PVPs are not about sedation or "knocking pets out." Instead, they are gentle, short-acting medications that help take the edge off, making it easier for your pet to process and adapt to new surroundings, people, and procedures. For many pets, this is the first step toward changing how they feel about veterinary care.
We do require PVPs for all feline patients. As a fear free practice, we are committed to eliminating fear, anxiety, and stress for our patients. In a veterinary setting, most cats begin at a higher level of fear, anxiety, and stress than is ideal for them or for us.
We may recommend PVPs if your pet has shown signs of fear, anxiety, or stress during past visits—such as shaking, hiding, growling, trying to escape, or shutting down. When you fill out a registration form, we will ask you to evaluate your pet’s fear, anxiety, and stress. We utilize this information to determine if PVPs are necessary. In some cases, we’ll ask you to reschedule the visit with medication if we see that continuing the appointment would cause emotional harm or reinforce fear.
Our goal with PVPs is not just to get through a single visit, but to support your pet in building confidence over time. When used thoughtfully and in combination with confidence building visits and positive reinforcement, these tools can help your pet learn that coming to the vet doesn’t have to be scary.
If you have any concerns about medications or wonder whether they might help your pet, we’re happy to talk through options with you. We always tailor our recommendations to what’s best for your pet’s individual needs—because a low-stress experience starts with a plan designed just for them.
