Transporting animals to veterinary care is a welfare challenge in itself — fear, motion sickness, and physical stress can compound the health problem that required treatment.
Veterinary transport stress is a welfare harm that compounds the underlying health concern requiring treatment. Animals unfamiliar with carriers, vehicles, and veterinary environments experience transport as a threat requiring escape — a physiological stress state that affects the clinical examination and recovery. Carrier-trained cats, anxiety-medicated fearful dogs, and telehealth consultations for appropriate conditions meaningfully reduce transport welfare harm.