I'm an awful Mummy :(

I took Anna to get her microchip today and some shots and she cried and cried and cried and it made me sad. I got home and just held her and cuddled with her.

I know its for her own good, but she now hates the vet.

Dogs don't tend to hate the vet -- they won't generally even remember the next time they go in, which is likely months away. It is better to actually ignore a dog that is whining and making a lot of noise rather than cuddling as the attention rewards the fear and means the dog is likely to always produce this response to get attention. It is self-reinforcing. Most dogs take most of their reading on how to react from the owner, in other words. That's why people should never cuddle and fuss over dogs fearful of lightening, or at the vets, etc.

Did you tell the vet to give shots in the thigh? They really shouldn't be done in the neck on cavaliers. Also many vets recommend waiting to do chips until the dog is spayed or neutered as then the dog feels no discomfort. Because again this is something done on the neck I chip rescues when they are under for a neuter, if at all possible. I know the deed is now done but for anyone else considering a chip, it can be a good idea to wait til neutering.

The shot was done in thigh, but the microchip had to go to the neck and I'm not spaying Anna till she is older so that is kinda a moot point. I didn't cuddle her till we got home, but she was obviously still in pain. And that is what makes me sad

Is your vet close enough that you can drop by sometime? I stop in at my vet's office every few months. The dogs get weighed and get a treat....so they look forward to going to the vet's office

You're not a bad Mummy,Microchipping is the right thing to do,no matter what the age of the dog. The minor discomfort felt by the pup probably isn't any worse than the discomfort of the shots.
Cavaliers are so small it's not unreasonable to imagine they feel the chip a bit more than larger breeds.But in the overall scheme of things chipping is low on the discomfort scale when compared for example to tail docking.
At your next visit to the vet,have them check that the chip is in place and working and that the chip is recorded on a database.
I got Daisy when she was 11 weeks old and she was already microchipped.
It's been a requirement of the Irish kennel club to microchip before a litter can be registered, so hundreds of cavaliers have been safely chipped as young puppies since 2006.
I wonder if vets could be persuaded to use a local anaesthetic when chipping cavalier babies?
I don't want to sound unsympathetic,but I firmly believe that the benefits of early chipping outweigh the disadvantage of temporary discomfort.
I know you're feeling really guilty and upset that your sweet little puppy was distressed by the vet visit,but it beats the awful feeling of losing an unidentified pup and having little hope of being reunited.
I'm sure she'll be fine tomorrow and you'll both wake up in the morning glad that this day is behind you.
Sins

I can understand how you feel. When I got Puppy her shots in February (and her microchip on a separate visit), I felt a little bad. She's not at all scared of the vet, she thinks it's just another time to meet people that think she's cute but she was a little shivery when I got her back from her shots and her thighs were sensitive for a few days afterward. The sad part was that I felt bad when my roommate hit her (long story) and she yelped like the world was ending and crawled into my lap shivering because of her sensitive thighs.

The microchip part.. well... when I got her back from that, she was the exact same but with a bandana, not shaken or anything. She was just there for a microchip.. but I think they numbed the area or something. I don't know... the vet I went to to get it is a bit psycho. She's against killing ANYTHING - even a fly and some other stuff that doesn't make too much sense. Anyway, my dog has always been okay with the vet - I've never had a dog that's scared of the vet, but then, sometimes I think owners make their dogs scared by coddling them when they whine at the office. IDK - just my opinion.

I agree with the idea of taking her to the vet just because and having the staff give her treats and things so she'll be more okay with it. My new puppy goes with me every time I go to work (at a vets office) and he's always cuddled by the staff so so far he doesn't know the fears of getting shots - but even if he did, I don't think he'd care as long as he got treats.

It feels awful to do the right time sometimes doesn't it? I'll be in your shoes friday when I take Zoe in to get fixed... I have the next week off to make sure she recovers but I know I'll be feeling pretty horrible by Friday afternoon. Just have to remember what we do is for their own good right?
Tomorrow it'll just be a memory
-Osanna

Cavaliers are so small it's not unreasonable to imagine they feel the chip a bit more than larger breeds.But in the overall scheme of things chipping is low on the discomfort scale when compared for example to tail docking.

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Absolutely. IKC pups must be chipped before homing so this is regularly done before 8 weeks old. I'd always chip rather than not chip, but always try to have it done when the dog is going to be under GA anyway -- easier.

I've never had a dog that's scared of the vet, but then, sometimes I think owners make their dogs scared by coddling them when they whine at the office.

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IMHO and trainers will always agree -- probably the single biggest contributor. Dogs look to their owners for a reading of how to respond to what's going around them -- just like kids. Fussing, cuddling, etc reinforces the fear, rewards the fear behaviour, and worsens the problem and helps create an overly shy dog.

Incidentally, crate training a dog so you can bring the dog to the vet IN a crate is usually far more comfortable for the dog and also generally preferred by vet practices as it is better for all the clients and tends to keep dogs a lot calmer and happier.

Everytime I go to the vet, there is that person in the waiting room with the shivering dog sitting there drooling and whimpering and notoriously the owner is hugging them, saying over and over "it's okay, it's okay" and reinforcing the behavior. I want so badly to say, "you know, he's be a lot better if you stopped coddling him!"

I take sitting in the waiting room as an opportunity to work on a little obedience training. Simple sits, down, etc and none of my guys care about going there.

Our Golden did have a period of time when he was afraid of the vet. He had a lot of trouble with his ears and had to have a few painful ear cleanings in short order and then be put under a general for one. The next time I took him he lay down outside the door of the office and refused to move (try budging a 100 pound dog who has decided to stay put!). One of the vet techs came out took him for a short walk (which I had already tried) and he walked in nicely for her. Of course, most times the vet visits were painless and he loved the treats he got so he did get over his fear pretty quickly.

Your not a bad mum at all!

we all feel for them but as has been said, we need to make it positive experiences for them.

if its any consolation, Poppy my cav didnt flinch & she is tiny! yet my big brave akita boy cried like a baby at his chip!