Vet waiting room etiquette

[skinnydipper]

We have had many visits to a specialist vet hospital over the last 2 years and as my dog has a lifelong condition there will be many more. It is a long appointment and we spend a lot of time in the waiting room.

She is a good dog and either lies at my feet and goes to sleep or if she is restless I keep her attention on me. I don’t want anything to happen in the waiting room to change this. She needs to be happy and willing to go. The vet thinks she is lovely, she tolerates uncomfortable examinations and is calm and friendly.

This list is based on things she has had to tolerate in the waiting room and which, with some thought from other owners, could have been prevented.

If you have an aggressive dog then do not sit where your dog has the opportunity to launch itself at every dog entering and exiting the waiting room.​

​

If your dog is fixated on another dog and growling continuously, please remove it from the waiting room.​

​

Do not assure someone that your dog is dog friendly only for it to launch itself at the other dog and try to take her face off.​

​

Do not allow your dog to reach the end of its extending lead, enabling it to stare into the face of a dog who is minding her own business. It is not polite dog behaviour.​

​

Do not stand talking, not paying attention to your dog at the end of its lead, and allow it to try and shove its snout up the jacksie of a dog who is lying peacefully at her owner’s feet.​

​

If you are the owner of a small reactive dog that’s kicking off at any dog within a 10ft radius, it’s probably best not to call across the waiting room to ask the owner of a big dog who is quietly minding her own business if her dog is aggressive and when assured she isn’t don’t think that is an invitation to stride across the waiting room, thrust your hand forward and stroke her. She looks to me for confirmation that it’s okay and neither of us gave our consent.​

​

When people and their dogs are complete assholes I take her outside even though we are not the problem. I do it for her sake as even though she does tolerate it, it’s really not very nice for her.

 

[ycbm]

If you have a dog don't wait with it in the cat area!
.

 

[oldandgold]

Could also add don't let your darling child come and say hello to doggy - doggy (or in my case Me) might not like it

 

[blackcob]

I worked for several years on the front desk and it was a source of both endless fascination and horror at what people thought was acceptable. My own dogs wait in the car and get taken through a side door.

 

[fetlock]

If you have a dog don't wait with it in the cat area!
.

And if there’s no cat waiting area, don’t let your dog come over to any cat carriers
Can’t believe the amount who think that’s acceptable

 

[Barton Bounty]

I was going to quote just a couple of paragraphs but the more I read it the more i agree with it all for my dog as is.

She is deaf, cannot hear a single thing, has never heard another dog bark or growl, wouldnt know what it was, yet when I sit away from everyone they think it is fine to let their dogs on extending leads up in my little woos face annoys the hell out of me.

I can happily let her off the lead even in a busy place as she walks to heel and never bothers with any other dogs.

 

[twiggy2]

I worked for several years on the front desk and it was a source of both endless fascination and horror at what people thought was acceptable. My own dogs wait in the car and get taken through a side door.

Same here, I don't take any of mine in till the vet is ready, some dogs behave very out of character at the vets as they are so nervous, space is limited and I can concentrate trace.
I check in, dog comes in qhen vets ready, dog goes straight back to the vehicle and then I go back in and pay.

 

[Cortez]

All of that is horrifying, but just comes under “people”, really. I leave mine in the car until called.

 

[scats]

When I take my cats or Guinea pigs I get sick of dogs on extendable leads coming to ‘say hello’ to my pet in their carrier.
My pet is anxious enough in a strange place in a carry case and does not want a dog it doesn’t know coming right up to it.

The lack of intelligence, or even basic common sense, in this world terrifies me.

 

[Patterdale]

When I was waiting in the specialist the other day, with my dog *with an unstable broken pelvis* lying in her crate trying to be kept quiet, a man came in with two pugs actually OFF THE LEAD. They obviously came up to my dog who was very distressed and trying to move. I snapped and the receptionist asked him to put it on a lead, so he did and then sat near to me allowing them to do the same thing but on the lead. I was about to unleash fury on him when he got called in.

People are unbelievable sometimes.

 

[MurphysMinder]

And if there’s no cat waiting area, don’t let your dog come over to any cat carriers
Can’t believe the amount who think that’s acceptable

Yes this ! My elderly cat although used to dogs , is nearly blind . So she does not need dogs sticking their faces in her carrier when we are in the cat area . She has to go regularly for blood pressure checks and it happens nearly every time . Doesn’t help her bp I’m sure

 

[Clodagh]

Tawny loves the vets and drags me in the door. I do take her in to wait as she enjoys it. It is a big waiting room though with corners and I sit with her blocked from other dogs and tell the owners she is contagious. She does go behind reception and eat biscuits though. They invite her.
The others dislike it so stay in the car until I am next when I get them and wait outside by the door until it is my turn.
Vets smell horrible to dogs, there’s often a dog making a noise in recovery and it must be such a sensory bombardment. Mine don’t go into shops or anywhere with strip lighting/odd noises so I assume the vets is more stressful for them than if I did all that.
Having said all that I agree with everything that has been said above. Basic manners no longer exist.

 

[Tiddlypom]

There isn't a separate cat (or maybe anything that's not a dog) waiting area at my small animal vets - that's a good idea, though.

I was first in and the only person waiting when I took the cat in for her annual check earlier this week. When the vet brought her back after taking her out the back for vet nurse assistance with her blood pull there was an excited and bouncy golden retriever in the waiting area blocking the entrance/exit doors. The vet immediately offered to carry her (in her carrier) straight out to the car for me, which I was grateful for. I'm tall, but he was taller!

Next time I'll keep her in the car til called, I think.

 

[Clodagh]

There isn't a separate cat (or maybe anything that's not a dog) waiting area at my small animal vets - that's a good idea, though.

I was first in and the only person waiting when I took the cat in for her annual check earlier this week. When the vet brought her back after taking her out the back for vet nurse assistance with her blood pull there was an excited and bouncy golden retriever in the waiting area blocking the entrance/exit doors. The vet immediately offered to carry her straight out to the car for me, which I was grateful for. I'm tall, but he was taller!

Next time I'll keep her in the car til called, I think.

Our vets have a table for carriers to be put on. May be worth a suggestion if there is room? I always think any small animal in a carrier at floor level must be worried.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Ive smacked a few dogs on the snout for sticking their noses at my degus carry case.

The owners seems to sit up and take notice at that but not at the dogs actually approaching the case, usually again at the end of their leads or with the owners coming over after hearing them squeaking or burbling.

I’ve given up speaking to the owners as all I get is ‘my dog is friendly and loves small animals’ well my degus live in a dog and cat free environment so you’re scaring the sh!t out of them hence the frantic squeaking.

I sit in the cat arena now with them, the vet practice is very understanding.

 

[Arzada]

Don't let your child practise their baton tossing in the waiting area

 

[Quigleyandme]

Not a vet’s waiting room but a pub in Devon. Four of us were sitting at a table in the beer garden. Our meals were brought out and while my friend was extracting her cutlery from the napkin in which it was wrapped this Labrador on an extending lead jumped up and grabbed her steak right off her plate. The owner laughed. It was suggested they pay for the steak whereupon they said something rude and left. Like Cortez, my cats stay in the car until called in for their vet appointment. Maybe that’s how it’s routinely done in Ireland.

 

[Clodagh]

Not a vet’s waiting room but a pub in Devon. Four of us were sitting at a table in the beer garden. Our meals were brought out and while my friend was extracting her cutlery from the napkin in which it was wrapped this Labrador on an extending lead jumped up and grabbed her steak right off her plate. The owner laughed. It was suggested they pay for the steak whereupon they said something rude and left. Like Cortez, my cats stay in the car until called in for their vet appointment. Maybe that’s how it’s routinely done in Ireland.

I work at a pub in Devon and dogs are a nightmare! Never seen anything that extreme though.

 

[ArklePig]

Someone asked me once if I could open my guinea pig carrier so their dog knew what the smell was.

I think the F not.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

We leave ours in the car, have done for many years since the majority of pet owners began to lose the run of themselves. Unless an extreme emergency when we know we are going to be ushered straight into the examination room.

 

[Parrotperson]

If you have a dog don't wait with it in the cat area!
.

On occasion I was sent to wait with my last jrt in the cat room! Mainly because the dog waiting area was full of big dogs misbehaving which she couldn’t cope with. Nowhere else to go.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I always wait by myself and leave the dog in the car. One vet I use gives you a buzzer to sit in the car with, obviously a covid measure which has worked!

 

[asmp]

Our vets have a table for carriers to be put on. May be worth a suggestion if there is room? I always think any small animal in a carrier at floor level must be worried.

My vets has a high ledge behind the chairs to put the cat baskets on while waiting.

 

[fetlock]

There’s no car park at mine so can’t leave in the car and just a privacy a privacy screen with table behind for cats or rather a single cat.

I did once notify the receptionist I was going to wait outside due to the pack of unruly and loud dogs (and ignorant owners) in that day and she wasn’t very happy, saying you might miss your turn, to which I said I’m just behind your door- six steps further for you or the vet to call me. She shut up then. Next time the privacy screen was there but it’s not much use really.

I tell the dog owners straight or once a pointed glare/tut/seated flounce doesn’t make them take the hint.

 

[Supertrooper]

We have had many visits to a specialist vet hospital over the last 2 years and as my dog has a lifelong condition there will be many more. It is a long appointment and we spend a lot of time in the waiting room.

She is a good dog and either lies at my feet and goes to sleep or if she is restless I keep her attention on me. I don’t want anything to happen in the waiting room to change this. She needs to be happy and willing to go. The vet thinks she is lovely, she tolerates uncomfortable examinations and is calm and friendly.

This list is based on things she has had to tolerate in the waiting room and which, with some thought from other owners, could have been prevented.

If you have an aggressive dog then do not sit where your dog has the opportunity to launch itself at every dog entering and exiting the waiting room.​

​

If your dog is fixated on another dog and growling continuously, please remove it from the waiting room.​

​

Do not assure someone that your dog is dog friendly only for it to launch itself at the other dog and try to take her face off.​

​

Do not allow your dog to reach the end of its extending lead, enabling it to stare into the face of a dog who is minding her own business. It is not polite dog behaviour.​

​

Do not stand talking, not paying attention to your dog at the end of its lead, and allow it to try and shove its snout up the jacksie of a dog who is lying peacefully at her owner’s feet.​

​

If you are the owner of a small reactive dog that’s kicking off at any dog within a 10ft radius, it’s probably best not to call across the waiting room to ask the owner of a big dog who is quietly minding her own business if her dog is aggressive and when assured she isn’t don’t think that is an invitation to stride across the waiting room, thrust your hand forward and stroke her. She looks to me for confirmation that it’s okay and neither of us gave our consent.​

​

When people and their dogs are complete assholes I take her outside even though we are not the problem. I do it for her sake as even though she does tolerate it, it’s really not very nice for her.

We luckily have three consult rooms so will put any dog that is obviously going to cause issues in a spare one. Or we will ask client to wait outside.

We also will provide leads for people who just bring their dog in without them.

And ask clients to put cats back into carriers rather than have them sitting on their laps

There is nothing as strange or stupid as the public, believe me and you def see it all working in a vets

 

[[153312]]

And if there’s no cat waiting area, don’t let your dog come over to any cat carriers
Can’t believe the amount who think that’s acceptable

this has happened to me with various small mammals before.
If the owner ignores "Please get your dog away NOW" I shove it away myself with my foot/leg....call me a b1tch but there it is

 

[Tiddlypom]

I wouldn't put a cat carrier on a high ledge in a waiting room, I'd rather have the carrier firmly held on my lap. Enter a large unruly dog who might promptly put its paws and snout on the ledge to investigate and knocks carrier + cat flying...

Keeping the pet in the car until called in for the appointment really does make the most sense.

I do, though, have a good line in loud stern 'Stop that nonsense at once' commands which seem to get numpties scuttling about gathering up their errant pets (and children, come to that ).

 

[AmyMay]

My vets are still not allowing anyone in the waiting are. Win, win

 

[Zoeypxo]

Very lucky that my vets have a back door so i wait in the car for a phone call to come through the back.
Mine is reactive and wouldnt want to upset her or other dogs in the waiting room

 

[Annette4]

Dobby and Fizz both stay in the van, unless I'm the last appointment of the day and no one else in the waiting room. I'll either wait and nip to fetch them if it's a cool day or let the receptionist know I'm outside if its warm.

The other two I tend to just have on my knee but will do the same if it's busy. I've moved to a much smaller practice though and seem to be the only person in the waiting room 99% of the time so haven't had any issues here.

I've seen people letting their dog pee up displays without apology or offering to clean it, let their dog approach Dobby (muzzled, NO DOGS bright yellow lead and held very close by my legs) and looked at me like dirt when he kicked off and had them try to fuss Ginny despite my 'she doesnt like strangers' warning who was on my knee snarling as their hand approached.