WHY WE USE MUZZLES
We understand you may not want to see your fur baby muzzled. Sometimes it may even seem “unfair†but take a moment to read this post to help clear the air on muzzling and why it can save a life.There are many reasons your pet may be muzzled for their exam. Fear, Pain, & Aggression are the most common reasons.
Fear
Your dog may be friendly at home, but when visiting the vets even the friendliest dogs may become stressed. If our staff feels your pet is extremely stressed or scared they may opt to have your pet muzzled. We of course try other tactics, such as moving slowly with your pet, having a different staff member come in or sometimes even wrapping them in a towel. However, if these tactics don’t help your pet settle, a muzzle is the safest route.
Pain
A painful pet can be a defensive pet. Dogs or Cats experiencing trauma or pain my snap out defensively against our staff, especially while we are tending to their wounds. Even after pain medications are administered a muzzle may be placed as a safety precaution. We can’t explain to your furry friends that we are just trying to help.
Aggression
Lastly: Aggression. Guess what? Sometimes your pet doesn’t like us, not one bit. It doesn’t matter how kind we are to them or tell them what a good boy/girl they are. We are the poking, prodding, smells funny, mean people and there is no telling your pet otherwise. These pets too have to be muzzled for safety.
Muzzles Aren’t Mean or Painful
Our muzzles are well fitted so your pet can breathe without interference. They don’t cause pain to your pet and are never put on just for fun. We don’t muzzle a dog based on breed or size, we only muzzled based on how your pet responds to us.
Unfortunately, in the vet field many doctors and staff have been bitten. Sometimes these bites are mild but other times they can cause horrific permanent damage. When a pet draws blood through a bite we are required to report it to Animal Control. We love your pets and would rather not have them be reported for a bite that is very likely out of character for them. So please remember if your dog or cat is muzzled it’s because we are putting our staff members and your pets safety first.
