Fear Free Veterinary Care Flashcards
What is Fear Free?
Fear Free is a way to practice veterinary medicine that involves being considerate of your patients’ emotional and physical wellbeing. The goal of Fear Free is to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the ppl that care for them.
What is stress caused by?
Stressors = events that disrupt the body’s normal fxn
What is FAS?
Fear, Anxiety, Stress
What are 3 techniques to help decrease FAS with patients?
- Considerate Approach
- Gentle Control
- Touch Gradient
What is Considerate Approach (CA)?
Encompasses the interaction btw the veterinary team and the patient and any inputs from the environment where veterinary care is being administered.
To follow considerate approach, when approaching canine and feline patients, what should be kept in mind to follow CA?
- avoid looming or leaning over
- avoid frontal approach and eye contact
- DO NOT extend your hands towards the patient
- turn your body sideways as you approach
- speak and move calmly
What is Gentle Control (GC)?
How the veterinary team comfortably and safely positions a patient (using a lure) to allow administration of veterinary care. The goal is to prevent or alleviate FAS.
What phrase is often used when implementing Gentle Control?
“Less is more”
- Regardless of the level of restraint deemed necessary the guidelines regarding restraint should be followed and body language needs to be monitored closely. Aborting a procedure is recommended if FAS is increasing.
What are the most sensitive and protected parts of most canine and feline bodies?
- paws
- muzzle/face
- ears
- anus
- tail
*touch receptors are denser in these areas
What does Touch Gradient include?
- Gliding from one area of the patient’s body to another
- Starting with less stressful parts of the body and working up to the most stressful part of the body
- Avoiding sporadic touching
What are 8 ways of minimizing environmental stress for patients?
- Pets stay with owners.
- Have everything ready for procedures.
- Spray pheromones onto bandanas, surface, towels
- Non-slip surfaces
- Calming music
- Keep medium to large breed dogs on the floor
- Cats and small dogs can be on elevated surfaces but consider an alternative platform that allows them to easily leave (or stay in owner’s arms)
- High value treats or other forms of motivation
What are Distraction Techniques?
Techniques in which we feed patients BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER the procedure and ensure the position is in a comfortable position. Helps to build positive associations with the procedure, staff, and enviro.
What is the general rule for restraint for felines?
Use two gentle hands and passive restraint.
- no SCRUFFING
What are the guidelines for stopping restraint for feline and canine patients respectively?
Feline
- struggles for more than 2 seconds
Canine
- struggles for more than 3 seconds
*a patient not responding to food or distraction is also an indication to stop
What are some things to do if the distraction and/or restraint method is not working?
- STOP
- increase food value
- change handling technique
- change environment
- communicate to owner the signs of stress
- decide if medication would be beneficial
- consider rescheduling with supplements, PVPs and/or sedation
- consider R+ trainer referral
