VETERINARY ASSISTING�UNIT C

Animal Care and Management

ESSENTIAL STANDARD 5.00

• Evaluate safe handling and safety techniques for patient management.

OBJECTIVE 5.01

• Evaluate proper restraint techniques for each species.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. Why is proper restraint of animals a critical skill?
2. What equipment may be used to restrain an animal?
3. What positions are commonly used to restrain animals?
4. What knots are used in animal restraint?

RESTRAINT CONSIDERATIONS

• Restraint
• Hold back, check, or suppress an action and keep something under control using safety and some means of physical, chemical, or psychological action

RESTRAINT CONSIDERATIONS

• Used by veterinary staff to allow an animal to be controlled for procedures
• Safety of animal and of the people
• Sedative/Tranquilizer
• medication given to an animal to keep it calm during certain stressful procedures or circumstances

ANIMAL SAFETY

• Those not accustomed to humans will become easily stressed when removed from territory
• Young animals
• handle with care; small and brittle bones
• Older animals
• handle with care; may be arthritic and painful

ANIMAL SAFETY

• Safety of animal and staff must be considered every time restraint is necessary
• Never allow non-veterinary staff or animal owner to restrain any animal
• Potential legal issue

RESTRAINT EQUIPMENT

• Muzzles, anti-kick bars, hobbles, or stanchions
• Muzzles
• commonly for dogs, cats, and horses
• made of nylon, leather, wire, or basket materials
• can be made with gauze, tape, or leashes
• Towels
• used to restrain small animals
• used to wrap and contain

RESTRAINT EQUIPMENT

• Squeeze cages
• used with small animals
• contains animal without placing a person’s hands directly on animal
• Halters and Leads
• used on large animals
• halter is placed on the head and lead rope attached
• Twitch-restraint device attached to a horses upper lip
• Nose tongs
• used in cattle
• applies pressure to the inside of nostrils

ANTI-KICK BARS

HOBBLES

CHAIN TWITCH

STANCHION

NOSE TONGS

MUZZLES

SQUEEZE CAGES

PLANNING THE RESTRAINT PROCEDURE

• Area with enough room, is clean, is dry, and is well lit
• Plan should be discussed
1. Move any costly equipment
2. Nonslip area
3. Temperature should be considered
4. What should be done if animal happens to get away from restrainer
5. Backup plan

RESTRAINT KNOTS

• Knots are made from one to two pieces of rope material where one section of the rope prevents slipping of another
• Allow animals to be tied and restrained for a temporary period of time
• Ropes should be inspected
• Ropes may be used to tie animals in position

RESTRAINT KNOTS

• Square Knot
• Commonly used to secure an animal
• Nonslip knot that doesn’t come untied
• Two ropes or a single rope can be used to make the square not

SQUARE KNOT

RESTRAINT KNOTS

• Reefer’s Knot
• Single bow knot that allows a nonslip, quick release tie
• Same as the square knot with the exception that the second throw is made upon itself, creating a hold that can easily be untied
• Common tie for large animals to prevent them from injuring their heads and necks during restraint

REEFER’S KNOT

RESTRAINT KNOTS

• Half Hitch
• Tie that makes a loop around a stationary location such as a post or a fence
• Commonly used to secure an animal to a surgery table

HITCHES

RESTRAINT POSITIONS

• Recumbency
• lying position

RESTRAINT POSITIONS

• Standing restraint
• used to keep an animal standing for a procedure and to prevent it from sitting or lying down

RESTRAINT POSITIONS

• Sitting restraint
• used to keep an animal in a sitting position for ease of completing a procedure

RESTRAINT POSITIONS

• Sternal recumbency
• placing the animal on its chest for restraint

RESTRAINT POSITIONS

• Lateral recumbency
• placing the animal on its side for restraint
• May be done in left or right lateral recumbency

RESTRAINT POSITIONS

• Dorsal recumbency
• used to place the animal on its back for restraint; is a common restraint during surgical procedures and radiology techniques

BLOOD COLLECTION

• Cephalic vein
• located in the medial aspect of the front limbs known as cephalic venipuncture

BLOOD COLLECTION

• Jugular vein
• located on either side of neck in lower throat area

BLOOD COLLECTION

• Saphenous vein
• located on lateral surface of the rear limbs just proximal to the hock

SMALL ANIMAL RESTRAINT

• Animal is held in safe manner through body control
• Common injuries: bites and scratches
• Cats, dogs, rodents, rabbits, ferrets, reptiles, and birds
• Diversions: talking to animal, calm noises, lightly blowing in face, or lightly rubbing temple area

CATS

• Tend to be one of the most difficult during restraint when they become upset and aggressive from stress
• Safely restrain and have control over the head
• Cat bags: control the limbs and head
• Squeeze cages: wire boxes with small slots that allow injections to be given

CATS

• Anesthesia chamber: used to sedate
• Scruff technique: gives control over head; may divert attention
• Stretch technique: scruffing the cat with one hand while in lateral recumbency and using the free hand to hold the rear limbs and pull them dorsally

DOGS

• Rabies pole or snare pole
• is long, has noose on end, and acts as leash
• captures and restrains dogs
• pulling can cause severe head and neck injuries

LARGE ANIMAL RESTRAINT

• Livestock: horses, cattle, goats, swine, and sheep
• Instincts of prey animals
• “Fight or flight” instinct as part of reaction to restraint
• Capable of: kicking, biting, rearing up into the air, or using their large bodies to injure

LARGE ANIMAL RESTRAINT

• Horses:
• Several types of twitches available
• Holding up one leg while working on another leg
• Skin Pinch on neck
• Chain lead shank

LARGE ANIMAL RESTRAINT

• Cattle:
• Nose tongs
• Head gates
• Squeeze chutes