Muzzle At Vet?

[Guest MAF]

Hi all,

I'll be taking Shuffler to the vet for the first time and I'm wondering if I should put her muzzle on before we go in? She does well with other people and animals, but is it better just to have it on in that situation? We've never been to this office before so I'm not sure what other animals may be in the waiting area.

[tbhounds]

No need for a muzzle. Bring it with you if a situation arises.

[Batmom]

Depending on the dog, I may take it along just in case. Never hurts to have it in the car so it's close at hand in case somebody gets crabby, the waiting room is crazy, etc.

[Sundrop]

Yep, agreed - keep it in the car for your comfort level. That said, we've only needed a muzzle once at the vet in 12 years - with our newest adoptee who took offense at having his ears checked! But, vet had a soft muzzle and it was no problem at all. They are well stocked with those supplies.

 

We have never had any issues with other dogs in the waiting area - we just keep them away from other dogs there.

[ramonaghan]

We always bring one and they always thank us for doing so before assuring us they won't need it.

[DocsDoctor]

Another vote for having it with you, rather than putting it on.

[rsieg]

Another thought, if the vet thinks the muzzle is needed (say, because they are going to do something that hurts :-) they may not be willing to rely on the racing muzzle since the dog can bite (or at least nip) through it. They may prefer their own soft muzzle which keeps the dog's mouth closed.

[Dawnnziggy]

I have never taken a muzzle with me to the vets office. Everyone comes out and loves on the houndies. They have never done anything there to need it.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

You would like your dog to love going to the vet--wearing a muzzle is not a good way to start. The only reason I would see having it is if your dog is VERY reactive to other dogs and the waiting room isn't big enough to keep your dog separate (and the vet staff is not able to get your dog into a room immediately).

[Walliered]

I always muzzle mine before the vet hulls their corns. Cheap insurance.

[juliemac]

I always put a muzzle on my (now angel) girl Baby ... she was unreliable with other dogs (she'd never attack, but growled and reacted if other dogs came up to US), and I really really really hate other dogs at the vet coming to greet us (I have no idea what they're being treated for) and the muzzle always gave other people an indication that they should pay more attention to their hounds. I always take it off when I went to a treatment room ... So i basically had Baby carry her own muzzle with her.

[Walliered]

I totally agree with you. I have met many stupid people in the waiting room. People let their dogs run all over and I have know dummies to bring their cats in without a crate. They just carry them in their arms. Stupid.

[Hubcitypam]

I guess it depends on how reactive your dog is around others but I've never felt the need to muzzle any of mine at the vet. Rex hated cats and one time when we walked in the room was full of cats, some in people's arms and not in carriers. We made a swift U turn, I put him in the car and went back in to tell them to come out and let us know when they had a room available.

 

Maybe it's just me but I wouldn't muzzle automatically (but agree with having one with you if you think that might be needed) as that gives greyhounds a bad reputation. I sadly know from non grey experience a muzzle isn't going to do much good in an all out throwdown...especially if the other party or parties involved are unmuzzled.

[MattB]

I muzzle but due to waiting room mainly. After a few visits I feel confident they're OK with the vet but I'm wary of the narrow busy waiting room and other dogs.

[Guest Amber]

I don't tend to muzzle at the vet, no. I remember though the first time I took my first greyhound to the vet and it was a tiny waiting room and someone had a cat there waiting, on their lap, with no crate !!! Luckily Oscar was not too bad with cats in that sort of situation (much worse outside). It was awful, a drop-in surgery so we had to wait ages and he got so stressed by all the animals in this confined space I had to take him outside to wait and the receptionist called us in.

 

So if I had a really stress dog and it was that sort of small waiting room, waiting outside or leaving the dog in the car (if it is safe temperatures etc) would be preferable to having him wait inside in a stressful situation with a muzzle on.

 

Needless to say I don't go to that vet any more! But even in the good vet I go to now, I have had other dog owners in the waiting area with their dog off lead, or on an unlocked flexi lead, but no loose cats thankfully.

 

I would take it with you , play it by ear and if there seems to be a lot of tension in the waiting area caused by other animals then wait outside.

[Walliered]

I don't hesitate to speak up to the stupid dog or cat owners in the vet's waiting room. Don't really care what they think, just care about the safety of the animals.

[PatricksMom]

I've never needed to muzzle a dog at the vet's, but Leo gets snappish with me when injured, so I bring it. Thankfully, he seems to be much nicer to the vet and their staff, so they've always said they don't need to use it.

[sobesmom]

Because I'm super-anal, I read everything and actually "knew" very little when I adopted my first grey. So - I put a kennel muzzle on him for his first vet visit. It mostly scared other people, intimidated the vet, and confused my dog (he thought he was going for a run with other dogs because of the muzzle).

 

After that first visit, I don't muzzle. I keep my dogs on a very short leash in the waiting room, and look out for people that don't. Greyhound people think muzzles are normal. OTHER people think muzzles indicate an aggressive dog. A muzzle in a vet office stereotypes your dog. I would take it with me. Just in case the waiting room is too crowded, and other people aren't wise enough to contain their pets. I never bothered to take one with my own greys once we'd been together for a while. I always carried one when I took a foster. Just in case.

 

Of course, if you have a dog that you know will have an issue - you need to muzzle, to be responsible.

 

Also - if your dog is having a procedure that will be painful and the vet wants a muzzle - they may not have one that will fit a grey. It's not a bad idea to have a kennel muzzle with you in that case. I had a dog (Sobe) badly injured, and the vet had to pull a surgically implanted drain out of his neck at a follow-up visit. He didn't want to sedate him, but was concerned that he might snap because it was going to hurt. They didn't have a muzzle to fit him, but I had a kennel-muzzle in the car. With that on, it was enough for the vet to do the procedure without fear. Sobe never snapped at him, but it was peace of mind for the vet, and kept my dog from being sedated when he didn't need to be.