The waiting room at Cashmere Veterinary Clinic can often be a busy place. Here are a few things to help keep everyone’s visit a little bit less stressful:
- Dogs must be on leashes. Cats must be in carriers.
It can be tempting to carry a sick kitty in your arms or let your dog off the leash to socialize once you get inside. However, both of these behaviors are unsafe for your pet and the other pets and people in the waiting area. Cats should always be in carriers. Carriers not only make cats feel safe and comfortable, but they also keep a cat from leaping out of your arms, urinating on the floor, or scratching people or animals with their claws. Dogs should be on leashes, but not retractable leashes. Use a leash that will allow you to keep your dog close.
- Don’t let your pet bother other pets.
The waiting room is already a stressful place for pets and pet owners, and it can be made even more stressful if an excited pet is trying to approach, sniff, or play with other animals. In addition, some pets in the waiting room are seriously ill, and may even have painful injuries that could cause them to lash out, or contagious conditions that could be passed to other pets. And in some cases, your pet might be the sick one. Even if your pet is just trying to be friendly, the safest and most courteous thing to do is leave other pets alone. Cats should always be in carriers, so you won’t have to worry about this with them. Dogs, however, are on leashes, and owners sometimes give them too much leeway.
- Don’t let other pets bother your pet.
Just because you aren’t going to let your pet bother other pets doesn’t mean that all owners are going to follow the same rule. Regardless of what anyone else is doing, it is your responsibility to keep your pet safe. Avoid sitting next to lunging or barking dogs, and if a pet is bothering you or your pet, ask their owner to stop it or get up and move.
- Dealing with accidents:
Let us know if your pet has an accident in the waiting room. (Don’t be embarrassed–it happens all the time.)
- If your pet is aggressive, plan ahead.
If you are bringing in a pet that is known to be aggressive at the vet please let us know when booking your appointment. We can plan ahead and try to get you and your pet into a room right away.
- If your pet is contagious, plan ahead.
Please let reception know ahead of time if your pet is showing signs of a contagious illness, such as an upper respiratory infection or cough so that we can prepare and put you and your pet right into a room.
At Cashmere Veterinary Clinic, we understand that when your furry family member is unwell or has had an accident, it is a scary time. We hope that by educating pet owners and creating a positive and calm environment in the lobby waiting area, we can encourage a better experience and prognosis for all of our pet patients and their loved ones.
If you have any questions about veterinary waiting room etiquette, please do not hesitate to call us.