Hermitage Veterinary Hospital

Do you dread bringing your terrified dog to the vet? Does your cat see you bring out the carrier and immediately put up a struggle? Here at Hermitage Veterinary Hospital, we are trying to alleviate your fears by making your pet's visit (and ultimately yours) even better. The majority of our staff are “fear free” Certified. Fear Free is a program to help lessen your animal's stress when they come to the vet. "Fear Free" is a program developed by Dr. Marty Becker that consists of several online learning modules. It promotes less confining restraint techniques and utilizes a variety of methods to help reduce your pet's anxiety and fear when they come in for a visit. For example, you will see an Adaptil or Feliway diffuser in each of our exam rooms. These secrete a pheromone that your pet can sense that helps keep them calm. You may also notice we have made some changes to our exam tables; we now have non-slip mats on these surfaces so that your pet can be more comfortable. Did you know that your dog doesn't always like tight hugs? They often back off from more confining restraint. The "Fear Free" method recommends using a lot of food-based rewards to make a veterinary visit more comfortable for your pet. We don't want to forget our feline friends either! We have a "cat only" exam room and waiting area in our clinic to improve your cat's experience.