06/03/2026
It's hump day, all! Great job getting halfway through the week. As positive reinforcement, we've got another Work-Up Wednesday for you!
Patient: 11 month-old neutered Labrador/Miniature Poodle
Presented for: Separation anxiety/restlessness and generalized anxiety particularly with grooming
History: Not too much of a history on this boy since he came into us as just a pup! But he was a textbook "velcro" dog never left alone for more than a few minutes, and that's the way he liked it. As a Poodle mix, he also has hefty grooming requirements that he struggled getting comfortable with. Attempts to get his nails trimmed or a full-body grooming done, even with the help of Gabapentin, were unsuccessful.
Where we come in:
Many times vets or even owners can be hesitant to reach out to a Behaviorist early on and leverage behavior modifying medications. Dr. Emmons actually gets excited to see a young patient on her schedule. Not only are puppies super cute (duh!) but modifying behaviors and teaching owners appropriate management while a patient is still learning about the world can be lifechanging.
Grooming can also be a big trigger. With nails or non-shedding breeds, it's a bit of a snowball. The pet rejects care, hair gets more matted or nails get long, the patient gets more uncomfortable, and trying to address the hair or nails gets more painful. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do while moving toward getting comfortable with handling is to make the process as low stress as possible. We gave him some sedation; he had a nice nap and went home a new man with a fresh haircut and short nails. After his procedure, he was back to restfully sleeping and then allowed the owners to start working with him feeling much more comfortable in his own skin (literally). They have even been successful trimming his nails on their own with the help of behavior meds and lots of patience working him up to that point!
