Elevate patient care using Fear Free

According to Marty Becker, DVM, founder of Fear Free, the mission of Fear Free, in its simplest form, is "looking at the emotional well-being of animals." In an interview with dvm360^®, Becker elucidated that although veterinary medicine is heavily revolved around the physical well-being of animals, the emotional well-being of animals is just as prevalent.

“Those of us who got into veterinary medicine thought we were going to look at the physical well-being—if a pet was sick or injured, we would treat it, we would do surgery, we would prescribe something, but we never thought about the emotional well-being,” he tells dvm360^® staff.

Becker also compared the emotional aspect of veterinary medicine to pediatrics. "[Veterinary professionals] have certainly never thought of ourselves as pediatricians, but that's basically what we are in veterinary medicine," he says.

"Every animal is equivalent of about a 1-year-old child, they’re taken against their will for healthcare…they have no idea why the procedure benefits them, they can’t anticipate or expect the relief of fear, anxiety, and stress, or pain even if it’s moments away and they have no control to flee the threat,” he added.

Watch the full video below to hear more of Becker's thoughts on Fear Free and how it can elevate the quality of patient care.