Make your pet’s visit to the vet a more positive experience with our
low-stress handling techniques
Low-Stress Visits
Low-stress is best!
Why Low Stress?
At Genesee Valley Veterinary Hospital, we understand that visiting the vet can be stressful for both pets and their owners. We strive to minimize the stress experienced by all pets. Dr. Marr and all of our staff members take training courses that apply Dr. Sophia Yin’s principles of low-stress handling. The veterinary hospital does not have to be a scary place for pets. Using special environmental and behavioral techniques, we provide our patients with high-quality care without causing further stress or fear. Our team is dedicated to providing compassionate care while minimizing anxiety and fear during each visit through various methods.
Dr. Sophia Yin’s Low-Stress Handling Techniques
Since every animal is different, we develop an individualized plan for each patient to provide the best medical care while minimizing stress as much as possible. The principles developed by Dr. Sophia Yin and learned by all of our staff members provide our framework for this:
Respond to animal body language: Animals communicate through their posture, expressions, and behavior. By carefully observing these cues, our medical team can assess a pet’s emotional state and adjust their approach and handling techniques accordingly.
Positive reinforcement: We believe in rewarding pets for good behavior rather than using force to gain compliance. By offering praise and/or treats during visits, we aim to have pets associate their experience at Genesee Valley Veterinary Hospital with positive outcomes. By doing this, we build trust and make them more likely to cooperate during future procedures. Sometimes this means taking a step back from an elective procedure and scheduling a second visit with calming medications on board to aid in the reduction of fear, stress, and anxiety.
Gradual Desensitization: Animals respond better when new situations are introduced in a controlled and incremental manner. This technique helps pets become accustomed to our clinic over time and reduces anxiety associated with going to the vet. Depending on the pet, this may involve allowing a pet to visit an exam room with minimal procedures performed in a single visit. Over time, pets can become more at ease with the clinic environment and team members, making future visits less intimidating. However, if it becomes clear that the annual visit cannot be performed in a low-stress manner, we may offer an additional ‘low-stress’ visit at a reduced cost compared to the standard exam visit.
Restraint Techniques: Restraint of animals is often necessary to perform procedures effectively and safely. Here at Genesee Valley Veterinary Hospital, we believe that restraint should be gentle, focused on minimizing stress, and tailored to each animal’s temperament. We aim to prevent struggling or aggression while maintaining the pet’s comfort. We do NOT scruff animals but work with them instead of against them.
Calming Clinic Environment: We create a clinic environment that provides sensory stimulation for pets. The use of calming scents or pheromones, toys, and treats can serve as a distraction, minimizing boredom and anxiety.
Calming Pheromones: Calming pheromones are natural substances that mimic the scent of your pet’s mother or other members of their species. They can help reduce your pet’s stress and anxiety by making them feel more secure and comfortable. We use calming pheromones in the form of sprays, diffusers, or collars to help your pet cope with new or challenging situations.
Our goal is to teach your pet that the veterinary hospital is a safe place. We create a low-stress environment to ensure that we do not induce further trauma in an animal that may be aggressive or fearful. Our team builds trust with your pet using Sophia Yin’s gentle handling techniques and strengthens that trust at each visit.
Zero-Tolerance Policy for Abuse
We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of abuse or harassment towards our staff.
