Aggression at Vet

Santrypad

Hi,

Ive recently got a gsd pup.....he just got his 2nd set of injections yesterday and was quite agressive towards the vet....he actually went for her at one stage while she was doing her stuff.

Now thing is he is grand in the house no sign of aggression whatsoever, he plays with other dog and generally puppy stuff but no signs towards me wife kids or other dog except in a playful way.

Afterwards I did what the vet did and handled him the same way.ie checked ears teeth back legs etc and not a bother on him.

The vet wasnt impressed to say the least and suggested bringing him for classes which I intend to do along with my own training(which wouldnt be to bad to be honest)

Just wondering if anyone has any fews....ie think it was fear, mistrust, aggression etc.

She did bring him into the back room away from me and he was ok.....until the needle came out and he started again.

Any thoughts?

Santrypad

Can I just ad I know pups/dogs will wriggle and whimper etc but this was actual aggression and not nipping but biting.

star-pants

Did he have his first set of injections before you got him? Might he have had a rough vet or something the first time and thus this time he's thinking 'i'm having none of this!' maybe?

Santrypad

Hi, was just about to post this .....I should also mention he is now 13/14weeks and healthy.

I took him at 11 weeks and he had no gotten his injections an was under nourished....I got them straight away but he was stick for a week needed an anti biotic etc hence the 2nd set at 13/14 weeks....the age might be revelant as he not a pup in the traditional sense.

star-pants

Could be - or it could be he remembers being sick after? It's funny sometimes the things they associate with.

I would suggest going to your vet with him, don't bring him into the vet him/herself - just into the building, chat to the receptionist, let him sniff round, and bring him home. Maybe even do it a couple of times, might make him less apprehensive towards going there.

My youngest (10months) is grand with our regular vet, she likes him, lets him prod her etc. But we'd a stand in vet the other week and she did not like her at all! growled at her even, kept backing away. All I could do was just pet her and hold her for the vet, and towards the end she wasn't as scared of her, but still wasn't happy.

Santrypad

sorry just noticed my spelling is way off ha.

Yeah the vet suggested that I bring him if passing and she would stick him up just rub him etc and see if it eases him.....in general I think he is a quiet dog so was bit taken back when seen that.

star-pants

Aye sometimes dogs can pick up on things or if they have a bad memory of something it makes them very wary next time.
I would suggest you try visiting the vet just to say hello, that way the dog gets used to going / used to the vet and nothing bad happens. Might help a bit. If not, or even anyway, maybe training might be beneficial too.

The Sweeper

OP, were you a bit stressed?

The dog could have picked up on your stress, or nervousness in front of the vet, or anything else off, and been quite strung out as a result.

Santrypad

I wouldnt say I was stressed...anxious maybe as Id rushed down after work and vet was actuaaly closed but let me in anyway.

The first vets visit was just over two weeks ago and he got his initial dhots then....he wasnt vicious but was crying to get away wriggling etc but not aggressive.

The second one was cos he wasnt well and was taken to vet...My partner brought him and she said he attacked the vet snapping and going for him etc.

The 3rd was last night for his 2nd dose of shots and same thing......the first and third vet were the same girl and the second a man although all in same place.

To be honest if I `manhandled` him at home and got that reaction then Ive have so rehome him as with kids there etc but he doesnt....does the nipping lark alright but only playing and does stop for a period when corrected.

I actually caught the baby grabbing his neck for a sec and nothing the dog just more of less let him, in turn Ive tried twice to reinact the handling of the vet and same thing nothing....showed some discomfort but that was it.

peasant

The reason why he does it at the vets and not at home is this:

association

The dog has learned from experience that in that place with the funny smell and on top of that table all that happens to him is painful.

The dog isn't necessarily aggressive, just clever.


If you're going to stay with that vet, make a few appointments just for cuddles and treats, to break the "painful" association and things should get better.

Cutie18Ireland

This happened when we brought out Bichon pup to my local vet... He had no way with dogs and was very rough with the pup. For 2 days afterwards everytime we picked the dog up he was crying in pain. The vet actually called a nurse in to hold the dog down.. Needless to say we didnt go back there.
He now goes to another Vets and is fine with those. He had to stay for a few nights this week, came home for a night and ended up back in the vets again and when we left him in his cage his tail was wagging and he was happy.
It all depends on how you feel the vet treated the puppy.. turns out the rough vet actually gave our pup the wrong injection at that time too. But if you feel the vet was ok or it is your first pup I would suggest trying another vet aswell and then see how the pup gets on and decide then.

Chiaki

your dog knows vet=needle. they arent stupid, best thing to do is like the vet said- call in for a quick rub and give him a treat. eventually when he actually needs to go to the vet he wont think its anything different.
my ferret decided to try and remove a vets finger before (he does that on occasion) so now when we go to the vet i handle him around the head and the vet does whatever needs doing. My ferret would happily bite the vet when its time for injections and he wont let go but if i have a firm grip and talk to him he whimpers but puts up with it. Reduce stress by getting in and out asap

Santrypad

Hi thanks for the replies....the first thing and most obvious is that as yous have said is that he doesnt like it or it hurts but he wasnt handled harshly the first time to warrant the 2nd or 3rd, its not a huge problem now but it will be as he gets bigger and stronger.

Have just found out that a local branch of the same vets has opened beside us so I think when walking I take the advice and just pop in explain the situation and hopefully it will ease over time.

Might even get some sweets if i go in kicking and screaming myself ha

Thanks for relpies.

Sigma Force

It sounds like, as said, the dog was scared, stressed or knew what was coming so reacted. It's not a good way for a pup to react obviously but it can be nipped in the bud.

With (humane) puppy training classes and training at home and perhaps, as said, taking the dog to visit the vets just to get used to it. If the vets has a bit of a shop attached perhaps going in once a week to look at the toys and just home again.

I found that the grab collar give a treat method works well.
In the puppy class you will probably be show how to have some soft food (ham, cheese etc.) to hand, with the other hand grab the dogs collar (gently but firmly) and give the treat straight away so the dog starts associating being grabbed suddenly with a treat. There's a bit more to it than that but that's the basics of it. It's a really handy thing for the dog to learn esp. in an emergency if you need to grab the dog eg to stop the dog runnin off or whatever.

Some dogs have a huge fear of vets, and there's usually at least one nervous dog in the waiting room even if your dog isn't nervous it picks up the nervous vibes from the other dog and they set all the other dogs off. I noticed it with our collie, she was grand at the vets until I stupidly brought Arwen the middle dog with her when getting vaccinations and the collie started becoming nervous now she doesn't like going as much.
Thankfully she's very good but any dog can become scared for whatever reason even if they have been fine before this could of been a one off but either way great you're taking the pup to classes it will help hugely.
The classes are fun for you too.

lrushe

There is no such thing as agression in a puppy especially one as young as yours, it would be like everyone has said that he was scared and had a bad association with the vet. What I would suggest and its what I am doing with my Rottie pup at the moment is bring him everywhere with you to get him used to every situation possible, to the shops, to relaives, to pay some bills etc. and especially to the vets even sit in the waiting room for 10 mins every other day and keep the treats coming while he's there and this should help him become accustomed to the sounds, smells etc. and future visits should be so scary

Paul91

star-pants wrote: »

Aye sometimes dogs can pick up on things or if they have a bad memory of something it makes them very wary next time.
I would suggest you try visiting the vet just to say hello, that way the dog gets used to going / used to the vet and nothing bad happens. Might help a bit. If not, or even anyway, maybe training might be beneficial too.

good plan, i now take both my dogs to the Vets even if only was is getting anything done/checked this way they don't automatically think - Vet=Pain

fletch...

Maybe try get your dog accustomed to the smell of the vets at home? Remember visiting the hospital or dentist as a child - the smell immediatly knocks the fear into you. probably from bad memorys aswell.

also Peasant got it nail on the head, dogs are no eejits.

I'd loads of theories but realised i was waffling so deleted them :pac:

ghost_ie

For eight years my eldest dog trotted into the vet's with her tail wagging and never minded injections - including kennel cough - or other procedures. Two years ago the vet had to take her temperature. She has been wary of him ever since and the tail now goes down when we reach his door.

Something simple your vet did could have scared your pup and that's why he reacted aggressively. Try bringing treats with you when you visit the vet, and get the vet to give him one of them when the exam/injections are finished. Above all stay calm yourself. If you go in thinking "oh no, I hope he won't be aggressive again" the pup will pick up on your stress and will become stressed himself, thereby leading to the aggressive behaviour you don't want.