09/14/2026
Sometimes the best patient care means slowing down and doing things a little differently. 💗🐾
Meet Charlie! Charlie experiences quite a bit of fear and anxiety at the veterinary hospital, so when he came in for his dental procedure, our team created a plan specifically around his needs.
Instead of separating Charlie from his dad first thing in the morning, we kept them together while we began his sedation. Charlie was able to stay in a familiar room, being comforted and held by his person while our team worked slowly around him.
Before giving his injection, Rosa used a gradual-touch approach, allowing Charlie to become comfortable with her hands on him before proceeding. Once his initial sedation had taken effect, we were even able to place his IV catheter in the room and give additional sedation before moving him into our treatment area — one of the parts of a hospital visit that can be especially stressful for him.
By the time Charlie came back to treatment, he was already deeply relaxed. That meant less fear, less struggling, and a calmer, smoother transition into anesthesia. ❤️
And our individualized plan didn’t stop when his dental was finished. Because confinement can be particularly stressful for Charlie, he recovered comfortably outside of a kennel while our team closely monitored him. Once he was fully awake and beginning to show us that he was ready to leave, we had Dad come pick him up rather than keeping him in the hospital unnecessarily.
There isn’t one “right” way to care for every patient.
Some pets need extra time. Some need medication. Some do better with their person beside them. Some need fewer hands, quieter spaces, gradual touch, or a different recovery environment.
Our goal is to meet each patient where they are and create a plan that makes veterinary care as safe and low-stress as we can. For Charlie, that meant keeping Dad close, moving slowly, and minimizing the parts of his visit that we knew would be hardest for him.
And he did wonderfully. 🥹💗