Zane's behaviour at the vets surgery today
Hi All,
I think I'll start with a bit of history. I apologise in advance for the length of the post.
Zane (& the other dogs I have) have never had a problem going to see the vet. They get fuss, praise, treats and generally when they need to go, they practically drag me through the door to get inside.
Last October (or thereabouts) Zane was playing with a rescue dog I had here at the time - Murphy (Rough Collie X GSD). They were play fighting in the kitchen and making a lot of noise which was nothing unusual for those two.
At one point Zane jumped down, whimpering. I thought maybe he'd knocked himself against a cupboard or big trolley thingy I have. Anyway, all the play fighting and mucking about stopped then.
Zane came and sat next to me whining and clearly in some pain and discomfort. He was trying to paw at his mouth, as though something was stuck but I couldn't see what. It looked as though his bottom jaw had been taken off and put back in the wrong place so that resulted in a very expensive trip to the vets.
Ther were 2 vets that looked at him but neither could see what the problem was. They gave me a choice - Zane could either come home with me then and there with painkillers and see how he was the next day, or I could leave him, have him sedated and the vets could take a proper look at his mouth without him trying to stop them or getting his paws in the way.
I chose for him to be sedated to have a proper exam to make sure it was dealt with. As Zane was thrashing about, they couldn't sedate him whilst I was there, for his safety and their own. He was trying to hide behind my legs. They asked me to muzzle him so I could leave him which I did do. The muzzle they gave me seemed a little on the small side but I thought for the sake of a minute or 2 so they can get him to be quiet, it wouldn't make much difference.
I put it on him but couldn't do it up. The vet said it wasn't a problem and they would do it. As I left I saw the look on Zane's face. He clearly thought I was leaving him, in pain, when he needed me the most.
Just before I turned to go the one vet (who doesn't get to see my dogs now) pulled the muzzle tight. Then the door close so I couldn't see Zane. He almost screamed when this was done.
I returned after about an hour and a half to pick him up. The dopey dog had somehow managed to impale his top lip on his eye tooth. I suppose when the muzzle was pulled tight it forced his lip further along his tooth - thus putting Zane in complete agony. I hated myself for allowing this to happen but nobody could see what he'd done and I can't change what happened.
Zane was next at the vet's surgery in March for his booster jab. He wasn't happy to be there and growled at the vet when he approached Zane. He was muzzled but stayed quiet after that. One he'd had the jab the muzzle was taken off and he had treats from the vet he saw.
Since then I've taken him maybe on average, once a week to the vet. Not for any real reason other than to get him used to being there. He needs to understand that being there doesn't need to be a bad thing so we've waited in the waiting room for a few minutes and out of surgery hours been allowed to walk around the surgery. Zane is allowed to sniff at practically anything and anyone he chooses to so by now he should be used to being there.
This morning, I had to take him for his assessment in order for him to formally start his assistance dog training. he failed miserably. the vet has reported that he has a poor temperament (which isn't true but I know they have to go by what they see) and that he's aggressive. Zane was muzzled, at the vet's request (fair enough). The vet called Zane to him and that was no problem at all. Then Zane moved slightly and the vet tried to stand behind him - almost the same as when he damaged his top lip. Zane growled constantly after that and when the vet tried to listen to his chest Zane turned to bite. I'm sure that if he wasn't wearing the muzzle he would have bitten the vet, but at the same time I think that being muzzled with the vet standing behind him made the situation worse for him.
Zane has been put into all sorts of different, unknown and challenging situations and is no more aggressive that a field mouse. If anything, he's a big wimp!
So, my question is - what do I do abut this? training him to be an assistance dog isn't really an issue. I know what tasks he has to do and I can train him myself anyway to fetch the phone when it rings etc. What concerns me is his reaction to the vet. What happens next time he needs treatment? I can always continue to take him so he spends time there without anything at all happening to him but over time, he seems to be getting worse. Is it worth maybe seeing what he's like at a different vet's surgery? Maybe a differnet environment, even with many of the same or similar smells, may help a little.
Obviosuly taking him many times to the same place isn't working. I've tried distracting him with toys, trreats, fuss, praise, even taking one of the other dogs iwth me too. Nothing has worked so far.
Today wasn't the end of the world as I know there's nothing wrong with him. But if the vet can't get anywhere near him to treat him should it be necessary, what do I do then?
Laura xx