River City Veterinary Services

28/08/2022

Meet Lady. ❤️ This gorgeous girl is thriving at age 14! Age should not be a reason to decline healthcare for our senior pets. Age is not a disease.

15/08/2022

Just like people, no two dogs are alike. They each have different medical and behavioral needs. We shouldn’t expect them to like the same people, pets or things. It is OK to be different.

18/07/2022

We often forget we can switch things up for our feline patients as well. By taking the time to change the setting for this cat, we avoided an escalation that would have resulted in us not being able to examine him.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRrQstYD/?k=1

Sometimes we forget we can change things up to make our feline patients visits better also. This was an easy fix and made this kitty feel so much better about his visit.

10/07/2022

Animals are often labeled as being “fine” when they are showing clear signs of distress, fear, and pain.
Watch, listen, and be transparent about an animal’s body language and stress signals during medical procedures.
Vet staff advocate for your patients. Owners advocate for your pet.

08/07/2022

Perfecting transferring of contact can make a huge difference with nervous or reactive patients!

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTRF2p6X1/?k=1

30 second touch tip! Pets are often nervous about the doctor touching them. Blocking their view of the doctor and transferring contact is an easy way to alleviate some of these fears. ...

09/06/2022

A scary scale experience at the beginning of your appointment can undo the entire thing. Here’s an easy way to get your patients on the scale without force.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTd3fJ8FD/?k=1

How we treat our patients today, affects their treatment tomorrow. Quick scale tip!

06/06/2022

Great information for pet owners

20/05/2022

Here’s an easy tip on administering the oral
Kennel cough vaccine!

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdtfLkqt/?k=1

Ten second tip!

19/05/2022

Knowing what your patient finds valuable is important information to have documented in the medical record.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdGc45Kn/?k=1

How upping treat value can reduce early signs of anxiety and stress in our patients ...

13/05/2022

Mouth Exam Tips and Tricks!

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdsj4JU3/?k=1

Sometimes it only takes an extra 39 seconds but makes all the difference in their world

13/05/2022

07/05/2022

Starting your patients care off with the proper approach can change the trajectory of your appointment.

06/05/2022

For those with reactive dogs looking for care. We welcome you to The Reactive Referral Center! https://www.facebook.com/TheReactiveReferralCenter/

Providing veterinary care for cats and dogs of West Michigan.

20/04/2022

So often we find pain goes unnoticed in our canine patients. They rarely vocalize or completely stop doing their favorite activities. Often times they will slow down, become hesitant to do the stairs or develop an abnormal gait.
Chronic pain deeply impacts quality of life and behavior. It is so important for us as veterinarians to evaluate each patient for pain and to discuss options with owners.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdXBhur9/

Pain management is key to a good quality of life.

13/04/2022

Respect is at the heart of it all ❤️
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdQhva6w/

All our patients are deserving of respect. #...

12/04/2022

This is why It matters how we handle our patients. Our interactions can change their outlook on the world. Respect them, slow down and get further in the long run.
We love you Peetie!

“It can’t be done your way. It has to be done Peetie’s way”
-Peetie’s Mom

😭 I’m not crying you’re crying 😭

This is Peetie. She had a very rough start to life and her new family joined one of our semi-private classes in hopes of building her confidence around new people, dogs and places. At our first class she cowered in a room out of sight.

After two rounds of semi-private classes, a lot of hard work from Peetie’s family, and some help from our friends at the reactive referral center, tonight at graduation Peetie was able to work with a stranger on leash, outside and perform her cues. 🎊🎉
👏 THIS 👏 IS 👏 HUGE 👏

Here is Peetie’s way

🐾 Peetie needs you to respect her body language. Listen to what she is saying and how she is feeling because she communicates quite clearly if you take the time to listen.

🐾 When she tells you she’s uncomfortable. She wants you to slow down. Give her time to process. Don’t push her into a scary situation. Allow her to move in closer and closer as she feels more and more safe.

🐾 She asks that you approach her from the side instead of from the front and leaning over top of her. Because in a dog’s language that’s inappropriate.

🐾 And this one is non-negotiable. She asks that you pay in forms of hotdogs or baby food for her good girl work.

Peetie’s way is simply asking for respect. And all things are deserving of respect. I’m always willing to do it Peetie’s way.

Happy Graduation Day Sweet Peets! 🥳

23/03/2022

We had way too much fun making this one 😂 https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPd5kEKDj/

Things in a reactive referral center that just make sense ...

18/03/2022

Ear exams can be the hardest part of our veterinary exam. By paying attention to body language and adjusting our methods early, we can often get through them. https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdfGeHUr/?k=1

Low Stress Ear Exam

14/03/2022

Blood Draw Tips: Low Stress Patient

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Tips for low stress blood draws.

10/03/2022

Follow us on TikTok for tips and tricks on handling fearful patients

Make Your Day

26/10/2021

29/07/2021

Starting this fall, Plainfield Pet Hospital will be hosting River City Veterinary Services on Thursdays and Fridays by appointment only. Dr. Paukette and her team of LVT’s specialize in wellness care for highly reactive dogs and cats with an additional focus on pain management and behavior. River City works on a referral basis with patients who are intensely fearful and reactive. These patients often require extra time in a safe and quiet environment.

Since Dr. Paukette started practicing 23 years ago, she has done extensive training focusing on gentle control and considerate approach with reactive patients. She has been on the Fear Free Advisory board for the past 2 years. Her training extends beyond animal handling into client communication. Unfortunately, clients who have reactive pets are often embarrassed , afraid, and ashamed to bring their pet into the vet for routine healthcare because of their behavior. Dr. Paukette and her team are able to communicate the importance of the body language associated with fear and anxiety. This enables pet owners to understand how their pet is trying to communicate with them. We provide the client with resources and a skilled team of people. This includes positive reinforcement trainers that we work side by side with. River City does not believe in medicating without discussing and instituting behavior modification techniques. We know that it is important to put in place environmental control parameters to ensure the safety of both people and pets. This team approach is the most effective way to help set these patients and their owners up for success.

Many of our patients often have to be medicated prior to their visit, which can be set up via a telemedicine appointment. River City has experience with several safe and successful protocols to help ease patient's anxiety prior to and during their appointment. Additionally, Dr. Paukette has a strong focus on pain management and the importance it plays in behavior changes in pets.

River City is a strong believer in the importance of the emotional health of animals and the direct link it has on their medical health. We believe in listening to what our patients are telling us with their body language, and respecting them.

Please feel free to contact us via our email address: [email protected]

03/05/2021

Reactive Wellness Veterinary Care. A resource for other Veterinary professionals and clients with highly reactive dogs and cats.

It is no longer acceptable to ignore the fear, anxiety and stress of our pets. It is just as important to address the emotional as well as the physical health of animals.

We know that fear can cause permanent damage to the brain as well as affect the overall health of that pet. We focus on techniques such as gentle control, touch gradient, pain management, and sedation protocols to reduce fear, anxiety and stress in our patients.