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Taking the Stress Out of Veterinary Care for Clients & Patients Through Technology

Taking the Stress Out of Veterinary Care for Clients & Patients Through Technology

Fear, anxiety, and stress should not be barriers for any pet or pet parent when they need care from their veterinary team or other care providers like groomers, walkers, trainers, or pet sitters. Technology is bringing the world as we know it closer and making our day to day lives easier and more convenient. BabelBark has new technology tools that make caring for our beloved pets easier and better. Tanya Cooper, the Director of Veterinary Sales at BabelBark and a Fear Free Certified Professional, explains how the veterinary care team can be unified with the care providers in a pet’s life for better sharing of information between visits and how BabelBark’s tools of remote patient monitoring and enhanced communications can allow you to provide high-quality care that considers the wellbeing of the pet’s body and mind.

Consider the Senses of the Fear Free Exam

Consider the Senses of the Fear Free Exam

Dr. Julie Reck explores the details involved in creating a Fear Free experience. She also discusses pre-appointment opportunities, easy-to-implement facility alterations, and exam room cleaning tips to make sure your patients have the best experience possible. Sponsored by Virox.

Preparing Birds and Other Exotics for Fear Free Visits

Fear Free

For Dr. Alicia McLaughlin, a key component of Fear Free success with her exotic-animal patients is to encourage clients to prioritize preparation for visits. She educates them on measures they can take at home to increase their pet’s comfort with care and encourages Fear Free fun visits to the hospital. In this way, she lays a calm, positive foundation for animals during care. Pets with mild concerns experience increased comfort and cooperation as trust is established.

In an ideal world, McLaughlin would provide a Fear Free foundation for her patients from the start. When she’s able to do so, Dr. Laughlin starts by accustoming the animal slowly to aspects of care, pairing these experiences with treats. At the same time, she teaches clients proper treat delivery and handling guidelines so they can practice at home and help prepare their pet for future care. Patients with already established FAS at the vet also benefit from conditioning to increase their comfort with handling at the veterinary clinic.

A major benefit for her patients on wellness plans is scheduling at least two Fear Free fun visits a year to positively condition the animal to care. During these practice visits, the animals come in for the equivalent of a treat party, taking treats from members of the staff to increase their tolerance to new people. Nothing stressful or coercive takes place. Instead, the animal is slowly desensitized to aspects of the clinic and the staff may work on developing some tricks to have a foundation for working with the pet during future visits.

The takeaway? Never underestimate the power of having a good time! Fun, positive experiences at home and at the hospital are a powerful force in helping to decrease the fear, anxiety, and stress animals experience during care and increase their happy participation.

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

Taking the Fear out of Disinfection

Until recently, disinfection was considered to be a necessary evil, killing infectious microbes at the cost of exposing pets and people to harsh chemical odors. Disinfectants with unpronounceable names, such as sodium hypochlorite (bleach), quaternary ammonium compounds (QUATs), and potassium peroxymonosulfate, may have been the industry standard for a long time, but just like any other aspect of animal health, we always strive to do better for our pets and create a more positive experience for them in and out of the vet clinic.Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide^® (AHP^®) technology had been used extensively in human healthcare to kill some of the toughest pathogens while putting patient safety at the forefront. When Virox Animal Health saw the same need for veterinary care, they knew that AHP would be a perfect fit to help protect people and animals while reducing fear, stress, and anxiety in a veterinary hospital. That led to the creating of Rescue, a disinfectant specifically tailored to protect companion animals and the people who care for them.

While traditional disinfectants have been a trade-off between safety and efficacy, Rescue eliminates the need to make this choice. Rescue’s safety profile, coupled with the lack of harsh chemical odor, realistic contact times, and superior cleaning powers, can help your facility along its journey in becoming Fear Free.

Reducing FAS in the disinfection process doesn’t, however, mean a loss of efficacy. AHP disinfection covers all the bases in a Fear Free approach to animal health. These include:

1. Other chemicals like bleach and QUATs can be harsh. We all know that from experience, but we might not realize that bleach can cause serious skin and eye irritation and respiratory illness¹. QUATs, although safer than bleach, have been associated with asthma and can also be irritating to the eyes and skin². Rescue kills those tough-to-kill pathogens, but its gentle formulation is non-toxic and non-irritating for the safety of your patients, staff, and clients.

2. Bleach and QUATs can often take up to 10 minutes of contact time to kill pathogens, which can really slow down your practice. When was the last time you waited 10 minutes for a disinfectant to do its job before wiping it off? Not to mention the fact that these chemicals may not stay wet on the surface for long enough to meet this contact time. Rescue has realistic contact times, ranging from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Furthermore, its wetting agents help make sure that it stays wet long enough to disinfect. This means less product used, less waiting between patients, and a more efficient practice overall.

3. Rescue has broad-spectrum bactericidal and viricidal claims against the vast majority of pathogens we encounter in the veterinary setting, so you can be confident that even the toughest pathogens don’t stand a chance. AHP also has none of the odors associated with chemical disinfection, preventing additional stress to our patients during their visit.

4. Cleaning power. Many older disinfectant chemistries have been poor cleaners and were only able to kill pathogens on surfaces that had been pre-cleaned with soap and water. AHP contains powerful detergents, which break down soil and allow it to work in the presence of organic material. This brings cleaning and disinfection into one easy step, saving valuable time and resources along the way. Rescue is also a natural odor eliminator, which may help get rid of some of the smells that can contribute to fear, stress, and anxiety within your clinic.

References

This article is brought to you in collaboration with our friends at Virox.This article is brought to you in collaboration with our friends at Virox/Rescue Disinfectants.

The Business of Pain Management

Course Overview

This course empowers you to begin or increase your pain management business by offering suggested improvements to both the culture and physical layout of your clinic. It will discuss skills you might want to consider learning, how to effectively communicate with clients, and ways to acquire new pain patients.

This course, approved for 1 RACE CE hour, was written by Dr. Michael Petty, DVM, CVPP, CVMA, CCRT, CAAPM.

This course consists of five lessons.

Lesson 1: Acquiring a “Pain Attitude”
Lesson 2: The Clinic
Lesson 3: Skill Sets to Consider
Lesson 4: Treatment Goals and Outcome Measures
Lesson 5: Acquiring Patients

This course is endorsed by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.

Certified Practice Member Exclusive: Feline Pain Scoring & Treatment Made Easy

How Cats Say Ouch: Feline Pain Scoring & Treatment Made Easy

Cats don’t speak our language and cannot tell us when they are painful. It is up to us to learn how they express pain. Pain is an unpleasant emotional experience and we can gain insight into how our feline patients feel by looking for changes in behavior and facial expressions. Because a picture is worth a thousand words, this webinar will use images and videos to demonstrate how cats with acute pain behave. A scoring system that is suitable for clinical use will be discussed.

How Scent Affects Patients and Clients in the Clinic

Susan M. Ewing

Both dogs and cats rely heavily on scent to interpret their surroundings while humans rely more on sight. Blindfold a human just before a visit to a doctor or emergency room, and the stress level would be higher than if the person could see, but most people would at least be able to hear and understand what was happening in the way of treatment. We can’t explain to our pets what is happening, or why they are in a hospital. Take away their sense of smell and you’ve taken away their ability to interpret their world, adding more stress to an already stressful situation. By understanding the effects of scents, you can help them stay calm.

Ban Bleach

No one intentionally stops a dog or cat from smelling, but disinfectants can do just that. Bleach and other disinfectants with a harsh odor can make a pet “nose blind,” creating stress when they try, and fail, to learn about their environment. In one study, “Minimising Stress for Patients in the Veterinary Hospital: Why It Is Important and What Can be Done About It” (published online in Veterinary Sciences, April 13, 2017), lead author Janice K.F. Lloyd cites Karen L. Overall, VMD, in the Manual of Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats: “A solution of bleach, even as low as 1 percent, can destroy olfactory neurones, resulting in a loss of information and heightening anxiety.”

While disinfecting is essential, using one that doesn’t have a harsh odor may help to lessen the negative effect on a pet’s nose. At Applebrook Animal Hospital in Ooltewah, Tennessee, Kathryn Primm, DVM, uses Rescue disinfectant, a hydrogen peroxide product with little odor, which also dries quickly.

Scents From Other Animals

When pets are able to smell, identifying stress in other animals can increase their own level of stress. Secondarily, humans may also experience some stress when smelling clinic odors. Most pets are quick to respond to their owners’ emotions, and if that emotion is stress, it’s going to affect the pet.

“When we have bad odors suddenly, like anal glands,” says Dr. Primm, “it is critical that they be cleaned and deodorized completely, or they will cause fear in all the pets that perceive them.” For those kinds of odors, Primm uses K.O.E. (Kennel Odor Eliminator) by Thornell, a product that quickly eliminates odors and comes in a concentrate, a spray, and individual wipes.

Sometimes, when possible, opening a window can help. Many pets will become distracted from their environment as they process scents from outdoors. Synthetic pheromones may also help to calm a dog or cat. Plug-in pheromone diffusers may reduce stress in a waiting room, and doctors or technicians can spray their clothes with the pheromones. Use diffusers or sprays with caution around birds and fish.

Many people appreciate the calming effects of lavender and chamomile, and both of these scents seem to calm pets, too. Be careful how you use them, though. Certain diffused essential oils can cause some respiratory distress in cats so use them with caution, and alert clients to the risks of active diffusers in the home to pets.

With so many pets depending on their noses for information, it makes sense to pay attention to scents.

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

Reducing Dog Bites by Understanding the Secret Language of Dogs

Reducing Dog Bites by Understanding the Secret Language of Dogs

Dog bites and injury to veterinarians, staff, and pet professionals are often considered an occupational hazard. Many of the situations that may result in a dog bite can be prevented by understanding the language and emotions of dogs.

Celebrity dog trainer and author Victoria Stilwell discusses dog body language, behavior, and how to safely interact with dogs as part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

Stilwell is joined by State Farm Brand Specialist Heather Paul, who discusses dog bite insurance claims data for 2018, dog bite liability, and how the insurance company is working to reduce dog-related injuries as a member of the Dog Bite Prevention Coalition.

Establishing & Strengthening Trainer Relationships with Veterinary Practices

Establishing & Strengthening Trainer Relationships With Veterinary Practices

Establishing a relationship with a trainer is a great way to set your current and future clients up for success, increase revenues, and help to eliminate pet relinquishment and euthanasia. While it may be simple to find a trainer in your area, finding one who fits with your style, needs, and scheduling can become difficult. Dr. Marty Becker, founder of Fear Free, and Mikkel Becker, Lead Animal Trainer for Fear Free, team up to walk you through the process of finding a trainer who fits your practice needs.

Reducing Fear in Veterinary Dentistry for Pets & Pet Owners

Reducing Fear in Veterinary Dentistry for Pets & Pet Owners

In this webinar, Heidi Lobprise, DVM, Diplomate AVDC, will show you how to apply the core concepts of Fear Free to make sure pets get the dental care they need. Sponsored by Zoetis.

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