What are PVPs?

PVPs (Pre-Visit Pharmaceuticals) are oral medications intended to reduce stress and anxiety related to veterinary visits or other stressful events. These medications can allow your pet to be more relaxed and comfortable during visits, which facilitates handling and helps prevent the escalation of fear and anxiety at future visits.

It is very important to allow enough time for these medications to take full effect before a source of stress is introduced. We recommend giving the medications 2-3 hours before the appointment time. Each pet is different and may require more or less time for the medications to take effect.

Please keep in mind that these medications are meant to be used in conjunction with training and desensitization exercises to achieve the best results. Please ask your veterinarian for recommendations to local behaviorists and trainers to help with this process. Star of Texas also has behavior focused technicians on staff to help patients become more comfortable with handling in the veterinary clinic. These technicians offer training sessions called Happy Visits and Victory Visits which help build trust in the veterinary setting. Please visit the Fear Free page on our website for more information about these services

Your pet is likely to be sleepy at home before arriving at the veterinary hospital, including lethargy or low energy, droopy eyes, and walking off balance. Once they arrive at the vet hospital, the fear response will dramatically increase adrenaline, decreasing effects of the medication. Back at home after the visit, adrenaline levels normalize, they will be more sleepy again.

Since each pet is an individual, it can be trial and error to find the right medication, or combination of medications, to reach the desired reduction of anxiety. In-clinic Happy Visits are a great way to test the effectiveness of prescribed medications prior to scheduled appointments.

Your veterinarian will prescribe a medication, or combination of medications, safe for their size, age, and medical conditions. The combination gives us a synergistic, or additive effect so we can use lower doses of each individual medication. Side effects are generally limited to the expected effects of sedation, but rare side effects are possible.

For some pets, these oral anxiety medications can prevent injectable sedation for veterinary procedures. For other pets, the oral medications will allow us to use lower doses of injectable sedatives, and decrease the stress and anxiety around giving injectable medications.

Your veterinary team cares greatly about your pet’s wellbeing: the state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy. This means that while we are trying to keep your pet healthy medically, we cannot ignore the signs of mental distress such as fear, stress, and anxiety that are present while your pet is in our care. The goal of using PVPs is to improve your pet’s wellbeing at the veterinary hospital so we can provide the medical care they need, as well as keep them happy and healthy for as long as possible.

What are PVPs?

PVPs (Pre-Visit Pharmaceuticals) are oral medications intended to reduce stress and anxiety related to veterinary visits or other stressful events. These medications can allow your pet to be more relaxed and comfortable during visits, which facilitates handling and helps prevent the escalation of fear and anxiety at future visits.

It is very important to allow enough time for these medications to take full effect before a source of stress is introduced. We recommend giving the medications 2-3 hours before the appointment time. Each pet is different and may require more or less time for the medications to take effect.

Please keep in mind that these medications are meant to be used in conjunction with training and desensitization exercises to achieve the best results. Please ask your veterinarian for recommendations to local behaviorists and trainers to help with this process. Star of Texas also has behavior focused technicians on staff to help patients become more comfortable with handling in the veterinary clinic. These technicians offer training sessions called Happy Visits and Victory Visits which help build trust in the veterinary setting. Please visit the Fear Free page on our website for more information about these services

Your pet is likely to be sleepy at home before arriving at the veterinary hospital, including lethargy or low energy, droopy eyes, and walking off balance. Once they arrive at the vet hospital, the fear response will dramatically increase adrenaline, decreasing effects of the medication. Back at home after the visit, adrenaline levels normalize, they will be more sleepy again.

Since each pet is an individual, it can be trial and error to find the right medication, or combination of medications, to reach the desired reduction of anxiety. In-clinic Happy Visits are a great way to test the effectiveness of prescribed medications prior to scheduled appointments.

Your veterinarian will prescribe a medication, or combination of medications, safe for their size, age, and medical conditions. The combination gives us a synergistic, or additive effect so we can use lower doses of each individual medication. Side effects are generally limited to the expected effects of sedation, but rare side effects are possible.

For some pets, these oral anxiety medications can prevent injectable sedation for veterinary procedures. For other pets, the oral medications will allow us to use lower doses of injectable sedatives, and decrease the stress and anxiety around giving injectable medications.

Your veterinary team cares greatly about your pet’s wellbeing: the state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy. This means that while we are trying to keep your pet healthy medically, we cannot ignore the signs of mental distress such as fear, stress, and anxiety that are present while your pet is in our care. The goal of using PVPs is to improve your pet’s wellbeing at the veterinary hospital so we can provide the medical care they need, as well as keep them happy and healthy for as long as possible.