Should Vets Give Treats to Pets?

Do treats at the vet mean fewer bites and a less fearful pet? Photo:135pixels/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd, PhD Many companion animals are scared of visits to the vet . There is an established procedure for treating fear called desensitization and counter-conditioning (DS/CC) which involves feeding nice food in order to make something less scary. Yet many vets do not give treats to animals. A new paper by Karolina Westlund ( Karolinska Institute ) considers this reluctance, and looks at the evidence for and against. Westlund says, “Veterinarians and veterinary assistants have a choice whether or not to use treats when interacting with their patients; indeed a DS/CC procedure could be started the moment the animal enters the waiting room, and continue during weighing, consultation and examination. Could it be that staff assess the potential costs involved in feeding treats, but not the costs involved in not doing so?” If your pet has ever had to have a general ana