My adopted senior dog is aggressive at the vet. How to make visits positive?

Poor Rocky! I'm sorry to hear that he has this problem. To get a veterinary check-up, I would recommend calling your vet to discuss your concerns and make a plan for how to have him seen safely. This may involve having you train him to wear a muzzle at home, so that you can put this on before he arrives at the veterinary clinic. The veterinarian may prescribe some anti-anxiety medication for you to give prior to coming in, and he may also need injectable sedation once he arrives at the clinic so that he can be handled safely. For the future, I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can help you put together a detailed training plan to work on his aggressive behavior. Most aggression towards strangers is fear-based, so this normally includes using positive reinforcement (food rewards, etc.) to help the dog learn to be more comfortable with the things that scare him. Punishment-based training (prong or choke collars, shock collars, etc.) are NEVER recommended for the treatment of aggression issues, as this does not address the underlying problem and has a high risk of making the aggression worse over time. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org or ask your regular veterinarian where the nearest one is located.

It’s pretty common for dogs to start to show signs of fear towards strangers and at the vets office around 6-12 months of age, and I doubt the muzzle had anything to do with it. Biting without giving warning signs is scary behavior and it would be best to see a behaviorist to try to work on this. He absolutely should wear a muzzle at the vets and it may be a good idea to train him to wear a basket muzzle out in public to keep strangers safe. You can purchase a muzzle and put it on at home or in the car before arriving at the vets to reduce stress, and you may want to ask your vet about a sedative before the visit. Some dogs need heavy sedation for vaccines and exams to help prevent them from becoming even more fearful at the vets office. While a Petco vaccine clinic might be an option they would also need to use a muzzle and would not be able to prescribe sedation if necessary. https://bestfriends.org/resources/muzzles-tool-keep-everyone-safe

It is important to remember that some dogs may always react aggressively and are at risk to hurt someone (which no one wants). Your veterinarian knows how to read pet's body language and must take into account the safety of everyone (the pet included). Some pets needs to be sedated and muzzled and there's no other way around it. There are some things you can discuss with your veterinarian and may be able to work out with the clinic if you are committed to trying to make Java less afraid and more willing to allow proper care. Here is a link: https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-is-fear-free-training-and-socialization/ Again, it never hurts to try but it may not work. I hope this helps.

I can understand your concern. You can call around and forewarn them that your pet is aggressive with strangers. That way they will pair you up with the appropriate veterinarian, esepecially if you insist on this. The vet will try to assess your pet as best they can first. Howver, if Rusty is too aggressive the vet will probably recommend a mild sedative. You can even inquire about a pill sedative called Trazodone that you can give your pet 1-2 hrs before the next appt to help calm Rusty down enough for a proper exam. I hope this helps and best of luck to you and Rusty with your new vet. Take care.

I'm not exactly sure this indicate abuse. Dogs that are under-socialized or are not used to places such as the groomers or veterinarian can act out like this from anxiety or stress, not necessarily abuse. That said, if you do suspect abuse, it would be best to speak with Loyal's owner about it. I would definitely talk with Loyal's vet to see if there is anything that can be given, such as a sedative, before he has to go to the vet or other scary places. It is also a good idea to speak with a trainer or veterinary behaviorist in person that can help with desensitization training which can help Loyal get more used to these situations in a safe manner, and help him relax and settle in. You can learn more about veterinary behaviorists here: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

You could try to find a mobile vet that would come to your house to examine her. You could also get a cage muzzle and put it on her before taking her to the vet so she won't be able to attack another animal or person. You could also ask your vet for a mild sedation which might help, too.

Injectable sedation or general anesthesia might be in Hercules’s best interest, and neutering could make a big difference in his behavior. Each ‘scary’ experience at the vet builds on the next, so if he is getting worked up on oral sedatives alone he needs more sedation. You could ask your vet about trying an oral sedative in addition to the gabapentin and you could also work on training him to use a basket muzzle for safety. You could also look for a hospital that specializes in ‘Fear Free’ handling techniques but I will tell you that these hospitals are usually pretty liberal with their use of injectable sedative because the outcomes are so much better fo the pets. At his age I would worry that if you don’t work on this now Hercules will be a dog that cannot be handled at the vet. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/dog-muzzles-about-when-why-and-how-to-use-one/