Reducing stress during vet visits Flashcards
trigger stacking in relation to vet visits
Kept indoors -> food withheld -> picked up -> placed in carrier -> transport -> waiting room -> examination
why many ‘low stress’ initiatives focus on reducing
stress for cats during veterinary visits
cats have much more thresholds for fear, stress, and anxiety during clinic visits
to reduce veterinary visit stress
starts with owner education
- Behavior modification techniques to reduce fear & anxiety => D & CC
- carrier training
training to travel in car
- cookie visits
- use of calming remedies/medications => pheromone sprays, medications to reduce fear (gabapentin)
- manage owner’s stress
- socialization
finding right cat carrier
- Leave carrier out all the time -> make it a less scary place
- Place absorbent and comfy cloth or towel that smells like you or your cat on the bottom of carrier
- add treats, catnip, toys
- make sure carrier has top half that comes apart => reduce cat’s stress b/c they move less
- safe place
- try placing towel over carrier that’s been sprayed or wiped w/ synthetic feline pheromone
- can help reduce cat’s stress when you go to unfamiliar places
travel to the clinic
- Get pets comfortable w/ car rides => make it positive
- Keep them safe
- Minimize noise in the car
- Avoid sudden starts/stops
- Talk to your pet during the drive
- Never leave car unattended
ways to reduce stress: handling during exams
- reducing stress can improve future handling
- less emotionally taxing on handler and owner
- Reduces negative experience for cat/dog, improving welfare
low stress handling
- Greater discussion regarding negative health and welfare effects resulting w/ heavy restraint
- Using various strategies to reduce fear and prevent aggression
- Minimal restraint necessary for safety
- Moving away from traditional heavy restraint
- Passive & minimal restraint
- Alternative tools -> ex: towels
- Chemical restraint when appropriate
- Distraction techniques - treats, toys
- Behavioral training for procedures
- Adapting to the individual animal -> read animal’s body language and behavior
low stress handling philosophy
- developed to improve how we handle and restrain animals
- Basic concepts can be used for handling and restraint for any species of animal
- Existing research: farm animals, lab rodents, increasing for companion cats, little for companion dogs
- LESS IS MORE => use least amount of restraint as possible
- Higher degree of restraint = increase fear & aggression
- Lower degree of restraint = decrease fear & aggression
steps for low stress handling
- before handling and restraint
- preventative approach, not reactive one
- Check animal’s records -> other staff member’s experiences
- Manage environment - odors, noise, light levels, activity
- Allow time for habituation - handling area, handler
- Assess animal from a distance:
- What is the cat/dog doing in its home environment?
- Body posture, general demeanor
- How does the animal react to your presence
- approaching the animal
- passive, sideways approach
- calm, slow, confident
- don’t make direct eye contact, frequent blinking suggested (anecdote)
- opening kennel door
- don’t tower over animal
- move slowly, calmly
- open door slightly first -> does animal approach or avoid?
- try to get animal to come to you (treats, praise, training)
- use alternative methods if animal is fearful/avoiding
- handling
- move slowly
- Hands away from head, place hands under animal - support & try not to reach over animal
- Work where the animal is most comfortable (if possible)
- ex: floor, chair, table
- blanket/soft mat provides comfort, traction
- positive reinforcement and distraction
- Treats, toys, praise, catnip, petting
- Provide before, during, or after handling
- Reduce negative experience
goals of low stress handling
- reduce fear and prevent aggression
- reduces negative experiences & improves animal welfare
