vet with me after that as I was his problem so my husband or niece had to take him and he was a changed dog.

Hi Hang my head in shame,she did,the vet took her to the back and injected her,on that occasion she had been stung by a bee and you would have heard her screams in Australia,when she started itching I thought it was grass,but her itching just got really bad,so down to the vet and by this time she was really hot,so he did her skin with a sedative and when he found out she had excuse my spelling sera-copt-ic mange, it was basically down to me to give her baths two pairs of gloves I also had to have her cut back to puppy she had a long silky coat.crystalgirl