Fear Free

The "Fear-Free" color palette by Heather Lewis, AIA, NCARB.r Lewis, AIA, NCARB

A growing trend in selecting paint colors for a veterinary practice is to follow the "Fear-Free" design ideology, a template that outlines how to use your clinic's interior design to contribute to a low-stress environment for patients.  But what's the science?  Architect Heather Lewis states,

"A common misconception among pet owners is that dogs are colorblind. In reality, dogs have dichromatic vision and can see most of the range of colors humans can see. Though they can’t distinguish colors in the 510 to 590 nanometers, or wavelengths, range—between green to orange. Other key functions in canine vision include seeing better in low light than humans can, and being able to see into the ultraviolet UVB spectrum. "

Feline color perception is different than dogs but does have similar characteristics. Cat's vision is trichromatic, but they can’t see colors with as much precision as humans do. They also discern the blue and violet end of the spectrum better than the red end."

Any methods of preventing stress only serve to benefit both client and patient - especially since pets feeling anxious may hide the symptoms that prompted the vet visit, and may even alter their test results.

So as we troubleshoot some calming colors on our clinic walls - what do you wish your veterinarian did to reduce stress for your pet's visit?  Managing the environment is not the same as modifying the behavior, but we hope that each small change helps to make a positive change in how your pet views the vet.