I had to take one of our cats to the vet today, in what was supposed to be a quieter time slot.
As it was raining, I thought it would be unfair to ask the vet to follow our usual routine, in which they kindly fetch and return in the car park, to avoid me going in.
Inside, there were already two dogs, which I really don't like. My stress level was rising, but the wait was quite short. After the appointment, a HUGE dog was barking and misbehaving right outside the consulting room. I recoiled, the vet moved them aside, and I left through the two sets of doors of an enclosed, porch area (I think of it as an airlock).
As soon as I got outside, the alarm on the car next to mine went off, with a horrendous, high-pitched siren. I retreated into the airlock, feeling trapped and panicky. The alarm then stopped, so I went back outside - only for it to go off again.
I then retreated all the way inside, now very agitated, and told the receptionist that I couldn't get to my car. Thankfully, it belonged to a gentleman who was being served, so he quickly dealt with it (he'd accidentally locked his colleague inside, but hadn't recognised the sound).
So it was a lose-lose situation. Even if I'd waited in the car, the alarm would still have gone off right next to me. Next time, I'll take my earplugs - which, of course, I didn't have with me :(
How do you get on with visiting the vet, and what coping strategies (if any) do you use?
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