Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

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Mailie's Mom
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Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Mailie's Mom »

I took Louie to the vet today to get his 16 week shots and he tried to eat the vet! I was so embarrassed! I have never seen him (Louie) so upset. He growled and barked and snapped at him. It totally took me by surprise.
We started our day going to Le Boulanger for some french bread and Louie gave kisses to couple of ladies there then we sat and chatted with a lady and her 4 small kids who loved all over Louie. We then went to the vet and sat in the small room for a half hour waiting for the doctor to come in and Louie spread out on floor and went to sleep. When the doctor walked in it startled both of us (we were waiting so long) and Louie jumped up and started in. I could not get him to settle down. After a few minutes, I even stopped the doctor, put Louie on the ground and made him focus on me again and then restart but he still was not having any of it. The doctor ended up not giving any vaccinations because Louie is still on antibiotics for the "sinus infection".
Any ideas on what happened with him? What I could of done differently?

BTW.............My moose weighs 32.4 pounds!
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Sirchow »

Could it be because you got a fright Louie thought he needed to protect you, which would be hard to do if he was being restrained and prodded by the very danger that he needed to protect you from. Is there a female vet he could see instead until he learns to trust that one again. These chows are a law unto themselves and it can take you completely by surprise the reactions they have to things. It is scary when they growl at vets because you know they are going to have to face them again and put up with things they would rather not have done to them. Your moose is some size - nearly as big as Bramble and she is coming up to 9 months!
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by lightforce18 »

yogi is the same way he hates the vet. if im holding yogi hes ok but the stupid banfield vets insist on holding him and he wants no part of them. Next appointment is the 22nd. We shall see.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Rogansmommy »

Rogan never got over his hatred of the vets office. And we switched vets 4 times in his life. Thankfully, the vet we went to for the longest (in Rochester, before we moved) 'understood' him and worked with me. They had no fear of him. Down here, we finally went with a mobile vet who would come to the house. That was much better because Rogan was in his environment and so he never felt the tension of the vets office.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Auddymay »

If your vet is close, take Louie in every couple weeks to weigh him (my vet scale is in the waiting area) and just have positive experiences. I am not sure how to handle the little examination rooms. Bring the very best treat if he will take treats outside the house. Good luck, it is important to try and have a good vet relationship, and Louie sounds like a challenge!
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by LEO's mum »

As Auddymay mentioned, you could bring Louie in to the reception area of the vet and have them treat him. My LEO knows all the receptionists and vet techs and they all love her. The vet is her main boarding place while we are away, and she knows where the treats kept. :oops: She can't wait to get through the front door.

Would Louie be more comfortable on the floor than on the table? Your vet can kneel down to examine him. My vet takes LEO in to the back room for shots and close examination, which she will be on the table, but when she is with me she is on the floor and the vet kneels to her.... :oops:

I think and hope that it was because of the surprise he got all antsy. Don't think dogs can't be given a treat before the vaccinations, ask the doctor to treat him and be friends first. It's in everyones interest. Bribing is cheap!
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Mailie's Mom »

I agree on the bribing! I bring out the big guns (double cheeseburger)for a vet visit. I am just not sure what happened today. Louie has never acted like that before. We have been to see this doctor several times without a problem. The first visit Louie fell asleep in the scale and the doctor did his whole exam without Louie even moving. I just had him there a few weeks ago for his sinus infection and no problems at all!
Some years back I had to change vets because my girl Jesse did not like boys, so I was thinking maybe Louie is going to be like her but when we got home my gardener was here and he had a new helper with him and Louie was licking his hand and letting him pet him. A stranger, in his yard! No problem! It kind of annoyed me. :lol:
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Dogdad »

Yoshi is like that too, all friendly to everyone at the vets office except for one male vet. He was the one who drew blood for a hearworm test and Yoshi hates him, snarls, teeth, the whole bit. Bribes don't work for Yoshi and this vet. I am sure Yoshi has decided he is the enemy and no matter what, Yoshi won't like him

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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by chow fancier »

Ate there other vets in the office? If so, in addition to making the visit to the vets office a fun thing in and of itself by dropping by to visit as others suggested, try the other vets and see if you get a more positive reaction. My Chana loved everyone she ever met except one vet in the same office as two vets she regularly bestowed purple kisses on. That vet couldn't touch her unless I held her muzzle because she would snap. Only human she ever snapped at in her life. We just requested another vet from that day forward and had no issues.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Victory »

He was just treated for the sinus infection and if the treatment and examine is anything like the ones they use on humans, Louie was probably very uncomfortable during it. And like most chows he remembers, so he's not happy with the vet. You have a couple of things you can do, one is take him to visit the vet for just social reasons, have the vet and the staff give him treats and spend some with him.

The other choice is to find another vet or have one of the other vets in the office take care of him.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by PurpleKisses »

I don't think this is a vet issue, but a startled and grumpy puppy who was sleeping and got disturbed. I think it might have had something to do with how long you waited. If Chi-Ching gets startled he gets protective and it takes him a long time to settle back down...

Perhaps next time tell them that you would like to remain in the waiting area until the vet is actually ready to see you. If they won't do that, then my suggestion for you is to maybe bring a toy or something you can do to keep him awake and entertained while you wait. It will keep him happy and less apt to be startled again.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by kingalls »

My girl, Shiloh, doesn't have a problem with the vet. The technicans can work with her in any way. Just recently she was taken to the "back" and they took a blood sample to do a heart worm test...no problems whatsoever.
Then, there is my boy, Nakhokhe...he already has a reputation at the vets. So with his last appointment to get the HW test and get his bortedalla shot, we (vet, vet staff, and me) had a general understanding of Nahkohe's limits - i.e., he doesn't like anyone but Mom and Dad touching him...For his appointment, the vet and 3 assistants came in. I think one was an intern taking note of how to handle this situation. I do a lot in terms of holding Nahkohe. I know Nahkohe's limitations. His vet and I work together to make the appointment go smoothly.
Nahkohe's last vet told me he wouldn't see Nahkohe unless he was sedated...which is why I switched vets...

What was the vet's reaction? Was he understanding or ??? Talk to the vet again...maybe try an appointment where all the vet does is "examine" Louie. Let Louie have at time with the vet where there are no expectations - just a nice meeting.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Zhuyos mom »

Your vet was a little over confident. I think he was more embarrassed but didn't show it. Next time I'm sure he'll give Louie more time to settle in to him being in the room rather than following his own patient schedule. If you want to make things easier the next time around, perhaps you could also sensitize Louie to wearing a soft muzzle. Train him through play. Buy him his own muzzle so he doesn't smell all the nasties locked into the vet's used muzzles. And put it on him for a few seconds at a time and offering kisses and treats and lots of verbal praise while he is wearing it. Keep it on longer and longer and he'll get acustomed to it in no time. I did something similiar with an e-collar for my boy, Tiggs, and he's never reluctant to put one on - for fun or for a medical purpose. Also, never hesitate to ask the Doc to go out of the room and come back in until you feel Louie is somewhat "over it". The vet should be patient enough to oblige since he/she wants to have a calm patient in their care.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Mailie's Mom »

Thank You all so much for the suggestions. I am going to give them all a try.
A little back story on the vet..........We moved to this neighborhood 11 years ago and I had a black female named Jesse. I took her to a vet a few blocks away to a male vet and the first visit Jesse looked straight in his eyes and gave a very low growl. He would not touch her. So I took her to a vet a few miles away that has several doctors and I picked a female, no problems. After Jesse passed away I got Mailie and started taking her there to the female doctor and no problems. She even did one of Mailies eye surgeries and removed her stiches on both eyes with no muzzle, no sedative, nothing. The day before I got Louie she moved out of the area and I was given an appointment with one of the other doctors there, a male named .........Dr. Louie (the staff thought it was funny to give Louie to Dr. Louie). I really liked him, he spent a lot of time talking to me, actually agreed with me on waiting to neuter Louie until he is at least a year old and did not give me a lecture for no leptospirosis vaccine. With that said, I have only seen him 3 times so if I have to change doctors, I am ok with that.
So.......I am going to take him in for a weight check and to just say Hi a few times before our next appointment. The staff probably will not like it but too bad. There is a couple of girls at the front counter that I think have issues with chows. Come to think of it, that is probably why I had to wait so long in the room. When I came in there were a few a people in the waiting area and one girl said "chow in the house" then took me directly back to a room. I bet they did not want me in the waiting room. Hmmm.
I am also going to get him his own muzzle and get him used to it just in case we ever need it, it won't be an additional thing that stresses him out.
So.........back to socialize socialize socialize! We took Louie to Santana Row saturday night. Santana Row is a small strip in San Jose that has upscale shops and restaurants that is very dog friendly (you can actually get a decent meal and glass of wine with your dog). It is the best place to socialize a dog. There is a lot of people and lots of noises even live music. We got there about 530 and had dinner and a couple glasses of wine. Everybody that walked by stopped and petted Louie. When we finished dinner we walked around (we tried to walk) Louie was drawing crowds of people and everybody wanted to take his picture (the waiter wanted to charge a dollar for each picture :lol: ). He did great! not one time did he growl or bark. I put him in every situation, on the ground, in my arms , on my lap, no problems. A couple of people even asked if they could hold him for a picture. It took us over an hour to walk a couple of blocks but worth it! We had a great time.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Coco Chow »

Mailie's Mom wrote:Louie was drawing crowds of people and everybody wanted to take his picture.
Of course they did, it's not everyday they can see a white teddy bear.
Louis has been such a good boy too :P !
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by sdasilva27 »

I'm not really up to date on everything on the board anymore, I've been really busy but did the vet have really dark clothes on?

McKenzie hates meeting "new" men when they have dark clothes on. Our vet always gets on the floor to play with her first but the second time she met him, he had navy blue scrubs on and she growled, fought to get away, etc. He left the room and put on light green scrubs and came back in the room and she was fine. She wasn't loving towards him like she is with the female techs but she didn't downright refuse him touching her.

She reacted the same way when my sister's boyfriend came to the house with a black shirt on. She wouldn't let him in her house. He took off his tshirt and just had his white undershirt on and she finally approached him very slowly and decided that he could come in but couldn't touch her.
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by lightforce18 »

taking in yogi for his week 16 shots tonight wish me luck!
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Mailie's Mom »

No dark clothes, he had a white doctors smock on. Louie should be fine with the white smock, my husband wears one at work and his staff wears green scrubs and I have taken Louie to meet his staff a couple of times with no problems. I will have him bring one home and see. However, Louie does NOT like hats of any kind! My son and his friends wear ball caps and if they walk in the house with them on Louie will bark. When they take them off he wags his tail like crazy (wiggle butt) like to say, Oh it's you!
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Mailie's Mom »

Good luck Yogi! Let us know what happens.
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Mailie ...............................................................................................................................Louie
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by lightforce18 »

Well yogi was a lot better this time around. I gave the vet aid and the vet treats and they kept feeding it to yogi so he was better. Then during shots time i told them have him face us I had a treat in my hand and he kept licking trying to eat the treat while they gave the shots. That worked like a charm. They didn't have to use the mussel this time. Then i was like he was good there lets go get his nails trimmed. That wasn't as good lol. Yogi was going mental as they clipped his nails one girl had to hold him down while the other clipped him. So he won the vet battle but lost the nail clipping one lol. Gotta keep workin
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Auddymay »

"...Yogi was going mental as they clipped his nails one girl had to hold him down while the other clipped him..."

True, he went mental, but it was the act, not the girls doing the deed that upset him. They obviously did not upset him if they double teamed him...lol. Good to hear it was likely just being startled.

Of course Louie was the star at the cafe and his stroll. He is stunningly handsome and this is his fate...growing will help alot, Lily gets accosted all the time, she is only 33 pounds and even small children feel confident around her. The waiter was right- a dollar a photo!
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by lightforce18 »

here was yogi after his shots wanting to zonk out.


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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by sdasilva27 »

Our chow we had while I was growing up really hated hats too. If a male was at the door with a hat on, they were not allowed to get one inch into the house. If they were tall, it was even worse. He would bark so hard that his body would actually jump up and backwards (and he weighed a good 78 lbs before getting sick) and then he'd charge back at the guy until the hat came off and he could really smell the guy out. He never bit any visitors but he didn't have to, he intimidated them enough with his look and bark. Even after that, he'd let some guys in the house but they weren't allowed to enter the actual house, they had to stay in the entry way. I don't know how many of my sister's boyfriends/dates weren't allowed in. My dad thought it was great. He said he didn't need to be home to meet her dates because Baloo would take care of it for him. If they passed Baloo's test, my dad would meet them.

Sounds like Louie is a typical male chow...
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Mailie's Mom »

I hope Louie and Mailie are like that with the boys ...........I have a daughter! heheheh :lol:
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Re: Louie's 16 week vet appt. So Embarrassing!

Post by Mailie's Mom »

WhooHoo! \:D/ Hoorayy!! =D= Louie did it! \:D/ We went to the vet for Louie's recheck and vaccinations yesterday and he did GREAT! No growling or barking! =D=

I went to the vet prepared this time. I brought treats (cheese) with me and kept him up and alert in the room until the doctor came in. I told Louie "say hi" and had the doctor give him a treat before he got started and it worked. Whew!

Louie is 19 weeks old today and he weighs 36 pounds. :@)

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