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A Kitten or Cat Care Clinic Provides Client Education Outside Office Hours

Deb Eldredge, DVM

A wonderful way to educate clients and potentially help out local pet adoption groups is to hold a kitten or cat care clinic. June is an ideal time for a kitten-themed clinic but any time of year will work. You might choose to do a couple of cat care clinics each year; consider one with a focus on senior cats, for instance.

A Job for a Cat Lover

Have a clinic employee who is considered one of your “cat people” in charge of this. If your clinic has a room big enough for a seminar, use that. I have used our local cooperative extension meeting room, usually available free of charge. As an alternative, a community college might have a free room available.

Most communities have local radio talk shows that are always looking for interesting people and events. Between that and posters at local shelters, pet stores, and your own clinic you should have plenty of free PR.

Gather Info and Freebies

Once you have a site, start collecting freebies to hand out. Our local pet store offered up bags and some treat samples. Go directly to companies; for example, Arm and Hammer donated small boxes of litter box deodorant. I have had samples of joint supplements, treats, food, catnip, and toys to put into the bags. You might be able to get starter kits to include as well, especially for kittens. The Pet Poison Helpline will donate magnets. If you got some donations of larger items you can make up baskets for a free door prize raffle for attendees.

Next, look for educational literature. Between AVMA, AAFP, Winn Feline Foundation, Cornell Feline Health Center, and AAHA, there is plenty of wonderful information for cat owners. You can also make copies of any handouts your own clinic has customized.

Involve Some Felines!

With June not only being Adopt a Cat Month/Adopt a Shelter Cat Month but also prime kitten time, I also recruited a couple of kittens from a local shelter. We bathed them, did FeLV and FIV testing, performed fecal checks, and provided their first vaccines. The kittens attended as demo animals for things like nail trims but also with the hope that they would charm their way into new homes. You could also have an adult cat or two present. If you aren’t comfortable using “unknown cats,” bring a clinic cat or employee cat who is good with crowds. I have used my own cats who were certified therapy cats as well as shelter cats and kittens.

Educate and Expand

Have a set list of topics to cover. Basic wellness care is a good starting point. If our clinic was concentrating on kittens I would bring up carrier training and behavior modification to prevent scratching or biting problems. Emphasize techniques to get kittens started on the Fear Free path. For senior cats you might want to discuss one or two of the most common senior cat problems such as kidney disease and arthritis.

Once you start doing “care clinics” you may find you have other topics to cover. Basic first aid is a good one or a nutrition basics seminar. These clinics can draw in new clients and also help your staff in the long run by educating people and answering their questions outside a busy work environment.

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

Walking the Line: Preventing Lyme Disease for Fear Free Clinics

By David Hustead, DVM, M.P.H.Balancing the importance of necessary care with the emotional care of pets in the Fear Free clinic can be challenging. There are countless situations, from the dog hit by a car to an outbreak or emerging disease, where the timeliness of medical care seems to outweigh the need to take things slowly and minimize fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) in the pet.

Consider Lyme disease. While we as well as our clients may be reluctant to add another injection to a dog’s prevention program, new information about Lyme disease’s risks, transmission, and prevalence provides a compelling reason to reconsider that reluctance. What information do we need to balance those risks with the benefit of prevention?

The risk of Lyme disease is increasing, changing, and spreading.

It’s important to understand that what we know about the risk of Lyme disease may be outdated. There is increasing evidence the risks of Lyme disease continue to expand for both people and dogs in the U.S. The CDC reports that vector-borne disease has more than doubled from 2004 to 2016. Of this, human Lyme disease accounts for 82 percent. Additionally, during this period, nine new vector-borne diseases were first observed in the U.S.¹

The risk to dogs is also increasing in areas not normally considered at-risk for Lyme disease. According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), while the Northeastern states, upper Midwest, and Pacific Northwest still have the majority of canine Lyme cases, dogs exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi continue to be discovered outside of those areas. Their biggest areas of concern for increases in canine Lyme disease in 2019 include eastern Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and Kentucky, West Virginia, western Virginia and North Carolina. Northwestern Minnesota and some areas in Indiana are also expected to see higher than average seroprevalence in 2019.

Other longstanding beliefs about transmission may now be outdated. For instance, many of us think the risk of disease transmission from exposure to the Lyme disease tick vector I. scapularis is greatest in the spring, but the CDC says the risk of exposure to these ticks is really greatest throughout spring, summer, and fall. In addition, adult ticks can be active at any time of the year when the temperature is above freezing.³

Consider the critical role of the veterinarian.

It’s easy to see that Lyme disease prevention is a critical issue to raise with clients, and one that requires the expertise of a veterinarian. There is no replacing the combination of client education about the disease and exposure risk reduction and proper vector control, including systemic or topical insecticides and vaccination. But some Fear Free veterinarians are hesitant to add a Lyme vaccine to their protocols, thinking it means yet another needle stick and more vaccine volume administered. The good news for Fear Free Certified practitioners is that, for the majority of your patients, you can add a Lyme vaccine without adding needle sticks or more volume.

For example, dogs needing only a Lyme vaccine can receive Elanco’s TruCan™ Ultra Lyme. TruCan™ Ultra Lyme has only half the volume of most vaccines. While half the volume may not seem like a big deal to you, clients interested in Fear Free techniques will appreciate a reduced-volume vaccine. Let them know you have a Lyme vaccine that offers the same protection but with half the dose volume.

Elanco has options for dogs who need distemper and parvo protection as well as those at risk of Leptospiroris, another disease with changing risk. TruCan™ Lyme L-4 + TruCan™ DAPPi+Lyme L-4, and TruCan™ DAPPi+Lyme CL-4 all provide protection with one needle stick and the same vaccine volume as a 4-way Lepto-only vaccine.

TruCan, Elanco, and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates.

References

1. ¹ Rosenberg, R. Et al. Vital Signs: Trends in Reported Vector Borne Disease Cases US and Territories 2004-2016. MMR Weekly 67 (17) May 4 2018.
  ² Yabsley, M. Despite the Availability of Preventative Measures—the Risk of Vector-Borne Disease Remains High in 2019. CAPC website accessed on 16 May 2019 at https://capcvet.org/articles/despite-the-availability-of-preventative-measures-the-risk-of-vector-borne-disease-remains-high./
2. ³ CDC accessed Geographic distribution of ticks that bite humans. Accessed at:https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/geographic_distribution.html

This article is brought to you in collaboration with our friends at Elanco.

17 Simple Ways to Reduce Stress in Shelter Cats

Katie Costello

Imagine that you are in a remote part of a foreign country and become so ill that you need to go to the hospital. People are coming at you and doing things you don’t understand. All of your senses are off: the way things smell, look, taste. Worse, you can’t understand anything said to you.

Yes, I am asking you to put yourself in the paw prints of shelter cats.

A Cat’s Senses

We all recognize that shelters are unnatural environments for animals, but understanding how cats perceive their environment can provide clues as to how to help them deal with their stress.

Kelly Bollen, MS, CABC, owner of Animal Alliances, LLC, describes in detail what cats perceive. For instance, think of how loud shelters are. Cats can hear up to 80 kilohertz; that is within ultrasonic range! By comparison, humans hear up to 20 kilohertz.

Cats have excellent vision and are sensitive to motion. They have 67 million scent receptors. Their vomeronasal organ pulls in pheromones signaling the emotions of cats around them. The pads of their feet are sensitive to touch and vibration. That means that in multiple ways cats are sensing all the other fearful and stressed cats in the shelter as well as other environmental stressors such as barking dogs, people walking up and down the halls, and radios blaring.

What Can We Do?

It should be our daily goal to decrease the fear that animals feel in our shelters. Drs. Kate Hurley and Julie Levy at the Million Cat Challenge, a joint project of the UC Davis and University of Florida shelter medicine programs, say that making sure each cat has the right amount of space is the most important thing a shelter can do to prevent stress and stress related diseases such as upper respiratory infections (URI): “Our research showed not meeting this space requirement was one of the biggest risk factors for respiratory disease in shelter cats.” That space requirement is:

Individually-housed cats each require a minimum of at least 8.5 square feet of clear floor (not vertical) space.
Cats in group housing need at least 18 square feet per cat, plus places to hide. And again: vertical space doesn’t count!

Laura K. Frazier, BA, RVT, and owner of www.advocatsconsulting.com as well as previous owner of Meow Town in Martinez, Georgia, shares some additional recommendations:

Vertical space (even if cats are in their own space/kennel).
Boxes for hiding, with the open part facing the rear of the cage.
Moveable curtains or panels for privacy.
Spray the space/kennel with Feliway before cats arrive or use a plug-in. If using spray, wait 15 to 20 minutes to allow the smell of alcohol to dissipate.
Provide opportunities for scratching by attaching mats to walls or placing climbing posts in kennels.
Offer social play with wand toys, especially if cats can’t be touched.
Play yoga music or buy one of the CDs with music composed for cats such as “Through A Cat’s Ear.”
Speak softly and move slowly. Try to eliminate noises such as banging doors, loud music, or radios on cages.
Hide treats throughout cages so cats can hunt.
Offer catnip.
Allow cats opportunities to walk around and explore outside their cages.
Allow cats to come out of carriers on their own instead of pulling them out. Place the open carrier in the cage so they can come out when they want.

From my own experience, I’ve found that hanging dried lavender from the cage can be calming. Keep cats in a room separate from dogs so they don’t have to see or hear them. Consider giving them Cat TV—videos of fish or birds flying. Better yet, place cages so they face a window. Offer a variety of toys, especially problem-solving toys that deliver treats.

You will find that just a few simple changes can improve a cat’s physical environment and mental health. The result is a happier, healthier, more adoptable cat.

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

Certified Practice Member Exclusive: Behavior Triage 101

Certified Practice Member Exclusive: Behavior Triage 101

Hear from one of the profession’s leading experts when it comes to delivering Fear Free care to even your most challenging patients! The higher the level of FAS a patient experiences, the more challenging it is to effectively and safely deliver veterinary care. With her years of experience practicing and teaching, Dr. Susan Barrett shares her unique perspectives on successfully managing these patients.

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.

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.

Fear Free Success Story: Too Much Time? Not So Fast!

Kim Campbell Thornton

We’ve all heard nay-sayers complain that Fear Free techniques take too much time. But is that really true? We went to an expert to find out.

Using Fear Free techniques can require additional time, no doubt about it, but in the long run they can save time and reduce stress. Smart scheduling is the secret, says Fear Free Certified hospital manager Taryn Lambert at VCA Manito Animal Hospital in Spokane, Washington.

Extra Time Pays Off

Fear Free success relies on allowing animals more time to become accustomed to being in the exam room and the presence of technicians and the veterinarian. It means making time for Victory Visits or fun visits so that pets associate the clinic with good treats, good times, and good friends. As Lambert says, it’s important to make deposits into a patient’s “trust account.”

But that doesn’t mean adding hours to the day. At VCA Manito, advising clients about the best times to bring in pets for fun visits, planning which patients come in when, and explaining desensitization and counterconditioning techniques all contribute to a smooth-running hospital.

For instance, “happy visits” for anxious pets are encouraged. They can come in, get treats, and maybe get weighed.

“I just let them know, ‘If you see that we look like Costco parking lot, that probably is not the day to come in and weigh your pet,’” Lambert says. “But otherwise, you just come on in.”

Careful Planning

Patient records note the animal’s typical FAS score. If it’s a 4 or 5, an additional 15 minutes is scheduled for the appointment.

“We know which ones take time and which ones don’t, and we schedule accordingly,” Lambert says. “If I have a whole bunch of zeroes and ones, those pets are going to go a lot faster. I would not have five fives in a row. That is not strategic scheduling.”

Receptionists play a key role. They manage the logistics of patient flow to ensure that bottlenecks don’t develop. The result is less stress for team members.

Messaging Matters

Communication with clients is also an important part of Fear Free time management. If arrival of an emergency case has veterinarians running late, clients may be called and asked if they’d like to come in a little later or reschedule the appointment. That ensures that they don’t have to put their dog or cat in the car, drive to the clinic, and then have to wait for an extended period before being seen. That’s less stressful for all the animals and humans involved.

Clients are also more willing to return for additional visits if they think it will result in less FAS for their pets. Take nail trims, the bane of most pet owners—and their pets. Lambert says VCA Manito has begun “bundling” nail trims into multiple visits, using desensitization and counterconditioning techniques to get pets through the procedure without fuss and teach them that it doesn’t have to hurt or be scary.

“Pets come in five to nine times,” she says. “The owners do not mind this. You would think that owners will not come back, but yes, they do.”

Implementing Fear Free may take more time upfront and it can require more time for certain patients, but overall it’s a win for veterinarians, staff, clients, and most important, pets.

“I can’t imagine ever not doing Fear Free,” Lambert says. “I think once you understand it and actually walk the walk, it just changes your view.”

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

Effects and Management of Chronic Pain

Course Overview

This course will discuss chronic pain, its causes, and its impact on animals’ wellbeing. It will include case studies, as well as a discussion of alternative and complementary treatment.

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

There are six lessons in this course.

Lesson 1: Review of Causes of Chronic Pain
Lesson 2: A Brief Discussion of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Lesson 3: Measuring Chronic Pain
Lesson 4: Effects of Chronic Pain
Lesson 5: Pain Cases
Lesson 6: Alternative and Complementary Treatments

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

Analgesic Medications and the Pain Pathway

Course Overview

This course will teach you how to maximize the efficacy of your analgesic protocols. You will learn how and where core and adjunctive medications work along the pain pathway, and the importance of multimodal analgesia.

This course, approved for 1 RACE CE hour, was written by Dr. Tamara Grubb, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVAA.

There are four lessons in this course.

Lesson 1: Pain and Analgesia: Introduction and Integration into Fear Free
Lesson 2: Pain Pathway: Where Do Analgesic Medications Work?
Lesson 3: Core Medications for Treatment of Acute Pain
Lesson 4: Adjunctive Medications and Techniques for Treating Acute Pain

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

Analgesic Protocols for Acute Pain: Case-Based

Course Overview

This course provides specific protocols for treating patients experiencing a variety of acute pain conditions, including various surgeries, trauma, dentistry, and more. We will look at several case examples typical of what you might encounter in daily practice.

This course, approved for 1 RACE CE hour, was written by Dr. Tamara Grubb, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVAA.

There are three lessons in this course.

Lesson 1: Designing Analgesic Protocols: Importance and Strategies
Lesson 2: Analgesic Protocols for Elective Soft-Tissue Surgery and Dentistry
Lesson 3: Analgesic Protocols for Urgent Soft Tissue and Orthopedic Surgery, Trauma and Medical Conditions

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

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