Grooming and Medicinal Support

So you gone through the counter conditioning steps and your pup still squirms, fights, growls etc.. Maybe the issue is more than fear or discomfort. Maybe the pup feels pain while being brushed or while having her nails done or ears cleaned, etc.. When an animal is in pain, counter conditioning might not work.


If your pup continues to have problems with grooming, talk to your allopathic/conventional vet or your holistic vet about a pain assessment or maybe even some remedies or medications that might help alleviate pain.

If pain management doesn't seem to help or if pain doesn't seem to be the issue, sometimes pets need a bit of support to go along with counter conditioning and desensitization - especially those pets who have generalized anxiety or those who have been through a trauma. Talk to your holistic vet about remedies for anxiety or talk to a board certified vet behaviorist about situational and/or long term anxiety medication.  Be sure to do you own independent research about what ever medication is prescribed. 

Some vets still prescribe acepromazine (ACE) which can the problematic for many dogs.
Dr Karen Overall on ACE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-GsmrFYHKk



See more on ACE here: http://www.stubbypuddin.com/2015/01/pet-medications-acepromazine.html

A list of veterinary behaviorists in the United States: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/
For other countries right to the folks at the above link for a list for your country.