Fear Free Archives - Page 5 of 6

How Fear Free Helps Pets Get Better Care

Kim Campbell Thornton
Managing pain and completing procedures and exams in a way that keeps patients not only calm but actually eager—or at least willing—to participate is at the heart of Fear Free. We love hearing how Fear Free techniques help your patients and your own pets make it through needle sticks, diagnostic tests, and more to receive the care they need in a kind, respectful, and stress-less way both in the clinic and at home.

Fluid Dynamics

My cat Cleo is nearly 17 and receives sub-q fluids regularly at home. She used to grumble and try to get away but once I started Fear Free, I began giving her favorite crunchy treats before, during, and after administering fluids. Now she purrs through the whole procedure, and any time I approach the spot in the house where we do fluids, she walks up for “crunchie time.” I’ve been able to switch back to a larger needle because she doesn’t notice the poke while snacking, which makes administration faster, too.

Kate Regehr, Douglas College, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

PVPs for Moose

Last year, Moose came into our clinic with lots of anxiety and fear, so much that we were unable to properly perform a physical exam or collect blood from him. This year, Moose had trazodone on board and his visit went fantastic. Our team was able to get him on the scale, perform a full exam, and collect blood. Moose’s mom was so happy and relieved to know that Moose could have a Fear Free veterinary visit where Moose can feel safe.

Jessica Decock, Georgian Bay Veterinary Hospital and Mobile Services, Perkinsfield, Ontario, Canada

Pain Relief, Pet Relief

Chewy had a lot of fear and anxiety at the veterinary clinic, causing her to behave aggressively and making it difficult to give her the care she needed. While training her, I observed various signs of pain, which were most likely adding to her anxiety. I alerted her caregiver to my observations so she could better assess and monitor her dog and update her veterinarian. Chewy and her caregiver had previously had negative and traumatic experiences at a veterinary clinic so I referred them to Keystone Veterinary Clinic, which has Fear Free Certified Professionals who created a handling plan to enable Chewy to have a thorough exam, radiographs, and other diagnostics in a safe and low-stress manner. I also worked with the owner to begin muzzle training. The combination of appropriate scheduling, handling, and sedation, Chewy was able to receive the diagnostics and treatment she needed.

Tabitha Kucera, RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP, Positively Pawsitive, Cleveland, Ohio

Meeting Goals for Gus

Gus had developed severe resource guarding of his food and water bowls, as well as fear and anxiety regarding being touched and having his gear put on and taken off. As a result, he snapped at and bit a walker. We worked closely with his owners and utilized Fear Free strategies and positive reinforcement training to get Gus comfortable with having strangers in the home. We were eventually able to find a solution that allowed Gus to be comfortable having walkers touch and refill his water bowl and approach his food bowl without any signs of resource guarding or fear, anxiety, and stress. Now Gus happily greets his walker at the door, demands affection, and has no issues on his walk or in his home.

Katie Pape, Windy City Paws, Chicago, Illinois

Turning Around First-Visit Blues

Yesterday, we had a new client come in for a vaccine appointment for her new blue merle Corgi puppy, which she had picked up the previous day. In the lobby, the pup was quiet and at first glance appeared to be coping well, but once in the exam room, I noticed she was scared and only wanted to stay between mom’s legs. We needed to vaccinate her so she could attend the puppy kindergarten class our behaviorist runs. We were able to get an oral bordetella vaccine in her, luring with baby food. When we attempted to poke with the needle for the other vaccination, though, she cried. We tried to warm her up to us so we would be able to get the vaccination in her. She escalated in the room and turned and growled. We then decided to abort mission. We did not want to ruin her experience at the veterinarian, especially since this was her first time here and she was a baby. We prescribed gabapentin and planned to have her come in the next day, early in the morning, to give her a better experience. Luckily, mom and dad were 100 percent on board with this. They came in the next morning and our front desk staff directed them to a room right away. When we walked in with the vaccine, she was asleep on the table. Dad said she was very sleepy. I grabbed a cup of Braunschweiger and fed her a small piece of it. She eagerly ate it but didn’t move her body. We desensitized and performed gradient of touch and she was fully distracted by the yummy treats. We gave her the vaccine and she never stopped eating and did not even notice the poke. We were thrilled!! Yay for pre-visit medications!

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

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.

Time, Training Help Pet Pig Overcome Fears

Mikkel Becker

The fear of visiting the veterinarian and the anxiety of riding in the car isn’t limited to dogs or cats. Other animals experience these anxieties as well, including pigs. I know, because I was part of a major effort to help one adorably sweet and sizably grand pet pig, Dee Dee, to overcome her fear of car trips and veterinary visits.

Dee Dee’s fears were anything but mild when I met her. At one time she enjoyed riding in the car and veterinary care was a non-issue. But that changed after a spay surgery with a previous veterinarian when she was received third-degree burns from a heating pad during the procedure. The extreme pain and distress of the experience changed her behavior any time she rode in the car or was taken to the veterinary clinic. Any indication that she was going to be placed in the car sent all 250 pounds of Dee Dee into a flailing, fighting fury to flee to safety. She seemingly paired the car ride and traveling to new places with the distress and pain of the one experience.

From Chaos to Calm

Just getting Dee Dee into the car involved recruiting neighbors and the strength of many large men to push, pull, and pick her up into the car while other people blocked her movements and view using cardboard boxes. Dee Dee squealed in panic the entire trip and in her distress peeing and pooping all over the inside of the SUV in which she rode.

By the time I met Dee Dee, not only was she in distress, so was her owner, Olive. She was overwhelmed by the impossibility of getting her pig the care she needed, including hoof trims, a long overdue necessity. Olive was trapped between the duty of caring for her pig’s health and the guilt of not wanting to put Dee Dee through any more terror to get the care she needed. Thankfully, with the right Fear Free partnerships and training, Dee Dee was able to get the physical care she needed without losing her emotional wellbeing in the process.

As a trainer who is Fear Free certified, I was able to incorporate aspects of reward-based training that I commonly use with dogs into my training with Dee Dee. In addition to training, an essential step was to find a Fear Free-certified exotic animal veterinarian. We came across Dr. Alicia McLaughlin from the Center for Bird and Exotic Animal Medicine near Seattle, Washington, who was equally committed to reducing Dee Dee’s fear, anxiety, and stress.

We taught Dee Dee to touch and follow a target, in her case a plastic serving spoon. This became her go-to way to say hi to new people. Targeting was also an excellent way to encourage her to willingly follow toward, away, onto, or off certain spaces to better guide her movements. This was useful both for getting her to willingly approach the car and walk up the ramp, as well as to move onto spaces such as the scale or into the exam room.

Dee Dee also had an impressive array of other fun tricks we capitalized on as relationship builders for her care, including sit, down, and Zen down, during which she would lie on her side. Such behaviors were vital to earn her participation during care, for keeping her in a stationary position, and for getting a better view of her hooves and belly.

Training for Travel

To get Dee Dee ready, an essential step was to replace her car ramp with a far sturdier version. Dee Dee was petrified of her previous ramp and avoided it at all costs. This time we took ramp training slowly by introducing it on a flat surface and teaching her to walk across it following a treat trail and her target spoon.

After successful ramp crossings on the flat surface, she graduated to higher spaces, including the curb and couch. Dee Dee liked this training so much she often opted to walk across the ramp and lie down atop it in her free time.

Separately, we desensitized Dee Dee to being around the car, including opening car doors or turning on the car while she did tricks, without actually getting in or going anywhere. We incorporated “go to your space” by training her to move to her blanket, which was useful as a portable safe space during trips in the car and at the vet.

In preparation for the visit to the hospital, Dr. McLaughlin prescribed pre-visit medications to help keep Dee Dee calm and reduce her panic.

Edible and Physical Treats

For training treats, we chose small, healthy snacks, including measured portions of her regular food, a cut-up apple or banana, and Cheerios. Our go-to treats were veggies cut into bite-size bits, including red, green, and yellow peppers, and her favorite, cherry tomatoes (reserved for the most challenging behaviors). Dee Dee’s previously expanding waistline began to shrink.

Dee Dee also liked back scratches and “getting forked”: a massage-like action with gentle poking of a fork that sent her into a euphoric trance. We used this to encourage her to relax as well as a reinforcer for performing certain behaviors. In getting Dee Dee up the ramp and into the car on the actual day of her veterinary trip, a human to scratch her back helped to keep her settled.

Challenging Setback

Unfortunately, our gradual acclimation timeline was thrown off because of a hoof injury that required veterinary care sooner than we had planned in our training timeline. We had to adapt the foundation we did have to help Dee Dee into the car, despite not having the full timeframe to practice with the ramp. This big jump was undeniably going to be too much for Dee Dee, so we coupled our training efforts with Dr. McLaughlin to provide pre-visit sedation that would keep her calm while still alert and mobile.

The first attempt at sedation wasn’t enough to take off the edge. Rather than forcing the issue, we settled on stopping with her moving partway up the ramp for treats and then taking a break when we noticed that past that point she was showing increased signs of FAS. The dose was adjusted, as was the angle of the ramp, so that it had a more gradual incline. Dee Dee then loaded calmly and was on her way, this time with less distress and visibly less mess.

Dee Dee’s list of known tricks was used when she arrived at the vet to increase her familiarity and cooperation with the staff and to pair the positives of trick training alongside care. The team also created a relaxed ambiance by dimming the lights and playing calming classical music. Then, by giving her pre-sedation medication of oral Valium hidden within food treats, she became sleepy and calm to the point that a sedation mask was easily placed over her nose. The care for Dee Dee’s hooves was then able to be performed without fear, anxiety, and stress being associated with the experience.

Continuing Education

After her visit, Dee Dee’s instruction continued, along with desensitization to hoof care at home. She has also learned to give in to pressure rather than to fight against it to help both with her walks and with tolerating minor restraint or guidance. Dee Dee has also been working on informational cues that teach her to turn when asked, even learning to differentiate left from right turns when asked; yet another sign of the brilliance of pigs.

The future for Dee Dee is full of hope with the help she was provided through Fear Free care. Despite a less than ideal start, she’s on track to become the healthiest and happiest pig she can be.

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.

Building Bonds the Fear Free Way

By Kim Campbell Thornton
Nail trims are the bane of numerous pets and people. Owners don’t like doing them, and assistants and technicians don’t enjoy being “the bad guys” who have to do the dirty deed. Blood draws and even simple exams can bring bad feelings to the forefront, too. Fear Free to the rescue! Get inspired by fellow Fear Free Certified Professionals as they help pets stay cool, calm, and collected during care.

All About Eva

Eva, a spunky and energetic German Shorthaired Pointer, is a staff favorite for more than just her adorable, tongue-hanging-out smile, but there’s one thing Eva never liked: nail trims! Prior to the hospital’s transition to Fear Free in early 2017, it was a challenge to trim Eva’s nails, requiring three or four technicians to assist with restraint, plus a muzzle and calming cap. We started implementing Fear Free teachings right away with all of our patients, but one staff member has really gone above and beyond her commitment to Fear Free training to help Eva overcome her fear. Kayla McNeely volunteered to assist with Eva’s nail trims, and she can now perform Eva’s nail trims solo, standing, with minimal assistance from Eva’s mom, Sheila, who says, “Kayla’s patience and kindness have worked wonders with my girl.” Our hospital requires all staff members to go through Fear Free training to help ensure that all of our clients, patients, and staff have a pleasant experience during their exams. We have seen a tremendous difference in many patients at our hospital since our transition to Fear Free, but Kayla and Eva’s journey together is by far our most successful Fear Free adventure to date.

Beth Chinnick, CVT and practice manager, Compassion Animal Hospital, East Berlin, Pennsylvania

Ruba Loves Laps

One-year-old Ruba disliked having her feet touched and her nails trimmed. We trialed trazodone for six months for all nail trim visits. It started to work well, and we discovered she preferred sitting in Dr. DaCosta’s lap. Ruba now comes in for frequent nail trims with minimal restraint and no trazodone needed. We are so proud of her progress and the team’s dedication to using Fear Free techniques.

Brianna King, Clinic Manager, Watzin Veterinary Clinic, Waterdown, Ontario, Canada

Practice Makes Perfect

Mikey Bear used to require sedation before blood draws, but I showed his amazing humans how to hold his back leg for a blood draw and wet the vein while giving him treats to get him used to the feeling. They worked on this for a month, and when they came back, the blood draw was a snap. I discovered they had added another step to the homework and were poking the vein with a toothpick at home.

Jessica Jaffe, CVT, VCA Wakefield Animal Hospital, Wakefield, Massachusetts

Thinking Outside the Office

I was on primary care rotations at University of Wisconsin Teaching Hospital, and my first case of the day was a 150-pound Great Dane who had a history of being nervous during veterinary visits and in the presence of strangers. When I was notified that he and the owner had arrived, she went to the waiting room but was told that they were outside in the car. Even with sedation prior to the visit, he was too afraid to come out of the car. After speaking with the owner and assessing the situation, I decided that additional sedation and performing the exam in the car would spare him an immense amount of stress. We moved slowly, made intentional actions, and kept him comfortable. The smooth experience left the owner grateful. I firmly believe we took the pet out of petrified.

Bianca Ferlisi, veterinary student, University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine

From Terror to Trust

When I worked at a veterinary emergency clinic, one of the dogs in the hospital was so fearful that he would begin to thrash and hit his head in the ground if anyone touched his leash. I sat in front of his cage with my back to him so he could become accustomed to my scent. Then I started placing treats in his cage and turning my back again. Eventually, I opened the door and put a leash on him and sat next to the door. When he came out of the cage on his own, I was able to walk him with no tension on the leash. Gaining an animal’s trust is a beautiful thing.

Shelby L. Dan, veterinary assistant, Downtown Animal Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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.

Can Special Music for Cats Reduce Their Stress at the Clinic?

Linda Lombardi

We know that music can affect human mood, but we don’t usually think about whether cats or dogs care if we play Mozart or Metallica. We probably should: Studies have shown that classical music reduces stress in dogs, and a study of cats under anesthesia showed differences in respiratory rate and pupillary diameter in response to classical, pop, and heavy metal music, with the lowest values for classical music and the highest for heavy metal.

Can we use these effects to our advantage? A recent study in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery shows that music specially designed for cats has small but significant effects on cats undergoing a veterinary exam. It’s worth considering other aspects of the sound environment of your clinic as well.

Sounds Cats Like

Music for Cats by composer David Teie incorporates sounds intended to be familiar and comforting to cats, reminiscent of purring and suckling sounds, with frequencies similar to cat vocalization ranges. “However, he also layers in a melody of music that is pleasing to people as well,” says researcher Amanda Hampton of the School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University. “That part of the music, it seems that cats don’t really respond to, but that way we don’t get tired of it.”

Previous research in homes testing this music against silence and regular human classical music showed that cats seemed to prefer it. “They found that cats would approach the speakers playing cat music more, or go into postures that were more relaxed,” says Hampton.

Effects of Music

Building on this, Hampton and colleagues tested the effect of cat music during a veterinary exam. Twenty cats took part under all three conditions: cat music, classical music, and silence, with two weeks between tests. Cats were placed in an exam room for 10 minutes and then given a physical exam that included a blood draw. They were evaluated at three points with a standardized Cat Stress Score (CSS) based on body language and behavior–before the music began, during the exam, and after the exam–and with a Handling Score (HS) during the exam. Cats showed lower CSS and HS when listening to cat music compared to classical music and silence.

The blood drawn was also tested for neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a measure of stress, but no differences were found. All cats had slightly elevated NLRs, which the authors suspect was an effect of the stress of travel to the clinic which had not had enough time to subside. “NLR goes up quickly but takes a little while to come back down, so what we could be seeing is the response they had to being put in the carrier or the car ride,” says Hampton.

How and When to Use Sound

Mikel Delgado, PhD, researcher at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, thinks that this study shows that cat music might be a useful additional tool, but cautions against making too much of it.

“They found that the cats who were listening to cat music were easier to handle and had lower stress scores, but my caveat is that the differences between the groups were fairly small,” she says. “It wasn’t like this is a game changer, like if you play cat music everything else is going to be easy.”

Delgado says music is no substitute for making sure you’re doing everything else you can to reduce the stress of the veterinary experience for cats.

“If you’re not already using Fear Free or low-stress handling techniques, music is not going to fix your handling methods for cats,” she says. “If you don’t have your hospital set up for other aspects of reducing stress, like minimizing the time cats have to sit in the lobby, providing towels to cover carriers if owners don’t bring their own, making sure they have a non-slip surface to lay on while they’re being examined, music is not going to overcome those things.”

If you’re already doing all of that right, adding music might help, but also take the opportunity to think more broadly.

“The implications really have to do with what humans do when they are working with cats,” Delgado says. “People might not realize that what they’re doing and the kinds of noises they’re making might have implications for their patients.”

Consider the whole sound environment before you consider adding any kind of music. “Here’s an experiment to do in your treatment room: they make all kinds of apps for your phone that tell you how loud your background noise is,” she says. “I think situational awareness could help a lot of practices improve their environment, because I think most of us are louder than we realize we are. People should consider, can they lower their voices? Can they do less banging and slamming?”

Shelters should think about these considerations as well. “Maybe people should use headphones if they want to listen to heavy metal music when they’re cleaning cages,” she says. If you have a loud PA system, think about whether you could use walkie-talkies or text messaging with phones on vibrate. “If you need Jim to come to the front desk, does everyone in the shelter need to hear that?” she says. “Try to refine your communication techniques to modify that ambient noise that animals that are already in a stressful environment are experiencing.”

If you’ve got all that under control and want to try cat music, some additional considerations are when and where to use it. The study had cats listen to the music for ten minutes before the exam, but further research is needed to know whether a shorter period will have the same effect. Be aware that there is as of yet no published research about how dogs react to it. And while the piece of cat music used in the study was specifically designed to be less repetitive and easier on human ears, like any music, not everyone will love it. “I actually find the music relaxing,” says Hampton. “But maybe you have it playing in a cat ward, or in the exam room while the cats are in there, but perhaps not throughout the whole hospital, so if you have a staff member who doesn’t like the music, they don’t have to listen to it all day.”

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.

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.

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.

Fear Free, but Just Enough: Reducing Stress in Wildlife Patients

By Linda Lombardi
When you’re dealing with wildlife, a Fear Free approach means a delicate balance that’s different than when you’re treating domestic animals.

“While you want it to be low stress, they need to maintain some level of intolerance towards humans,” says Kristian Krause, DVM, a Fear Free certified veterinarian at Serrano Animal and Bird Hospital in Lake Forest, California, where they treat wildlife for Orange County Bird of Prey Center.

Wild animals are stressed by the presence of people in a way that domestic animals aren’t, but if they get too acclimated, that’s going to be a problem once they’re released. “Especially when we’re dealing with something like a raccoon or a bobcat, we don’t want them to think ‘Oh, people are cool, so I can come hang out in a residential area,’” she says.

Keep Them Quiet and Separate

Minimize exposure to humans as much as possible, starting by keeping them in a quiet, isolated environment. Then, Dr. Krause says, maintain a coordinated schedule of husbandry and medical treatment: “Everything happens at once: they’re fed, treated, the cage cleaned, all at once, so you’re not handling them multiple times.”

Make treatment choices with stress control in mind. “Sometimes you have to treat the animal and not the disease,” she says. “It’s more stressful for them to get treatment than to just sit in a quiet cage, so you have to gauge which is the worse of two evils, letting them sit and letting their body heal, or getting them out of the cage twice a day to give them an oral medication or an injection of an anti-inflammatory.”

For some animals, some medications can be administered in a low-stress manner by hiding them in food. Raccoons are such chowhounds that they’re easy to medicate. “If you can put something in a grape, they’re happy,” she says. Carnivores can also be easy. “Chicks and mice are your friends,” she says. “Give them this mouse first so you know they have their medication, then you can give them the next one.”

Handling Tips

When you do need to handle animals, plan for it. “It changes with the animal and the species,” Krause says. “You have to know what you’re doing before you even think about opening that door.”

For instance, handling birds can be a challenge for new staff. “It takes a while to understand how to quickly and efficiently get a bird out of a cage,” she says. Knowing what the plan is and being quick is critical. “You have to go in, grab, and be done so that bird’s not jumping all over the place and you do more harm than good.”

It’s also important to know your species. Take Cooper’s hawks, Krause says. “You barely open the door and they start bouncing off the walls, like a kid who’s had too much candy at Halloween.”

And like domestic animals, wild animals differ in temperament, so Krause likes to have the same people consistently handling the same individuals, so they know how that particular animal tends to react.

Familiarity with species’ needs is also important for treatment and husbandry. Improper temperatures are a major source of stress for reptiles.

“The knee-jerk reaction is, ‘It’s a reptile; they all need to be warm,’ but that’s not necessarily true,” she says. “Putting a chameleon in an 85-degree tank is going to stress them.”

Pain Relief and Sedation

It’s also common for people to not consider that reptiles feel pain, since they might not express it in ways that we recognize. While they often don’t need to be sedated for basic handling or simple procedures, she says, “If they have a fishhook or an abscess, you do need to sedate them or use a local anesthesia; you need to remember that it’s painful so no different than working on a cat or dog.”

Sedation has its own risks, so that’s another delicate balance to maintain. While many procedures that could be done awake on a domestic animal will require anesthesia for wildlife, there are ways to minimize its use. Simply covering eyes and plugging ears with cotton to minimize sight and sound will calm many animals enough for an exam and assessment without the risk of anesthesia and eliminates the stress of being with humans longer while recovering from it.

Krause uses this technique with deer, rabbits, and even coyotes, and says it’s possible to administer some basic treatments this way, such as fluids and antibiotics. This is possible partly because in these animals the reaction is to shut down, which isn’t entirely a low-stress situation, but for a wild animal it can be better than the alternative, she says.

“Now I don’t have to keep you in the hospital for another day because I had to anesthetize you, so I can get you back out where you belong faster, which to me is less stressful.”

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

Take a Fear Free Approach to Sharing the Fear Free Approach with Colleagues

By Linda Lombardi
Introducing Fear Free techniques to colleagues who aren’t familiar with them or who may be resistant to change can be daunting, but Fear Free principles apply to people as well as pets. Here’s how they can help.

Tabitha Kucera, a veterinary technician, has learned a lot from her experiences teaching Fear Free to other veterinary professionals, and maybe the biggest lesson is the importance of using the same principles on people as you do on animals.

“Positive reinforcement encourages initiative and creativity, it forgives mistakes, it creates enthusiastic learners and accelerates learning,” she says. “It’s the same for people.”

Build a Constructive Culture

The benefits should seem obvious once you’ve worked with animals that way. But applying these methods doesn’t always come naturally, she says. She recalls a class she attended at the Karen Pryor Academy. Most of the students were trainers, along with Kucera and two other vet techs. At one point, each person did an exercise in front of the class and then fellow students were asked to talk about what they thought had been done well.

“For the techs it was harder than for the dog trainers, and that was an epiphany for us,” she said. “We talked about it later—it’s that we’re not used to getting constructive feedback.”

Not only was it more difficult to give positive comments, it was also frustrating at first to get them.

“We were like, why don’t you tell me what I did wrong? Just tell me what I did wrong so I can fix it.”

But if you’ve studied behavior, you know all the reasons why “Just tell them when they’re wrong” is a bad way to train. One is that just saying “no” to the wrong behavior doesn’t tell the learner what the right behavior is. If you want staff to use less stressful techniques, saying “Don’t do this,” while well-meaning, doesn’t communicate the desired alternative.

“If you’re used to scruffing, I can’t just tell you not to scruff, which is what I see a lot of,” she says. “I hear a lot of ‘less is more,’ but what does that mean? You need to define the behavior you want.”

Say No to No

Maybe even more important is the effect of all those “nos” on the recipient.

“With positive reinforcement, the biggest difference is we focus on the good,” she says. “The way some other training techniques work—and the way people often work with each other—is we focus on the negative: I’m going to tell you what you did wrong and completely ignore all the good stuff you did. That creates an environment where people are afraid to make mistakes and afraid to ask questions.”

Being told that you’re wrong is essentially a form of punishment, and learners who are afraid to make mistakes because of repeated punishment soon shut down and are afraid to try anything. That makes it impossible to learn something new. And imagine the frustration of doing the same thing for years and then being told it’s wrong. We wouldn’t do that to an animal, but we often don’t realize we’re doing exactly that to our fellow humans.

“You can’t punish them when this is how they were taught,” she says. “I say, ‘You’re not wrong in what you’re doing, but fortunately medicine progresses, and we’ve learned a lot of great new ways to handle animals that make it easier for us and for them.’”

Be careful, too, of how interactions can convey the message “You’re wrong” without saying exactly that out loud. “You can’t run over and say, ‘Let me take over,’ because then you just insulted that person,” she says. “When I see things that are concerning, I’d just say, ‘Hey, you guys need some help?’”

Show, Don’t Tell

Simply using the techniques and letting people see what happens can be the best way to start. “First thing first, wherever I am, I use these skills, and people notice,” Kucera says. “Soon they’re coming to me and asking if they can learn this.”

It’s important to remember that trying something new can be anxiety-provoking, especially if you’re invested in and comfortable with techniques you’ve been using for years. Make it clear that it’s okay to try and fail. “I also don’t say ‘It’s do this or die,’” she says. “Try it one time, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll do it the way that you’re comfortable.”

Another thing that we know for our animals but often forget for our fellow humans is that different reinforcers work for different individuals. When she’s trying to persuade people of the benefits of Fear Free, Kucera says, everyone cares about decreasing fear and stress in the animals, but other motivators can differ by role. For a practice owner, she’ll talk about the business advantages, while for a tech who restrains animals, she’ll say, “You’re in your 30s; you need to go home and not be in pain every day.”

Set Realistic Goals

When Kucera talks to people who are excited by her presentations, she often has to talk them down a bit. “I say, ‘I love your enthusiasm, but I don’t want you to go back to your shelter or hospital and say we have to do all this right now,’” she says. “Because I did that in the past, and it shuts people down.”

Remember that new skills need practice. “I set realistic expectations for people: I don’t expect you to do this perfectly tomorrow,” she says. And start slow, just like you would with a pet. “Pick one or two things for your practice or shelter and start there, because from there it’s going to spread like wildfire but not if you don’t set your staff up for success.”

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

Don’t Leave Me: Why, When, and How to “Take Pets to the Back”

By Amy Shojai, CABC, Fear Free Certified® Professional
Pet owners may object to having their animals “taken to the back.” Here’s what to consider when deciding whether it’s necessary.

Jill Breitner, a former vet tech and Fear Free certified professional and dog trainer, frequently writes about pet issues. She has also trained vet techs on low-stress handling techniques. When her 8.5-pound dog Timber recently ate a guest’s dark chocolate candy bar, they hurried to the emergency clinic.

As vitals were taken, Breitner used Fear Free techniques to restrain Timber and even talked with the veterinarian about the program. “I asked to be in the room for the injection to induce vomiting,” Breitner says. The vet pushed to take Timber “to the back” for immediate treatment instead, arguing that Breitner might have to wait an hour for treatment if she insisted on being present. “That made no sense to me,” Breitner says.

After she pressed for an explanation, the upset vet walked out. Anxious to get Timber the care she needed, Breitner threatened to write about her bad experience. “Within three minutes, the veterinarian and a tech were back in the exam room with the drug injection to induce vomiting,” Breitner says. Within two minutes, Timber brought up the chocolate, wrapper and all.

Why Pet Parents Object

There may be good reasons for treating patients “in the back” but many pet parents object and have valid concerns. For Fear Free practices, it is incumbent to acknowledge these concerns, provide explanations, and perhaps take a closer look at ways to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in both pets and pet parents.

Pets are calmer. Many veterinarians believe pets act calmer without the owner present. In some instances, this is true. Yowling cats fall silent, and struggling pups go limp. Others argue, however, that certain pets seem calm only because they’ve shut down out of fear. Motionless doesn’t equal fear free.

At the same time, very protective or sensitive dogs may become more upset by their owner’s emotional state. Veterinarians must be able to evaluate each individual situation.

Restraint issues. It’s true that not all pet parents know how to safely and effectively restrain pets in a stress-free manner. There may also be liability issues if someone is bitten.

Breitner says, “It would be appropriate in an emergency, life or death situation needing immediate attention. Still parents can ask that the dog be sedated in their arms, before they bring them to the back, even at this time of emergency. Pets feel safer and less fearful with their parents.”

When concerned about proper restraint, pet parents can still be present perhaps by holding a lickable treat while the staff restrains and performs the treatment. Teach clients how to distract, gently restrain, and restrain animals for less stressful future visits for all involved.

Staff discomfort. Having the pet parent present may raise the practitioner’s FAS level. It may take longer to perform a blood draw, for example, when the owner inadvertently interferes. Maybe the vet worries about getting the perfect needle stick with a non-professional audience. As a former vet tech, I’ve assisted in many surgical procedures, but it’s different when the patient is your own animal. Very few clients have the temperament to witness surgery on their own pets, but may still be eager to be with them up until sedation takes effect.

Equipment access. The standard clinic design can make the back a much more convenient location for treatment. Staff has ready access to proper lighting, sinks, supplies, emergency equipment, and more.

Exam rooms that are tiny and awkward to maneuver in can make large dogs feel trapped. Open spaces of “the back” reduce this stress. There may also be insurance concerns that prevent non-clinic personnel from entering certain areas. Radiographs, for instance, require protective gear and exposure data records.

Habit. The trend to take pets to the back appears to be a uniquely American veterinary habit. If you’ve always done it that way, it’s time to explore other options. In fact, some pets do much better with their owners present. Cats and dogs may be given vaccines while on a pet parent’s lap as a treat is offered, or even in the waiting room in certain instances.

How to Make it Work

Communication is key, as is mutual respect. Pet parents have become more educated and are learning to be better advocates, Breitner says. Nobody wants to resort to threats to make themselves heard, and it’s unfortunate when veterinarians feel put on the defensive. Find out what clients want and expect.

Ask if a cat or dog does better or worse with them present. Is the client phobic about seeing needles or blood, or so upset they’re not helping the situation? Does someone have special skills—a dog trainer, perhaps? Are they familiar with low-stress handling?

Breitner agrees that communication goes both ways. She suggests that pet parents plan for time to wait or offer to reschedule during a less busy time to make it easier to stay in the room with the animal.

When your professional opinion means taking the pet “to the back” offers better treatment options and less stress, explain why. Think about offering the option to come to the back with the animal.

“When vets listen better, they can communicate better,” Breitner says. “This relationship of trust between parent, pet, and vet goes a long way toward ensuring that their patients and clients feel safe while in the clinic.”

Every pet parent and animal is different. Being inflexible about your procedures may actually increase FAS in the animal and the owners—and you. It may also hurt your practice when clients choose to stay with their animals and walk away from your practice.

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

Ways to Minimize Stress Diarrhea In Patients

By Deb M. Eldredge, DVMWe have all been there. The embarrassed client who pokes her head in the door and asks if we have a hose to clean her dog off. The carrier with the yowling cat and the fetid odor with an owner who is embarrassed and says her cat “might need a little cleaning and could the carrier be cleaned too?”

Plan Ahead

Even before you work on the stress aspects, think about how to physically minimize chances of stress diarrhea. Ideally these pets are scheduled early in the day for their office appointments. That way the owners can skip the pet’s morning meal – and maybe even the evening meal of the night before if need be. Less in means less out. Obviously doing this depends on the health of the pet and how the owner manages feedings but it might be a solution.
There may be dietary changes that help with a specific pet. Think plain canned pumpkin for fiber to help keep stools firm. Advise owners to avoid any special or extra treats for a day or two before the appointment.

Travel Trauma

A careful history can enlighten you about the cause. Is it the car travel? Some pets just don’t handle car rides well. Or is it only when the pet actually senses and anticipates a veterinary visit? Sometimes it is both factors. The important thing to realize is that Fear Free procedures must be instituted ahead of the veterinary visit to help these animals.

If it is the car travel, consider dispensing anti-nausea medications ahead of the visit (yes, vomiting often accompanies stress diarrhea). Look at calming combos that help with travel anxiety such as Travel Calm, an essential oil combo for dogs who get carsick. Send clients home with canine or feline pheromone products—wipes or sprays—that the owner can use in the carrier and car to and from the clinic. For patients who have a history of travel-related diarrhea, offer to prescribe PVPs—pre-visit pharmaceuticals—such as gabapentin or trazodone to help them relax.

Encourage families to give the nervous dog an extra-long walk and possibly some playtime early on the morning of the appointment to try and stimulate bowel emptying before the dog gets in the car or enters the clinic. Playtime at home for a cat might help as well.

Counterconditioning

Long term, especially if the diarrhea is specifically associated with arriving at the veterinary clinic, you can try some counterconditioning techniques to help put a stop to loose stools. Encourage owners to take their pet for short trips ending up in the parking lot of the veterinary clinic. Then dogs can get out and get some special treats or, even better, some playtime with a favorite toy such as a tug. Cats can get favorite treats. Then happily turn around and take them home. Pets will come to associate trips, even trips that end up at the dreaded vet clinic, with some good things.

As pets deal with a clinic utilizing Fear Free practices, the fear and panic they previously showed when traveling to or arriving at the clinic should subside. As fear and anxiety decrease, so should episodes of stress diarrhea. Everyone will be happier!

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

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