CLASS 3 & LESSON 1: PRACTICAL SKILLS

CLASS 3: PRACTICAL SKILLS


LESSON 1: BASIC DOG RESTRAINTS


Chapter 1: Introduction


We will start with restraints, drawing blood samples, keeping track of the tests, analyzing urine, and so on.


Chapter 2: The Mind of the Animal: Visual Clues


Body Language:


Dogs and cats mainly communicate through body language, often more than we realize. They can sense whether you're taking them for a ride or leaving them at home just by your actions, even if you do the same things like grabbing your coat and keys. Similarly, cats might hide as soon as they sense you’re about to give them medication.


Their ability to pick up on your intentions affects how they react to you and others. If you stay calm and nonthreatening, animals are more likely to trust you, which can be very helpful when interacting with them.


Approaching an Animal in an Examination Room:


  1. Handling a dog begins when you approach him

  • Use your own leash to move slowly and quietly to slip it onto their necks. Never trust an owner's collar and leash due to the fact that some fit poorly and will break, also because some aren’t put tight enough causing the dog's head to slip out.


  1. During your approach, use a soft voice like talking to a baby

  • It helps if the owner can play along as well, many times owners panic and the animal senses that. Using a calm voice helps them both relax.


  1.  A little petting can go a long way

  • When interacting with a cat, gently stroking along the jaw or behind the ear can help them relax. Avoid petting a cat on the head, as it can be seen as a dominant gesture, which some cats might not like. Dogs are generally more tolerant, but they also enjoy being stroked under the jaw and down the neck. Always approach animals slowly and calmly.


  1. Stay connected to the dog so he knows you are in control at all times

  • Don’t let the leash go slack. For your safety, keep your face and fingers away from any dog you don’t know. Even if you think you can trust him—it’s not worth a bite


  1. Finally keep a positive environment for your patient, it will be easier for everyone


Some dogs and cats are extremely dominant. In the case of dogs, these tend to be what we call alpha dogs, the leader of the pack. Observe a dog when the owner brings him in. If the dog walks through the door ahead of the owner or confidently explores the room, he is likely displaying dominant behavior. Occasionally, you might see a cat acting similarly—tail up and investigating everything, which is unusual since most cats prefer to stay in a corner. With these dominant animals, even an innocent gesture can be seen as a challenge and could lead to an attack, so it's important to be cautious.


Approaching an Animal in a Cage:


  1. The approach is the most dangerous time

- You must be careful as you make your first contact because a dog waiting in a kennel for treatments is out of its element. They could be so scared that any gesture could be taken as threatening, and could bite.

- Most dogs are nice to deal with but the reality is that we see dogs that want and can hurt you, be wary.


  1. Start by not starting

- Take the time to observe what an animal is communicating through body language, much like how people communicate. Just as you can tell if a person is shy or confident by their posture—where a submissive person might shrink inward, while a confident person stands tall and appears larger—animals also give clues through their body language. Noticing these signals can help you understand their temperament and respond appropriately.

- Dogs are the same, Dogs communicate dominance or submission through their body language. A dominant dog might show aggression by baring its teeth, growling, and standing at the front of the kennel with its hackles raised, clearly trying to assert control. In contrast, a submissive dog will often retreat to the back of the kennel, avoiding interaction and displaying a more withdrawn posture.

- Most dogs fall somewhere between being dominant and submissive, showing a mix of both behaviors. This variety is what makes interacting with them interesting. When you talk to most dogs, they usually respond by seeking reassurance, especially in unfamiliar and scary environments. Some dogs are cuddlers who just want to be held, while others are looking for a playmate.


  1. Some aggressive dogs aren’t “aggressive”

- Dogs can sometimes be misleading with their body language. For example, some submissive dogs may show their teeth, which many people mistake for aggression. A client with two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers who both displayed a submissive grin that shows their teeth, but it's actually a friendly gesture, not a threat.

- One day, an owner brought in his dog, Keifer. As Keifer passed by another client, he raised his lips, which made the client scream and quickly back away, thinking it was aggression. Keifer, startled by the reaction, cowered to the ground, showing he was actually frightened by the client's response.

- It’s easy to tell the difference between an aggressive dog and one like Keifer. When an aggressive dog shows its teeth, they only reveal the front teeth. When a submissive dog’s smile, the lip goes high enough to reveal all the teeth, indicating friendliness rather than aggression.

  1. Stay on guard

- Even if you think you have a dog's behavior figured out, keep observing him closely, as his mood can change quickly with the situation. A growl is an obvious message from a dog but pay attention to his body language for additional cues. Look for signs like the hair on the back going up, indicating stress, dilated pupils suggesting fear, or a tense, attack-ready posture with his body slightly off the ground. These subtle changes can give you more insight into the dog's state of mind and help you avoid surprises.


Chapter 3: Handling Dogs: Removing Dogs


Your mission—get Charlie, a Cocker Spaniel, from the cage for his ear cleaning. You’ve never met him before, and no one has told you what he’s like.


  1. Always have the dog confined where you can safely get hold of him

- Most kennels in veterinary hospitals are in separate rooms, make sure the door is closed behind you. It cannot be stressed enough how much you need that door closed. Imagine reaching for the dog, he jumps out of your arms, runs down the hallway, and enters the reception area just as someone’s coming in the front door. Now he’s running down the street and that’s an unpleasant phone call to make to the owner.


  1. With a leash at the ready, open the door just a little and slip the loop of the leash over the neck

- Next to knowledge, a leash is your most important tool. Now how do you know Charlie is friendly? - if he’s like most dogs, he will sit or stand there, looking up at you.


Let's stop and review what you’re about to do in this situation. You’re about to put your hand into a space that the dog may want to protect–his personal space. Even though he's only been in the kennel for a short while, it’s his home and he feels comfortable in it.


Invading his space with your hand can be misconstrued as a dominant gesture. Some submissive dogs react to your dominance by fear biting. Cockers and many little dogs are famous for this.


To see if he’s worried, watch his eyes. If he is watching you with dilated pupils, look out! keep your hands away, and use a stiff rope or leash you can throw around his neck from a safe distance. Remember, your safety should always be paramount so you can provide the best service possible.


  1. Once the leash is around the neck, open the cage door fully, pull the animal close to your body, and slip your free hand over the back and then under the dog’s chest

- You’ll end up with your palm facing upward and near or between the front legs


  1. Once you have him out of the kennel, move the hand that’s holding the leash to the far side of the neck so you can pull the head and neck toward your chest

If you maintain slight tension on the leash, it will prevent the dog from being able to bite the hand under his chest. Now you have a restrained dog. Keep hold of the leash in case he struggles and gets away.


Returning a Dog to a Cage


To put a dog back into the cage, first make sure it’s the correct cage and that it’s clean. Open the door completely, and put the dog close to the back wall. Loosen the loop around the neck and gently pull it off. Some scared dogs may try to bite as you take your hand away. In this case, keep a hold on the neck while you loosen the loop. Then, release the neck and pull the loop off in one motion. Close the door and make it’s latched.


Moving Larger Dogs


Let's look at how to handle a 150-pound Great Dane. The procedures on slipping a leash loop over the neck still apply; the difference comes when you want to do something with them.


Many of these dogs are well trained, and simply asking them to heel may be all you need to get them walking beside you. Just a caution about large dogs and leashes—don't wrap the leash around your hand or arm. You could get hurt if the dog bolts.


If you want to lift a heavy dog, be careful. In case of anything, ask for help in lifting.


If a dog is over 50 pounds and you are small, it’s time to call for help to get the dog on a table. Start with a standing animal with both of you on the same side of the patient. The front person puts one arm under the bottom of the neck and the other arm behind the foreleg. The second person puts one arm behind the knees and the other under the abdomen. Hug the dog as close as possible to your body. To lift, keep your back vertical (don’t ever lean over), and use your legs to raise the dog.


Transporting your patients safely is just half the battle. Providing treatment sometimes requires that a patient is restrained. Depending on you and your patient’s disposition, you have a number of techniques for doing this.


Chapter 4: Table Restraint


The act of putting a dog on a table and holding him there safely and securely is known as table restraint. Being on a table is an unfamiliar place for the dog, and the animal is likely to be uncertain. This method comes in handy when you have to deal with larger breeds or difficult patients who are hesitant.


When examining a German Shepherd's ears on the floor, it can be tricky if she’s not holding still. Placing her on a table can help by surprising her and removing her from her familiar environment, making it easier to perform the treatment without much fuss. Using a slippery table can also be beneficial, as it prevents her from getting a solid grip and helps keep her in place.


For other dogs, you can use a rubber shelf liner so they are better footed. For example, if a 16-year-old Poodle with arthritic legs, he's not putting up much of a fight, and you don’t want him slipping. In this case, there’s not much fear that he’s going to jump onto the floor.


In some situations, the table simply doesn’t work. This happens if the dog is morbidly scared of standing on a slippery surface and thrashes about uncontrollably, which can lead to severe injuries. Occasionally you’d have to abandon the idea of a table restraint and just go straight back to the floor. It’s all about what works best.


Muzzles


There are many styles of muzzles available for dogs. The reason we use them is safety. Putting a muzzle on can also calm a dog (and us). Muzzles are usually made of nylon fabric with a web buckle behind the ears. the wider part of the muzzle is put under the lower jaw.


To place a muzzle, have the dog leashed and held by a helper. If it’s a larger dog, stand over him from behind (he’s between your knees), and put the muzzle on from behind the head.


If you have an aggressive dog, the helper will position themselves behind and above the dog firmly (but gently) hold the loose skin on each side of the neck. Then your job is to put the muzzle on from the front while you’re facing the dog.


If you have a small dog, either hold him like you are carrying him (described above) or use two hands, one on each side of the neck, to keep the head still.


A gauze muzzle is simple and convenient, fits all sizes and is always available. Use a 3-foot piece of a 2-inch gauze. Place a loop around the nose (both jaws), and tighten it on the top of the nose. The ends are brought down each side, crossed on the bottom, and then brought along each side of the face and tied in a bow behind the head. To release, the bow is untied and the loop is simply pulled off the nose.


A tape muzzle is another option. To use this you’ll put white bandaging tape around the muzzle, sticky side to the hair. One or two turns should be enough, and make sure it’s comfortable for your patient. In an emergency situation, you may not have anything. If you can, steal a necktie from someone, find a small piece of rope, or even use a bungee cord. Just loop it around the nose and tie it on.


It's often asked if dogs can breathe with a muzzle on because dogs breathe through their noses. The answer is yes they can. The only time that it might be a problem is when a muzzle is put on a short-nosed dog that has trouble breathing even on his best days. Dogs such as Boston Terriers, Pugs, and Boxers. If you have a muzzle on one of these dogs and it's in distress, remove it immediately.


Basket Muzzles are made of wire or plastic and secured behind the ears with a buckle. The advantage is that the dog can still pant and these muzzles can be left on for a long time. They are often used on aggressive dogs that are taken out in public. They are also useful for short-nosed dogs with breathing difficulties because they don’t restrict breathing.


Rabies Pole


Also known as a quick-release or snare pole, this contraption is used to capture a dog while keeping the handler a safe distance away. The loop is placed over the animal’s head and tightened around the neck with a cable located in the pole. You can easily choke a dog with this tool, so you have to be aware of how hard you pull on the cable.


Once you have the dog’s head secured in the loop, put the pole on the ground and step on it. Now you can give an injection and safely release the dog.


Though already mentioned leashed for control, you can also think of them as a restraint mechanism, much like a rabies pole. After positioning the dog head-first between the door and a wall, you put the leash through the crevice where the hinges are. Then you’ll pull the leash so that the dog is secured and ready for her injection.


Chemical Restraint


When there’s a dog you can’t handle, there’s always a way out. Drugs! Sedatives aren’t used very often but they are very useful. For example, suppose you want to clean out the ears of a muscle-bound black lab. This dog may not be aggressive, but he just doesn’t want to hold still. A sedative allows you to cool him down so he (hopefully) will hold still while you do the procedure.


Sedatives (also called tranquilizers) are not anesthetics. They make an animal sleepy, but unlike anesthetics, which put the dog to sleep and also have a pain-killing effect, they are not sufficient for surgery.


There are many sedatives out there, but a popular one is acepromazine. It's given by injection or orally as a tablet. The drug gives just enough sedation so the dog doesn’t object to what you’re doing. It can be used for minor procedures such as blood or urine collection, X-rays, or minor surgery if combined with a local anesthetic. The decision to use a sedative must be made by the veterinarian, but the sedative may be given by the assistant.


If dogs still can’t be controlled with a sedative, consider using an anesthetic. In this case, the animal will be completely asleep and oblivious to what’s going on. An anesthetic should only be administered by a veterinarian or under their supervision.