Why more clinics may rethink pet parent restraint during dog exams

Veterinarians are getting a clearer picture of why dog handling decisions during exams can be so difficult, and why letting a pet parent hold a dog is often riskier than it seems. A new Frontiers in Veterinary Science qualitative study, published March 20, 2026, interviewed 17 veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada and found that handling choices are shaped by a constant balancing act among patient behavior, safety risks, staffing, clinic workflow, client expectations, and the veterinarian’s own wellbeing. Those findings line up with a recent dvm360 “Veterinary Vexations” risk-management piece, which warns that when pet parents insist on holding or restraining animals during exams, bites, scratches, and liability exposure can follow. The article recommends pre-visit screening, trained staff restraint, appropriate tools, and clear clinic safety policies instead. (public-pages-files-2025.frontiersin.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about saying no to pet parents and more about standardizing safer, lower-stress care. The Frontiers study found veterinarians often start with minimal restraint and escalate only when needed, including muzzles, towels, pre-visit pharmaceuticals, sedation, or moving handling to a treatment area with trained support staff. AAHA guidance similarly says forceful manual restraint raises injury risk for staff and patients, while humane, low-stress handling can improve safety, efficiency, and the care experience. (frontiersin.org)

What to watch: Expect more clinics to formalize written policies on pet parent participation, pre-visit behavior screening, and when trained staff, anxiolytics, or sedation should replace client-assisted restraint. (frontiersin.org)