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Success Stories: How Humans and Pets Benefit From Fear Free

Kim Campbell Thornton
It’s not just dogs and cats who benefit from Fear Free techniques at the veterinary clinic. Humans often find that they are calmer and happier as well.

Fear Freed

My sister has a beautiful kitty named Sushi whom she adopted about eight years ago. Her veterinarian, Dianicia Kirton, DVM, whose Hopkinton, Massachusetts, practice is Fear Free certified, has been recommending that Sushi get her teeth cleaned but my sister was hesitant. The veterinarian addressed each of her concerns until eventually she was ready to move forward. A few weeks later, Sushi’s mom brought her in for the teeth cleaning, although she was still nervous and reluctant. The veterinarian and staff were very calming and worked on Sushi quickly. Everything went well, and Sushi was her normal, happy self afterward. My sister told the vet that she felt like she had been “Fear Freed,” and Dr. Kirton responded, “Yes, it’s as much for the people as it is for the animals.” My sister was happy with the whole experience and thankful to have found a practice that uses these methods!

Kay Henze

Penny-Wise Visits

Pennie, a 7-year-old 78-pound Chesapeake Bay Retriever, had never had a full veterinary exam after her puppy vaccines because she bared her teeth and growled at veterinary team members at every clinic she was taken to. When she was brought to us, we implemented several Fear Free strategies, spending 45 minutes building her trust both outside the clinic and in the exam room. We were able to get her to stand on the lift table and receive vaccinations without being muzzled. On her third visit, we were able to lift her lips and examine her teeth. Now she boards with us routinely and is a big part of our veterinary practice family. Implementing these Fear Free tools has changed Pennie’s life and her owner is now able to better understand and relate to her dog, making it much safer to take her for walks and be groomed.

Dr. Sarah Lavelle, Ark Veterinary Practice, Belgrade, Montana

Happy Cats and People

We love our Fear Free veterinary hospital. At TLC, there are separate areas for cats and dogs. We took our two cats in last week, and the exam room was comfortable, with shelves for the cats to explore. A board listed the names of the technician and veterinarian who would be seeing the cats, so we knew who would be treating them. The technician who went over the intake information was sweet and tender with Lucy and Lilu. An email ahead of time alerted us that a new veterinarian would be seeing the cats. She was calm and handled the cats gently. Both cats were calm throughout the visit—although Lucy didn’t much like having her teeth examined—and when they got home they came out of their carriers calmly and went about their day. Lilu was her regular self and didn’t hide away as she has on some prior visits to other clinics. The clinic called the next day to see how the cats reacted to their vaccines and visit. We feel we have found our new clinic!
Katherine and Brent Williams, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Zola’s Optimism

Zola has been to a number of veterinary clinics before and has always been nervous and reactive. During her first appointment she was quite nervous, but with the help of some peanut butter as a distraction she allowed us to pet her. We decided that that was a win and that Zola would benefit from coming back another time after having gabapentin to help calm her. At her next visit, Zola was visibly more relaxed, and we had a Kong full of peanut butter ready for her. Knowing that Zola did better with minimal restraint we kept her focused on the Kong and were able to do a full exam, vaccinations and a blood draw. Zola’s owners had never seen her so relaxed at the vet and she has since come back willing and happy to see us.
Anne McClanahan, DVM, Four Lakes Veterinary Clinic, Madison, Wisconsin

Want to be featured? Submit your success story here!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Kim Campbell Thornton is content manager for Fear Free Pets and is a Level 3 Fear Free Certified Professional. She has been writing about dogs, cats, wildlife, and marine life since 1985.

Even Mild Fear of Noise in Dogs Has Broad Effects

Linda Lombardi
Mild cases of noise reactivity in dogs are often not considered problematic enough to treat. However, in a recently published study, even mild noise sensitivity was associated with lower performance on a puzzle test. This suggests that these dogs have impaired functioning even when noise is not present and that more screening and treatment is called for.

Researchers analyzed three types of data collected as part of a larger study of pet dogs. Dogs were evaluated for noise sensitivity via a questionnaire and a score was calculated based on the number of categories of noise that caused a reaction, the behaviors indicative of fear and anxiety that were exhibited, and the intensity of the reaction. Dogs were also tested for noise sensitivity using a custom noise recording that was played starting at a low volume and gradually turned up.

Learning Affected

Dogs were then evaluated for their performance on a puzzle-box test. The clear plastic puzzle box had nine holes on top and one at the end. A tennis ball was rolled into the box and dogs were given five minutes to try to get it out. If they succeeded in under two minutes, they repeated the test, up to three times in total. While attempting the puzzle, the dogs were wearing a device that recorded their movements.

Comparing data from 17 noise-reactive dogs and 11 non-noise-reactive dogs, those who were sensitive to noise performed worse on the puzzle box. Movement recordings also showed a difference, says lead author Karen Overall. “The ones who did the best moved very efficiently and very quickly. Their movements counted. The dogs who reacted to noise and who did more poorly, or could not solve the test, had very jagged and inconsistent movements.”

These dogs did not seem to be able to move in a deliberate, coordinated manner in response to how the ball acted when they tried to manipulate it. “They have to correct their behavior according to the movement of the object that they see,” she says. “These dogs couldn’t do that.”

Some of the noise-reactive dogs did not perform well enough to repeat the test, but when they did, they also differed. “Unlike the dogs who didn’t react to noise, the dogs who did react to noise couldn’t learn from their previous tests and didn’t improve their scores,” she says.

Sound Effects

While it’s understood that being in a state of anxiety interferes with functioning, the results show that being noise-sensitive has more wide-reaching effects. Even in a relatively low-stress situation where noise was not an issue, these dogs showed impaired performance: “The room is quiet, they’re getting food treats, their people are there, but they still can’t learn.”

Overall says it’s important to understand that this was not a clinical population of noise-fearful dogs. “Largely they were fairly mild, and yet they still couldn’t do this,” she says.

They also were not generally fearful, which was screened for. “The dog who was the worst in the test, the only dog for whom we had to turn off the recording, she was the meet-and-greet queen of the universe,” she says. “She was charming and social and lovely until you played noise, and then she was broken.”

“Moderate to severe noise sensitivity in dogs is a well-known behavior problem. A connection between separation anxiety and noise sensitivity has also been recognized before. What has not been appreciated until Dr. Overall and her colleagues published this research is the impact that noise sensitivity has on the general anxiety levels and learning ability of affected dogs,” says Bonnie Beaver, DVM, DACVB, of Texas A&M University. “These changes exist even in mildly affected dogs, impacting their daily lives with ever-present stress.”

Screening and Treatment

Overall concludes that even mild fear of noises needs to be aggressively screened for and treated.

“I think we don’t realize how much these dogs are suffering,” she says. “This shows that you’ve got dogs who are afraid of noises and it’s impairing other parts of their life that people haven’t looked at. It’s impairing their ability to get information from the environment and their ability to problem solve.” This has a broad impact on their social functioning and their fundamental ability to enjoy life.

Overall now believes dogs should be screened for noise reactivity on every vet visit and that it’s particularly critical to screen young dogs. “I want vets to see dogs three or four times a year in the first two years of life, when their brains are developing, and subject them to standard screening tests,” she says.

This is important because early diagnosis and treatment can make a huge difference. “The rodent literature has shown that if you’re anxious and fearful and from a genetically fearful line, and they treat you as a baby, your brain develops normally,” she says. “And what wouldn’t we give for that? There’s too much suffering; I want these dogs to have joy.”

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Linda Lombardi writes about the animals that share our planet and our homes for magazines including The Bark, websites including National Geographic and Mongabay.com, and for the Associated Press. Her most recent book, co-authored with Deirdre Franklin, is The Pit Bull Life: A Dog Lover’s Companion.

Party Hats! Teaching Muzzle Training to Canine Patients

Rachel Lees RVT, KPA CTP, VTS (Behavior)Muzzle training is an important skill for every dog to have. Not only can muzzle training help keep veterinary teams safe during examinations and procedures, it can also provide opportunities for person and pet long term.

As humans, we may get stressed, fearful, anxious, or concerned about a situation and lash out aggressively. For us, that situation, if not escalated, may lead to an apology or resolution. But if a dog makes this choice, it can mean a bite, lawsuits, and potentially euthanasia. As veterinary professionals, our job is to enhance the human-animal bond and keep our patients safe, happy, and healthy. Using and recommending muzzle training can help prevent a bite on your patient’s record and potentially save a dog’s life.

The bad news is that dogs wearing muzzles are viewed as scary. This stigma needs to go because we never know when a pet will be in a situation where a muzzle may be beneficial. Those situations include emergencies such as being hit by a car as well as introductions to new challenges. Muzzles keep dogs safe when in public or around unfamiliar people, animals, and situations.

Using Marker Training and Positive Reinforcement

The best way to teach a patient to enjoy wearing a muzzle is through positive reinforcement: adding something to the situation to strengthen the likelihood of a behavior. Using this technique, we can teach dogs that muzzles are treat dispensers that make fantastic things happen.

For instance, muzzle training can be taught by using a luring technique in which treats are placed into the back of the muzzle to create a positive experience. This can be helpful, but moving from one step to the other too quickly risks pushing the pet too far and putting on the muzzle before training is complete. This can create fear, stress, and anxiety. Dogs may choose to place their head inside the muzzle for the peanut butter but may not truly understand the behavior they are being reinforced for. The result is that when we begin to place the strap over their head, they may display stress, fear, and panic.

Using marker training allows dogs to make their own choices and learn through shaping. Shaping is the process of “building” a behavior by successively reinforcing bits or “criteria’ of the behavior that are approximations of the final behavior. The behavior is molded by the communication the trainer gives the pet. In this situation, the communication is the marker. When the marker (tongue click, clicker, or word “click”) is audible, treats should follow. The pet learns that the last behavior performed during the marker signal earns reinforcement.

This video demonstrates the beginning steps of muzzle training using the shaping technique as described above. This patient does not have any learning history with a muzzle.

Breaking Down the Criteria of the Muzzle

When using the shaping technique, we must be able to break down the behavior into achievable steps for the patient. In the demonstration above, if the technician had expected the pet to place his nose inside the basket on the first try, it would have set the dog up for failure and frustration as he might not have received enough communication to learn the end-goal behavior. I typically break muzzle training into three different stages with initial goals to achieve and then break down those steps further. Here are the broken-down stages and criteria for each:

**The abbreviation C/T = Click then Treat**

Stage One: Nose into the Basket with Consistency
- C/T for pet looking at the muzzle
- C/T for weight shifting toward the muzzle
- C/T for nose touching the muzzle
- C/T for nose touching the opening of the basket of the muzzle
- C/T for nose touching the inside of the basket
- C/T for nose placement ½ way into the basket of the muzzle
- C/T for nose placement into the basket of the muzzle

Video Demonstration: FF Stage One Muzzle

Stage Two: Duration and Strap Introduction
- C/T for pet holding their nose in the basket for 1 second
- C/T for pet holding their nose in the basket for 2-3 seconds
- C/T for pet holding their nose in the basket for 5 seconds
- Raise strap and C/T for any attempt at nose into the basket (with the strap raised)
- Raise strap and C/T for holding nose inside of the basket with 3-5 seconds duration (with the strap raised)

Video Demonstration

Stage Three: Strap Behavioral Therapy and Wearing the Muzzle
- C/T for moving the strap ¼ of the way behind the pet’s head (without movement or shying away)
- C/T for moving the strap 1/2 of the way behind the pet’s head (without movement or shying away)
- C/T for moving the strap 3/4 of the way behind the pet’s head (without movement or shying away)
- C/T for moving the strap all the way behind the pet’s head (without movement or shying away)

**Depending on the pet, the strap may need to be tightened to make the fit tight. Once the pet is comfortable with the strap movement at the largest setting, begin to make the strap hole smaller and smaller over time**

C/T for wearing and responding to cued behaviors

Video Demonstration: FF Stage Three Muzzle & FF FINAL Muzzle Outcome

Utilizing Technicians

It takes time, coaching, and guidance to appropriately teach muzzle training. It’s best to utilize a veterinary technician who has an interest in training. Not only can this create a connection between client, pet, and practice, it can also increase revenue through technician muzzle-training appointments and product sales. The technician can teach this behavior to pets in private appointments or coach and demonstrate the behavior so owners can work with the dog at home. Regardless, scheduling appointments to check progress is crucial to making the end goal a reality.

Final Thoughts

Muzzle training using a marker gives the patient a choice to engage at their own comfort level. This also allows us to reinforce behavior at smaller criteria increases and change the way the pet feels about each step along the way. Muzzle training can be a life-saving behavioral investment for your client. They just need to have the right support and recommendations from staff like you!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Rachel Lees, a Level 3 Fear Free Certified Professional, is a veterinary technician specialist in behavior, a KPA certified training partner, and lead veterinary behavior technician at The Behavior Clinic in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. She loves helping people create and maintain a strong human-animal bond.

Fear Free Success Stories: Veterinary Visits for the Win

Kim Campbell Thornton
It’s not unusual for dogs to be fearful of veterinary visits, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Many dogs have benefited from Fear Free techniques to help them get through what was once a frightening event and even learn to love it. Here are some of their stories.

Kindness Worth Traveling For

I’m a Fear Free trainer, but there are no veterinarians I trust in my town, so I travel an hour to TLC Pet Hospital in Albuquerque and have had the most amazing experiences, thanks to the patience, kindness, and knowledge of the staff there. My dogs are fearful, and one is especially vet-phobic after traumatic experiences elsewhere. Some of his past vet visits have been so anxiety-inducing for him that I also end up in tears. But with gabapentin on board and the Fear Free approach from Dr. Long and Sam the veterinary assistant, my dog was wagging, approaching them, licking their faces, asking for pets, and acting like the brave and social dog he is at home. All of us in the room were floored by the change! At the next checkup he took food from them, did some chin-rest stationing with them, targeted their hands, and showed off his tricks. My own fear, anxiety, and stress levels have been drastically reduced thanks to their dedication to Fear Free vet visits. I’ll continue to do the two-hour round trip because I love having a veterinarian who listens to me and treats me like an adult, and because my dogs’ mental and emotional health is taken as seriously as their physical health at TLC. I am so thankful for their care and commitment to Fear Free vet visits and their overall friendly clinic.

Erica Beckwith, CTC, CBCC-KA, Fear Free Certified Professional, A Matter of Manners Dog Training, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Blood Draw Pugcess

Tater Tot is a Pug who needed a dental cleaning. Since he would be undergoing anesthesia, we required blood work beforehand. Tater Tot was generally friendly, soliciting attention and being food motivated, but when we attempted to occlude his lateral saphenous vein, he stopped eating and attempted to bite the technician holding him. He became distressed and tried to back up, so the technician placed him on the floor, where he again tried to bite her. The owner agreed to bring him in later on some anxiety medication.

Tater Tot came in a second time on gabapentin as well as clonidine. He appeared less excited and fidgety, but still sought attention. We offered him baby food on a disc toy and did his blood draw on the floor instead of the table. He ate throughout as we attempted to collect blood from his lateral saphenous veins. After poking both legs without success, we held him in position for jugular venipuncture, performed some brief desensitization and counterconditioning for that positioning, and successfully drew blood from his jugular vein. He went straight back to the baby food after the blood draw.

Maria Marano, The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, Community Practice, Columbus

Toby Turns Around

I work closely with the veterinary hospitals in my town. The team at Appalachian New River Veterinary Associates (ANRVA) referred Toby to me. Toby was terrified at the veterinary hospital and could not take food, even as a young puppy. I established a rapport with Toby away from the veterinary hospital. I did this using special food and something else Toby loved – play! Toby learned foundation behaviors that gave some predictability to our sessions and helped him feel safe.
The team at ANRVA invited me to work with Toby in the exam rooms during their lunch break. Since Toby already had negative associations at the veterinary hospital, we started those sessions with just Toby’s owners and me. Toby and his owners entered the exam room the first time and surprise – I was there with some extra-special food for Toby (hamburger) and his favorite toy. Toby readily ate the memorable food and played with a toy. He even performed some simple behaviors. We repeated this a couple of times, and by the third time, Toby was excited to get to the exam room. Then we incorporated Dr. Suan Koh into our play and training sessions and, later, Dr. Cathy Kreis. Some of the support staff also got in on the fun.
Toby was successful for many reasons. He had committed owners who took the time to help Toby feel better about his veterinary care. The team at ANRVA is as committed to Toby’s behavioral health as they are to his physical health. They encourage and welcome clients to come in for happy visits with their pets. And, finally, both the owners and veterinary team are committed to positive reinforcement training.

Marge Rogers, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, Certified Fear Free Professional, Rewarded Behavior Continues, West Jefferson, North Carolina

A Win for Maxwell

Maxwell is a 7-year-old retriever/hound mix who was rescued from a hoarding situation with more than 100 dogs. Maxwell was the most fearful of them. We don’t know a lot about Maxwell’s day-to-day life while on the hoarder’s property, but volunteers reported that he was kept in a small shed without much social interaction.
Not surprisingly, he was fearful of people and of being touched or handled. The veterinary facility that provided Maxwell’s initial care was unable to examine him or perform any medical or handling procedures unless Maxwell was placed under anesthesia or heavy sedation. Maxwell would shake uncontrollably and withdraw if any person approached him. Unfortunately, during his initial care, some handling interactions were forced on Maxwell to which he responded by “gator-rolling,” snapping, and inflicting a severe bite to one of the vet techs.
After moving to a foster home, Maxwell was taken to see the wonderful Dr. Lynn Honeckman, owner of Veterinary Behavior Solutions and a Level 3 Fear-Free Certified Professional. She diagnosed Maxwell with severe global fear of people and new environments and started him on a course of daily behavior medication in an effort to reduce his anxiety.
Maxwell did not do well in his initial foster homes, so in December 2018 he moved into a new foster home, where he has remained and is doing very well. During his initial visit as well as his behavior rechecks, Dr. Honeckman recommended introducing Maxwell to cooperative care behaviors and made specific recommendations of pre-visit pharmaceuticals to help alleviate Maxwell’s fear during veterinary visits.
Since December 2018, Maxwell has been a client at Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital (one of the lead veterinarians, Dr. Jim Martin, is Fear Free certified and the entire hospital including all technicians follow the Fear Free approach). Since then, every veterinary visit has consecutively been more positive and more stress-free for Maxwell. Prior to his visits, Maxwell receives a combination of gapabentin and Sileo. His appointments are scheduled during times when the hospital is less busy, and the staff ensures we get put into a treatment room right away, where Maxwell is given ample time to acclimate before any staff enter the room. Physical handling is kept to a minimum and all procedures follow the Fear Free approach. One of Maxwell’s many cooperative care behaviors was to comfortably wear a basket muzzle. Although he has shown zero signs of aggression since switching to Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital, Maxwell now happily wears the muzzle for any physical handling in the exam room, which allows everyone to feel comfortable and at ease. Now – almost a year later – Maxwell no longer (or only rarely) shakes when entering the veterinary hospital. He willingly accepts treats while waiting in the exam room and is eager to perform his chin rest behavior while waiting to be seen. As his foster mom, I am overjoyed by Maxwell’s progress, none of which would have been possible without his dedicated veterinarians. Their care, patience, and understanding in using a Fear Free approach has made a world of difference for Maxwell and we could not be more grateful to them.
In his foster home, Maxwell has blossomed into a happy and playful dog who is particularly fond of his canine housemates. New environments will likely always pose challenges for Maxwell, but at home he has found his happy place.

Daniela Ackerman, Orlando, Florida

Want to be featured? Submit your success story here!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Kim Campbell Thornton is content manager for Fear Free Pets and is a Level 3 Fear Free Certified Professional. She has been writing about dogs, cats, wildlife, and marine life since 1985.

Pig Out With Treats to Earn Porcine Trust

Mikkel Becker
One of the best ways to earn a pig’s trust and friendship is by appealing to the pig’s big appetite. The saying “eat like a pig” holds true for many pigs who are highly focused on food. At The Center for Bird and Exotic Animal Medicine near Seattle, Washington, Dr. Alicia McLaughlin and her team have found that food talks when it comes to swaying swine to seeing veterinary team members as friends rather than foes, and in doing so, obtaining their calm cooperation.

Creative strategies have also shown big benefits for some of Dr. McLaughlin’s patients. One strategy that works for some pigs is to “fork” the pig using gentle presses of a fork on the pig’s back. Pigs who are calmed by such touch will often lie down on their side to soak up the soothing massage, exposing their underside and allowing belly and foot exams to be completed with the pig’s willing cooperation.

Dr. McLaughlin also incorporates the owner’s participation into the care experience. With one pig, the trick for getting a willing hoof trim was as simple as the owner bringing in a favorite treat: cucumbers! On one end of the pig, a person held on to a whole cucumber for the pig to chomp on, while at the undercarriage another team member performed hoof care. By the time the entire cucumber was finished, so was the hoof care, making it a win-win for pig and people.

One technician during the exam or care is often charged with the task of giving tasty treats with the pig’s owner nearby to keep the swine distracted during the exam. The trick of treats is finding what works best for each patient. Pig owners are encouraged to bring in their pig’s favorites in addition to the ones already on hand in the hospital.

Three delectable delights for pigs to pig out on during Fear Free exams and procedures are peanut butter, cream cheese, and Cheerios. For instance, peanut butter placed on a tongue depressor or smeared inside a small bowl may be used to distract the pig during the exam.

One of the greatest challenges of pig exams is getting a weight. Pigs don’t like to be lifted or restrained, and with the size of many pigs, doing so to get the swine onto the scale would be upsetting, causing avoidance in the future.

A solid approach is to get the pig to move onto the scale on his own. This is best achieved with a combination of teamwork, time, and treats.

“Make your job as easy as possible by creating a chute-type scenario leading up to the scale using human bodies or other items to funnel the pig onto the scale,” says Dr. McLaughlin.

A line of Cheerios or other tasty treats can be placed for the pig to follow through the chute and onto the scale. In the center of the scale, place a pile of treats to keep the pig in place momentarily while being weighed.

Most important, avoiding force is critical for earning trust.

“Don’t push it. I’m a firm believer in giving a pig a little more time, and it will end up taking less time in the long run,” says Dr. McLaughlin.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Mikkel Becker, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, CDBC, CTC, is lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. She is a certified behavior consultant and trainer who specializes in reward-based training that’s partnered closely with the pet’s veterinary team. Mikkel is coauthor of six books, including From Fearful to Fear Free.

How Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release Works in One Florida Community

Arden Moore
His official title is Community Outreach TNVR Coordinator, but most of the time, Paul Bates feels like a mediator, problem solver, and teacher. That suits him just fine.

Bates leads the team at Peggy Adams Rescue League in West Palm Beach, Florida. The organization works closely with shelter volunteers, cat rescue groups, and cat-caring neighbors to ensure free-roaming cats in Palm Beach County are properly vaccinated, sterilized, and fed.

It is estimated that more than 200,000 cats live on the streets in Palm Beach County. Once called feral cats, they are now identified as community cats.

“These are cats who live outside, who do not belong to anybody, and who are not adoptable because they are not socialized with people,” says Bates. “They certainly do not belong in animal shelters where they are often euthanized. Our job is to work with community cat advocates to make sure these community cats are neutered/spayed, vaccinated, and returned to their outdoor homes.”

On the Case

It’s a tall order, but Bates is up for the challenge. He is a Fear Free Pets Shelter Course graduate who works to educate people about the mindset of community cats and safe ways to trap, vaccinate, spay/neuter, and return these cats back to their colonies without stressing them or getting injured.

His shelter also helped get a county-wide law adopted that requires these cats to be sterilized, vaccinated, implanted with a microchip, have left ears clipped to identify these actions and then released to the same area where found.

Bates makes daytime and night-time visits to community cat sites in neighborhoods, car dealership parking lots, and alleys behind restaurants. He gives talks to volunteers and shares tips and resources on two key Facebook pages: Project CatSnip and Community Cats of the Palm Beaches. Project CatSnip is a program of the Peggy Adams Rescue League that provides free TNVR through grant funding and conducts free humane trapping classes.

Safety 101

Even though many of these cats appear friendly and may even allow a trusted person who feeds them to pet them, they are still capable of lashing out if they feel threatened.

“If you see a stray, friendly cat, do not attempt to pick up the cat and put him in a carrier because chances are that you will be bit or scratched,” he cautions. “Scooping up a cat in your arms can make them go into panic mode. The nails come out, and the teeth are ready to bite. It is far safer to set up humane traps to get them in so we can give them vaccinations and spay/neuter them and return them to their cat colony.”

To reduce fear or anxiety in the cat during transport, Bates recommends placing bed linens made of breathable fabric over the trap to help the cat settle down.

“A cat in an uncovered trap is apt to freak out and bounce off the sides of the cage,” he says. “Covered humane traps look like safe spots to a cat. Avoid using heavy blankets, thick towels or quilts because a cat inside could overheat due to the lack of air flow. And, he could also have to inhale the strong ammonia smell if he urinated or defecated during transport.”

To reduce fleas and ticks among these community cats, Bates recommends mixing food-grade diatomaceous earth powder with catnip and allowing the free-roaming cats to roll in it. This powder is safe for pets and people, but destroys exoskeletons in these parasites.

Tips for Success

Other insights shared by Bates:

Community cats should not be relocated. Many risk injury or death from vehicles or predators in their determination to travel miles to return to their colonies.
Attempts to completely remove a cat colony will only result in another cat colony moving in and producing kittens, a phenomenon known as the vacuum effect.
The best way to lure intact community cats into humane traps is to place traps where cats gather to eat and allow a few days for the cats to get used to them. Then create a trail of food leading into the traps and placing the highest-quality smelly food (to these cats, that is usually sardines or tuna or even Kentucky Fried Chicken) in the middle of the traps.
If you find a homeless cat whose left ear is notched, do not bring him to a shelter unless he is injured or ill. This is the universal sign that he is a community cat who has been neutered.
Do not leave bowls of food out; they attract raccoons and other wildlife. Set up specific feeding times and remove bowls within an hour.

Numbers indicate that this multi-approach effort is working. Before the TNVR program began in 2009, Palm Beach County shelters took in 19,000 homeless cats with more than 14,000 cats euthanized in 2008. That number has been cut to fewer than 2,000 cats euthanized this year in county shelters.

“It really takes a village to help these cats,” says Bates. “We have a passionate group of board members, staff, volunteers, and people in neighborhoods all doing their part to help feed and keep these cats healthy.”

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Arden Moore is The Pet Health and Safety Coach. She is a best-selling author, radio show host, in-demand speaker and master certified pet first aid/CPR instructor who travels the country teaching with Pet Safety Dog Kona and Pet Safety Cat Casey. Learn more at www.ardenmoore.com and www.facebook.com/ardenmoore.

Fear Free Success Stories: Get Inspired

Kim Campbell Thornton
Reducing fear, anxiety, and stress during visits and procedures takes time, teamwork, and sometimes a little experimentation. Here are three success stories shared by a veterinarian, trainer, and owner.

Tyson’s Turnaround

Tyson is a 12-year-old Schnauzer mix who first came to us last year for a wellness visit. The owner told us that his previous clinic had to muzzle him, and he was handled somewhat roughly. She wanted to get away from that. On his first visit we just got a feel for his comfort level. He barked and growled at us in the room but took treats willingly. He allowed an otoscopic exam but was tense, and when the stethoscope was introduced, he actively tried to bite. Approaching him with a muzzle sent him into a panic. We sent some Trazodone home with him that day for future visits and discussed doing a set of behavioral visits to help desensitize him to handling and instruments.
Tyson returned five months later for scheduled vaccinations. With Trazodone on board he was still on edge but performed tricks for us and approached us for treats. He allowed me to auscult him while he had treats to eat. This was great progress! We still decided to sedate for the remainder of his procedures to avoid backtracking on his progress.
Over the course of the next year Tyson’s owner took her own Fear Free steps at home, buying her own grooming table and clipping him herself. She was patient with him and even learned to Dremel his nails.
When it was nearly time for Tyson’s annual exam she set up behavioral sessions with us, so we could work on desensitization. We discovered Trazodone made him a little grumpy at home, so we switched to gabapentin, which worked well for him. On his first behavioral visit the difference was obvious. He came right up to staff for treats, did all of his tricks, and allowed us to touch him everywhere. We could feel his belly, touch his ears and legs, and look in his mouth. We started doing mock injections with a capped needle with no reaction. The only thing that still triggered him was obvious restraint.
For his annual wellness visit, Tyson allowed a full exam. We applied topical lidocaine at his injection sites and where we planned to draw blood for a heartworm test. We put a donut collar on Tyson prior to his vaccines as a precaution, and asked the owner to hold his harness to keep him steady (he was really into the treats and a bit wiggly). He did not react to his vaccinations and even held still long enough for us to get a blood draw from his back leg.
Tyson made a huge turnaround, and I think the owner’s willingness to do her part played a big role. It has been great to see the difference Fear Free techniques have made!

Susan Sappington, DVM, Rock Bridge Animal Hospital, Columbia, Missouri

Elke’s Excellent Experience

Elke had her annual veterinary checkup yesterday, and by doing some simple things we were able to make her visit less stressful and even a bit enjoyable. Our veterinarian is part of a Fear Free practice (Thank you, Animal Hospital of North Asheville) and embraces a cooperative care approach that allows animals to have choices and dictate the pace at which we move through the visit.

In the photo, you see that there is a comfortable mat for Elke to use. Having a soft spot to rest on is so much nicer for dogs than just having the cold, hard floor. She was a bit nervous, so we created a treat search for her by hiding treats in the blanket and Kong. It is one of her favorite things to do, and sniffing is an activity that we know helps calm dogs. During the actual exam, all of us (veterinarian, veterinary technician, and myself) gave her treats each time a new body part was examined. While Elke does not love going to the veterinarian’s office, with cooperative care and the Fear Free method she was able to relax and have a calm visit.

Joann Rechtine, CPDT-KA, MS, MPH, RN, The Loose Leash Academy, Black Mountain, North Carolina

Roger’s Routine

We were beside ourselves on how to handle taking Roger to the vet. We put him through basic obedience and advanced obedience classes twice to learn manners and how to act appropriately. He has done great in our home and in our families’ homes as we know how to handle his anxiety. In our vet’s office, though, Roger would go crazy as his anxiety shot through the roof from all the smells and people. Thanks to the Fear Free program and team at Frey Pet Hospital, Roger can feel safer and happier going to the vet now. We are thankful for Fear Free Way!

Nicole Schroeder, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Kim Campbell Thornton is content manager for Fear Free Pets and is a Level 3 Fear Free Certified Professional. She has been writing about dogs, cats, wildlife, and marine life since 1985.

20 Surprising Treats to Tempt Your Patients

Steve Dale, CABC
Just as we have our own individual taste preferences, so do dogs and cats. And food can be the way to their hearts. Many Fear Free Certified veterinary practices and Fear Free veterinarians even offer “menus” and keep track in pets’ records of personal preferences.

Of course, many cats will do anything for tuna. And dogs love those hot dogs. Those statements won’t stop the pet press.

However, veterinarians and veterinary technicians can also think outside the treat box. Sometimes, just because it’s novel, a treat may be more enticing. Also, at home these items might be used for training or for animals needing a bit of an appetite boost (always only with veterinary approval).

Who knew, for example, that many cats have a thing for olives (no pits please) or marshmallows. Or that dogs, and not necessarily Australian Cattle Dogs, love Vegemite, an Australian food spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract with various vegetables and spices. Most Americans disdain Vegemite, but many dogs love the stuff.

With Fear Free founder Dr. Marty Becker contributing, here’s a list of 20 surprising treats:

Anchovy paste
Apple
Baby food (without onion)
Bananas
Blueberries
Bonito fish flakes (known as katsuobushi in Japanese cuisine)
Braunschweiger
Cheerios
Cheez Whiz/Easy Cheese
Churros (fried-dough pastry)—hold the chocolate sauce
Green beans
Liverwurst
Marshmallow cream
Mini marshmallows
Olives (no pits)
Peas
Peanut Butter (avoid sugar-free peanut butters containing the artificial sweetener Xylitol, which is toxic to pets)
Rice cakes (plain)
Sardines (in pesto, in olive oil or in water)
Vegemite

Remember to keep portion sizes small, appropriate for the size of the pet. You don’t want to send him home with a tummy ache!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Steve Dale, CABC (certified animal behavior consultant), hosts two national pet radio shows and is on WGN Radio, Chicago. He’s a regular contributor/columnist for many publications, including CATSTER, Veterinary Practice News, and the Journal of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. He’s appeared on dozens of TV shows, including Oprah, many Animal Planet Programs, and National Geographic Explorer. He has contributed to or authored many pet books and veterinary textbooks such as “The Cat: Clinical Medicine and Management” and co-edited Decoding Your Dog, by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. He speaks at conferences around the world. www.stevedale.tv.

Fear Free at Home: Helping Dogs With Separation Anxiety

Rachel Lees RVT, KPA CTP, VTS (Behavior)Every year, many pets are relinquished and sometimes euthanized for a variety of behavioral concerns. Among them are separation related issues. Dogs with separation-related diagnoses make up 10 to 20 percent of the cases referred to veterinary behaviorists.

Cases range from mild–showing minor body language changes during the owner’s departure–to severe–dogs injuring themselves and destroying the home by chewing through drywall and jumping out windows. Regardless of severity, it is important to obtain a diagnosis and begin treatment to not only keep these patients safe from anxiety and self-injury and the family’s home undamaged, but also to keep intact the human-animal bond.

Beginning Treatment

Obtaining a diagnosis from a veterinarian is the first step toward treatment. The patient should be medically worked up and assessed as there may be underlying medical or anxiety-related concerns that will exacerbate this issue. After a medical workup, the veterinary medical team can assist the owner by reviewing the veterinarian’s treatment plan, including safety, prevention, management, and behavioral therapy.

Depending on the diagnosis and severity of the problem, the veterinarian may also prescribe medications to reduce patient stress and anxiety during departures. The veterinary medical team can discuss trialing medications and potential side effects on a case-by-case basis.

Eyes in the Sky: Videotaping Alone Time

With advances in technology, we have a variety of ways to watch pets who are home alone. For a potential separation-related issue, it’s vital to recommend that the client have video and camera accessibility to the pet during departures. Not only can we evaluate the pet’s distress levels during departures, but this can be an important tool for the veterinarian in determining a diagnosis. We may find that the patient is not always distressed during departures and that an outside stimulus is causing the dog to panic. The veterinarian would diagnose and treat this problem very differently.

Lonely No More: Avoiding Alone Time

For severe cases where self-injury and destruction in the home are concerns, the veterinarian may recommend avoiding leaving the pet alone. This is not a long-term fix but can help keep the pet safe during treatment and behavior modification. Owners may have a pet sitter stay at the home during work hours or use boarding facilities or daycares.

Changing the Meaning of Time Alone

Part of behavioral therapy for separation distress is to change the way the patient feels about being alone. A great way to start this process is with high-value food for the patient to enjoy during departures. A lickable item is easy to ingest and easy for a pet to focus on when distressed. Think peanut butter, cream cheese, spray cheese, cheese spread, canned pumpkin, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and canned dog food. Food-enrichment items such as food bowl mazes, Kongs, plates, bowls, and muffin tins can be used to administer these treats.

Another benefit of using food is that we can monitor the patient’s stress level. If a patient is a peanut butter Kong fanatic when the owner is home, but that same patient will not touch the peanut butter during a departure, this tells us the patient is too stressed and anxious to enjoy the food enrichment offered. Relay this information to the veterinarian so the treatment plan can be altered.

Long-Term Success

Medications can help to reduce the patient’s anxiety, but behavioral therapy is crucial to long-term success. A treatment plan should include the following:

Shaping relaxed and independent behaviors: The goal is to teach the patient that calm, cool, collected behavior brings reinforcement. Positive reinforcement and clicker training can be helpful in implementing this step.
Creating a non-stressful and consistent departure routine to reduce overall anxiety: Instruct the owner to start working on short departures with the pet showing limited signs of stress and anxiety. The home will be set up in a consistent, predictable way while food enrichment is offered. “Safety cues” (bandanas on the door, scents, etc.) can be added to communicate to the pet that the owner will be back momentarily.
Changing the meaning of current departure cues: Departure cues are common indicators that owners will be leaving the home: putting on shoes, picking up keys/purse, or putting on a jacket. Owners should perform these cues during times when departures are not taking place. With repeated exposure, the pet will not always associate these cues with departures. Positive reinforcement can also be added in with the cue to create an even more positive association.

Medications and Supplements

Combining behavior therapy with psychotropic medications and supplements can improve the prognosis for separation anxiety. Primary medications such as fluoxetine (Reconcile) and clomipramine (Clomicalm) are licensed for use for in dogs with separation anxiety.

Other as-needed, event, or triage medications can be used for the departure itself to help reduce panic and stress. Some of these medications include Trazodone, Clonidine, or benzodiazepine(s) and are off-label use. The prescribing veterinarian will select these medications on a case-by-case basis. Pheromones (Adaptil) and supplements such as Zylkene (milk casein), and Anxitane (L-theanine) may also be suggested.

Consider referring severe cases to a veterinary behaviorist to help prevent the problem from becoming worse. For more information about separation anxiety, see or refer clients to the videos on separation anxiety at FearFreeHappyHomes.com.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Rachel Lees, a Level 3 Fear Free Certified Professional, is a veterinary technician specialist in behavior, a KPA certified training partner, and lead veterinary behavior technician at The Behavior Clinic in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. She loves helping people create and maintain a strong human-animal bond.

Study Finds Link Between Joint Problems and Arousability in Dogs

Linda Lombardi
A number of studies have found a relationship in humans between anxiety and a condition called joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS). Now a study has found a parallel association in dogs. This provides insight into understanding this correlation in people, as well as providing something to think about in dogs with anxiety and dogs with hip problems.

Coauthor James A. Serpell, Ph.D., professor of animal ethics and welfare at University of Pennsylvania, says humans who suffer from this condition essentially have loose joints and are more prone to dislocations and osteoarthritis. They also have a higher prevalence of anxiety, fear, panic, and a range of psychiatric disorders than the general population.

“There’s a lot of speculation about what could be the possible connection between the two,” he says. “One theory is that loose joints cause people to be anxious because they’re constantly worrying about the health consequences of their condition.”

Testing Method

The researchers tested that hypothesis by looking at whether the correlation held in another species that was not capable of that kind of understanding and worry. It was possible to test this on a large scale using already-existing data for guide dogs. The organization The Seeing Eye routinely tests puppies for joint problems at 18 months. Puppy raisers also fill out the C-BARQ, a standardized behavior evaluation. Researchers looked at these records for 5,575 dogs.

“We found that there was a strong association between a behavior variable that we call excitability, but that you could also call hyperarousability, and loose hips in these dogs,” Dr. Serpell says.

Trait and Anxiety Linked?

While they did not find a direct link with anxiety, there is likely a link between that trait and anxiety. “The literature in humans suggests that the reason that some people become anxious is simply because they’re more reactive to things in their environment,” Serpell says.

Finding a link between the physical condition and similar behavioral traits in dogs, then, casts doubt on the “health worries” explanation for the association. “The conclusion is, it’s very unlikely that the reason that people with joint hypermobility are anxious is because they’re anxious about their health condition, because we’re getting the same thing in another species,” he says. “This suggests that there must be some underlying link between the two.”

The exact nature of that link is currently unclear, but it is known that people with joint hypermobility show differences in their brains, particularly in areas related to emotional response. “This would suggest that we would find a similar difference if we were able to look into the brains of these dogs, and that there’s a direct link between these changes in brain anatomy and physiology across species that is involved in this strange link between joints and brains,” he says.

“This study add one more relevant piece to the puzzle of the interaction between behavior changes and medical problems,” says Carlo Siracusa, DVM, Ph.D., DACVB of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. “There is a growing body of evidence showing that animal behavior is regulated by the same immune and inflammatory response behind medical problems. So, it is probably time to retire the question ‘Is it medical or behavioral?'”

Socialization Effect

Serpell says the fact that the association was indirect – the dogs were excitable, but not necessarily anxious – is likely due to the strong impact of early socialization. “So much of anxiety-related behavior in dogs is linked to poor early socialization,” he says. “So instead what we’re picking up is something at a deeper level–a tendency to react strongly to the environment, which my guess is, would be less likely to be influenced by early environment than something like anxiety.”

Guide dog puppies are particularly well socialized, reducing the chance that they’ll be anxious adults even if they have inherited a genetic tendency to excitability and anxiety. Serpell notes that they’ve also been selected for generations against that trait. “I should say this somewhat cautiously, but so in some ways this was the worst population to look for this type of association, because the amount of variation they show is rather limited, because of selection and because of very careful early socialization.”

The fact that an association was found anyway suggests that if we could look instead at the general population of dogs, the association might be even stronger. Another limitation of the study is that the breeds were limited to those typically used as guide dogs. There are breed differences in tendencies to both excitability and joint problems, so further research is necessary.

Another possible explanation for the association, that the anxiety is caused by constant low levels of joint pain, seems unlikely, says Serpell. These dogs are young enough that although they are likely to develop hip problems later in life, they’d be unlikely to be in pain now, and their ratings on the C-BARQ did not show touch sensitivity.

That said, osteoarthritis does occur in young dogs. Even puppies younger than one year can experience lameness and chronic pain from it so that explanation remains a possibility.

These findings can be seen as another argument for the importance of proper early socialization, particularly in puppies who are excitable, since the implication is that they are more likely to develop anxiety. Another possibility, not suggested in the paper, is that we might want to be more aware of the potential for joint problems in dogs with these behavioral tendencies.

“That’s certainly something we could think about,” says Serpell. “If you’ve got a highly arousable dog that reacts very swiftly to environmental triggers and is slow to calm down after it gets aroused, then maybe yes, we should be giving special consideration to the possibility of joint hypermobility, particularly if it’s a medium to large breed dog where the consequences of it are likely to be more severe.”

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Linda Lombardi writes about the animals who share our planet and our homes for magazines including The Bark, websites including National Geographic and Mongabay.com, and for the Associated Press. Her most recent book, co-authored with Deirdre Franklin, is The Pit Bull Life: A Dog Lover’s Companion.

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