My Pet World: Visiting the vet during pandemic

During a pandemic, is it safe to take your pet to the vet? Veterinary clinics and emergency clinics are considered essential services and many still are open.

In order to keep people safe and observe social distancing protocols though, they have had to change some of the ways they operate. Here is what you likely can expect when you call or take your pet to the vet (or spay/neuter clinic).

When you make an appointment, the clinic may ask you to fill out paperwork online in advance. When you arrive at the clinic, you likely will call the clinic from your car. Someone will emerge from the clinic (with a mask on) to get your pet. Make it easy for that person to access your pet from either the back of a hatchback or the back-seat passenger side of the car so they maintain proper social distance from you.

If you must walk to the vet, you likely will be asked to call when you reach the front door or a side door and someone will come out to retrieve your pet.

Next, the vet will call you during or after the exam to review your pet's health. Afterward, you pay for services via phone and credit card and a receipt will be sent to your email. A staff person emerges again to return your pet to your car.

Often, animals get sick in the evening or over the weekend, and you may wonder whether you need to take your pet to the emergency clinic or wait until the next day to see your vet.

I talked to Dr. Shlomo Freiman, a Washington State-based veterinarian and co-founder of Petriage, last week about his new free app called Petriage. He says pet owners can put their pet's symptoms into the free app, and it will identify your situation and share how to treat non-emergency symptoms and when you need to take your pet to the emergency vet. Check it out at your App store.

Dear Cathy,

I have an extremely sweet 6-year-old female boxer whose only bad habit is that she doesn't like other dogs. She has an anxious personality. On walks, she used to act aggressively but has learned "no bark" with the distraction of treats.

I will soon be moving to live with my son's family who have two dogs, both Tibetan Terriers. What suggestions do you have to help me sensitize my boxer to adjust to living with other dogs?

- Penny, Las Vegas

Dear Penny,

It can be challenging to help a dog get used to other dogs if she hasn't normally been agreeable with them. I am hopeful, though, because she has learned "no bark" with other dogs when out on walks, that she is receptive to training.

Take your dog over to meet your son and his dogs. Our current social-distancing guidelines work in your favor here. Sit in your son's yard with your dog at a distance of at least 10 to 15 feet away from your son and his dog (meet only one dog at a time at first). All dogs need to stay leashed.

These dogs now can get to know each other from a safe distance. Both dogs may need a few minutes to settle down when they first meet. As soon as they sit down or lie down though, you should each reward your respective dogs with treats because the goal is to reward this relaxed behavior over and over, and to encourage this relaxed behavior when around the other dog.

If you live locally, you can do this several times each day. Keep moving the yard chairs closer and closer until they are ready to be near each other.

If you are moving to your son's place from out of state, practice these yard introductions, but keep your dog in your room or in a wire kennel for about a week or until you feel the resident dogs are used to the new dog in the home. Then be sure to keep all dogs leashed during the first in-house greeting and introduce only one dog at a time. Eventually, they should all get used to the new living arrangements.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)