Fear, anxiety, and stress at the vet are common in dogs and cause suffering that extends well beyond the clinic visit. Fear-free approaches benefit animal welfare and veterinary care quality.
Fear at the veterinary clinic causes real suffering: the anticipatory anxiety begins long before arrival, the physiological stress response during the visit is intense, and the experience contaminates the human-animal relationship. Dogs who have had aversive veterinary experiences become progressively more fearful, avoiding handling and examination — meaning their welfare is compromised not just during visits but by the avoidance of necessary care. Fear-free veterinary practice is not a luxury but a welfare necessity: clinics that use appropriate handling, reduced restraint, and positive reinforcement provide better care because they are seeing animals in lower states of distress.