Skip to main content

Tag: pets

Older posts

Taking Cats to the Back: What the Science Says

Christie Keith
Are pets calmer and less stressed without their owners present during veterinary exams? A recent study partially funded by Fear Free sheds some light on this often-controversial subject.

There’s a lot of disagreement among veterinary professionals on how to interpret the emotional cues displayed by pets when removed from their owners. Many pet parents also object to having their pets taken away to a treatment area. While this practice was extremely common during the COVID pandemic, it was a normal part of many veterinary visits before lockdown became a household word and continues to be today as well.

The reason many veterinary team members offer for the practice is that pets seem calmer and easier to handle when separated from their owners. Others say this isn’t because their fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) are reduced but because the pet is shutting down out of fear and/or in a state of learned helplessness. What exactly is the effect of separation from owners and transport to a different room during a veterinary visit on a pet’s FAS?

In a study published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, researchers conducted a prospective non-blinded randomized two-period two-treatment crossover trial with 21 healthy adult cats. Each cat received an initial examination with their owner present to establish a baseline, and then they were divided into two groups. The cats were chosen from patients of a university veterinary teaching hospital’s wellness and dental care service and had previously been seen without any history of needing “undue restraint,” sedation, or anxiolytics to be examined.

The first group of cats received an examination in a treatment area without their owner, and the second received an examination in an exam room with their owner present. The actual order of the exam itself was randomized, and handling techniques described as “low-stress” were utilized. All veterinary team members had completed Fear Free certification to standardize handling and assessment.

The examining veterinarians recorded heart rate (HR) as measured by auscultation and also established a FAS score for each cat. The baseline HR for cats in the study averaged 176 beats per minute (BPM). For cats examined in the treatment area without their owners, mean HR was 226 bpm and 195 when measured in the exam room with owners present.

The most frequent values when measuring FAS scores were 3 at baseline (moderate stress), 4 in the exam room with owner present, and 5 in the treatment area without owner.

The authors wrote, “Results from this study indicate that minimizing transfer between examination areas and including the owner during wellness examinations can reduce some of the more overt signs of stress in cats during clinic visits. The data also suggest more proactive owner education measures may be of benefit, such as methods of owner habituation of their pet for transport and handling ahead of scheduled clinic visits.”

Note: This study was partially funded by Fear Free, which had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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

Christie Keith is a journalist, editor, and communications consultant with an exclusive
focus on animal welfare and veterinary medicine. She is a Fear Free Shelters graduate
and Elite Fear Free Certified professional.
Want to learn more about Fear Free? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop on upcoming events, specials, courses, and more by clicking here. 

Fear Free Practice Builds Trust With Patients and Clients

Sandra Toney

When she was 12 years old, Karina Salvo, DVM, CTPEP, CVFT, CVMMP, volunteered to work for a one-doctor practice. Cleaning cages, doing laundry, and walking dogs led to watching her first surgeries. From that point, she knew that her career path would lead to veterinary school.

But one thing she and the veterinarians she grew up working for—and later, with—didn’t learn was how to make exams easier on pets. When she became aware of Fear Free®, though, it made sense to her that veterinary visits should be less frightening and more fun for patients.—not to mention for veterinarians and technicians themselves.

“The one thing that I noticed in each and every practice was the frequency in using force to hold a patient,” says Salvo, now an Elite Fear Free Certified® DVM who also has certifications as a palliative and end-of-life practitioner (CTPEP) and in branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CVFT and CVMMP). “Some of the staff wrestled what I thought were highly aggressive dogs down to the ground in order to give a single vaccine or draw blood. The end result was someone got hurt, scratched, urine and feces everywhere, and a dog that was left splayed out and panting on the floor in exhaustion or cowering in the corner. This was the ambience of the veterinary field I grew up in.”

As she learned more from Fear Free, she found that in-clinic exams became easier.

Now she owns her own practice, AcuVetDoc Veterinary Reproduction & Animal Care Wellness Clinic, in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, where she treats not only pets but also wildlife. That allows her to see only one patient at a time.

“I can practice 100 percent the way I choose to. I intentionally do not have a receptionist or a technician,” Salvo says. “Patients are scheduled on the hour instead of every 15 minutes. This allows me to work one on one with the patient and the owner. My ‘team’ in my practice is the owner, myself, and the patient. By working together, all of us can better understand the patient and the medicine. Practicing this way has allowed me to build trust in my patients as well as owners because both are comfortable.”

Salvo greets clients and patients at the door so she can watch how the animal walks into the building. If owners have given permission beforehand, treats are on the carpeted floor as they enter.

Animals who have previously had poor experiences at veterinary clinics may be directed into an exam room that resembles a living room—with carpet, a bookcase, leather sofa, chair, and hidden treats. While Salvo sits on the floor, pockets filled with treats, and talks to the owner, patients can explore, approaching when they’re comfortable. If they need more time, Salvo may simply hand out treats during the visit, holding off on an exam. She discusses this possibility with clients beforehand so that they’re aware the first interaction may be a “meet-and-greet,” with the exam portion on a subsequent visit.

Many of her patients enjoy “playtime,” a rewarding exam in which Salvo uses tasty treats to get patients to move on their own but in a fashion that allows her to examine them. For instance, she might get them to sit or turn their head so she can look inside ears or examine the mouth.

One patient who stands out in her memory was a 12-week-old Cockapoo puppy whose first experience at a veterinary clinic had involved being held on an exam table while he screamed, attempted to bite, and urinated and defecated. The veterinarian told the owners that their puppy had mental health issues and should be returned to the breeder. This time they were hoping for a better experience.

Salvo met the owners outdoors, where she had set up chairs and some treats. They sat down, talked about how the puppy was doing at home, and handed out treats to the puppy. Salvo assigned homework: to find tasty, high-value treats that could be dropped on the floor any time visitors came to the home and to be used as rewards during training. She suggested walking the puppy in areas far enough away from people that strangers wouldn’t want to pet the dog but close enough that he could see people, other dogs, and vehicles such as carts. Offering high-value treats during these walks would contribute to forming a positive association with the experience and a connection with the owners.

At the second visit a few days later, Salvo again met the owners outside and had tasty treats already on the ground for her new friend to gobble up. Eventually, the puppy approached her and she was able to perform an exam and give an oral vaccine as the puppy sat next to the clients and received treats.

“On subsequent visits, we sat next to each other outside, and he came and laid on my lap and became more interactive with me and less afraid of the environment,” says Salvo. “With a cheese and Cheerio trail to lead him inside, we made it to the scale and an exam room!”

Three months after that first visit, the puppy frequents farm fairs, Home Depot, and PetSmart, and comes running into the clinic to greet Salvo.

“This is an amazing story with very patient owners who were willing to take their time to understand and provide their dog with what he specifically needed when he needed it, redirection to something positive, protection from being thrown into the middle of a chaotic situation, and to slow introduction to the world around him,” she says.

Fear Free continues to make a difference in her practice. “The best feeling is when the owners are ready to leave and the patient stays behind and makes eye contact with me waiting for another fun treat,” Salvo says, “or when they return and they are pulling their owner into the building.”

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

Sandra Toney has been writing about cats for over 25 years and is an award-winning member of Cat Writers Association and Dog Writers Association of America. She has written for many print and online magazines about cat health and behavior as well as authoring eight books. She lives in northern Indiana with her cat, Angel.

Want to learn more about Fear Free? Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop on upcoming events, specials, courses, and more by clicking here.

 

Fear Free Success Story: Hanover Veterinary Hospital

Sandra ToneyHanover Veterinary Hospital in Cedar Lake, Indiana, has the distinction of being the first veterinary hospital in the Northwest Indiana region to become Fear Free Practice certified.

Lindsay Pollard, FFCP (Veterinary), the hospital’s practice manager, says they began trying out some Fear Free methods after hearing about the concept. “A few of our staff members obtained individual certifications,” Pollard says. “After learning more and attending a few conferences where Fear Free was highlighted, we decided to go all the way.” Hanover Veterinary Hospital completed the program to become Fear Free certified in December 2018.

When deciding to become a Fear Free Practice, the biggest difference has been in the way he interacts with the animals after certification, says owner Jeremiah Bieszczak, DVM. “The biggest change has been reading body language and emotional state/stress level and addressing that instead of pushing through it. We are better able to read pets and have more tools and knowledge to deal with these situations.”

Many long-term clients are delighted with the constructive visits they’ve had with Fear Free, and new clients are thrilled with the difference between them and their previous veterinarian, says Pollard. Oftentimes they mention the care and compassion used when handling their pets. Pollard feels they’ve made much progress with many of the patients since becoming Fear Free certified.

Fear Free helps all pets, but scared pets often need Fear Free much more to turn their lives around. Pollard has one patient in particular whom she’ll always remember and says Fear Free methods changed everything for this dog.

The pet was a 14-year-old female shepherd mix. Sally, who has since passed away, desperately needed help. “Prior to our Fear Free certification, both Sally and her owner, Sara Zilz, dreaded coming to the vet. She also had some fear aggression and anxiety issues at home. She had a very high FAS and was fearful to the point of aggression,” says Pollard. “Our exams with her were very limited at best and it took several staff members to accomplish anything with her at all.”

Sally had been adopted by Zilz from the humane society when she was 9 weeks old. She didn’t notice any problems with Sally until she took her for training and Sally became spooked by large signs in the store hanging over her head. Then she began showing other fearful behaviors. Zilz says Sally disliked smoke from the grill and even hated when someone blew out a candle. She started having food-guarding issues and was even afraid of shadows on walks.

Zilz says she never thought about potential problems at the veterinarian’s office. “I had her boarded at Hanover. Dr. Bieszczak came out when I picked her up and nicely said something along the lines of ‘She needs to be medicated before we will take her for another boarding.’ This broke my heart. I did not realize she was that bad.”

A veterinary technician named Bobbi became Sally’s best friend when she was boarded. Bobbi would sit in her kennel with her and try to get her to come out. She wouldn’t even go outside to potty.  Bobbi called Zilz several times and asked if she could do some things to help her. After that, Bobbi became Sally’s veterinary technician of choice.

After they became Fear Free certified, Bieszczak started Sally on fluoxetine, an anti-depressant. This medication was a game-changer for her. Pollard says they also started doing happy visits with Sally, using treats with her during exams and treatment, and including calming pheromone products during her happy visits and exams/treatment.  They also tried to keep the same staff member working with her all the time, and kept detailed notes on her likes and triggers, constantly adapting their plan and approach to better suit Sally individually.

“She made more progress with each happy visit and regular visit until eventually she was happy to see several staff members,” Pollard says, “and she was happy coming into the building. Sally would readily accept most treatment from us with the help of some treat distractors and enforcers.”

“At one point, I felt everyone wanted to give up on Sally. Once I saw the Hanover Veterinary Hospital staff was not giving up on her, I knew things would be okay,” says Zilz.

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

Sandra Toney has been writing about cats for over 25 years and is an award-winning member of Cat Writers Association and Dog Writers Association of America. She has written for many print and online magazines about cat health and behavior as well as authoring eight books. She lives in northern Indiana with her cat, Angel.
 
 
|

Fear Free Success Story: Animal Welfare League of Alexandria

Sandra Toney
Animal shelters are probably one of the places that cause the most anxiety for a pet. They are confused and scared in the unfamiliar surroundings. More and more shelters are using the skills they learned from the Fear Free program for dealing with distraught and frightened animals. The more that shelter staff use what they learn from the Fear Free program, the more animals they can help to become happy and adoptable pets.

“The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) has always strived to provide the best care to the animals in our facility, and by having all of our staff undergo Fear Free training, we are expanding the way we can help animals be healthier and more comfortable,” says executive director Stella Hanly. “I’ve been so excited to see how our staff has expanded upon these core principles to engage with each animal individually and help them on these next steps of their journeys.”

The Virginia-based nonprofit shelter has been a refuge for homeless pets since 1946. The shelter cares for more than 2,000 animals per year: everything from cats and dogs to iguanas and chinchillas. Five hundred volunteers provide a much-needed boost to day-to-day staff.

Gina Hardter, director of marketing and communications, first became aware of the Fear Free program several years ago when she was looking for a course on dog behavior.

After looking into the program, shelter management decided the entire staff would benefit from Fear Free certification. “We are always looking for ways to advance the level of care we can give to our animals, to keep them happy and healthy,” Hardter says. “The Fear Free approach provided structured guidance that could be used consistently by all of our teams.”

Becoming Fear Free certified gave the team direction in practices they had been considering, says adoptions manager Sean Furmage. “It was a good way for all of us to be working from the same set of information, especially about animal body language, as well as great advice on how to reduce stress in our interactions.”

The personal victories with certain animals have been another benefit of Fear Free certification. Furmage recalls a young terrier mix named Buddie, who was shy and appeared frightened of the men on staff.  Furmage spent several weeks simply walking by and tossing her treats, not forcing an interaction, and eventually began to sit with her while attempting to take her outside the kennel. When two male adopters came to meet her, he explained to them what they might see with her.

“During their first meeting, she mostly just watched them from a distance. But then they came back a second time and a third time, and that time, she let them pet her and you could see in her body that she wasn’t as scared,” says Furmage. “We offered them the chance to foster her so they could get to know her even better, and I actually drove her to their house so she felt more comfortable.  A week later, they adopted her and have sent us the cutest photos of how well she’s doing with them now.”

Julian Carter, animal care and behavior associate, says becoming Fear Free certified has made a difference in his awareness of animals’ boundaries and how respecting those boundaries can help each animal be more comfortable and less anxious.

“We’re lucky because we can give animals the time and space they need to feel comfortable and, by observing their behavior and reading body language, it helps to cut down on stress and injuries or actions that may result from it.”

Carter had his victory moment with a young, energetic dog named Juice. “He pulled a lot on his leash, was reactive in his kennel, and he didn’t really have any manners. We realized that he needed time to feel comfortable with people, and the consistency of a training plan so that everyone who was working with him was doing the same thing.  It helped him to build expectations, which made him more comfortable around people as well as learning manners and tricks that would be helpful when he went to his new home.”

Several trained staff and volunteers worked with Juice. They took him outside so he could burn off excess energy, making his training fun. Soon, it was wonderful for staff and volunteers to see how far he had come from those days of barking and growling in his kennel. Carter says, “Juice actually just went home earlier this week because of the Fear Free treatment and training approach, which helped get him ready for a home environment.” While ultimately that home was not the right fit for Juice, the team at AWLA continues to work with the dog on his training plan to help him grow and be ready to meet his future family.

Working with sick and injured animals is certainly more challenging than healthy ones. Arianne Killen, senior manager of veterinary and foster care, has worked at AWLA for nearly four years. She says when she’s examining animals and performing standard care, she thinks more about the animal’s stress levels and what she can do to keep their anxiety levels down.

Whenever she’s in the veterinary suite, she remembers her Fear Free training. “They are already in pain and probably very stressed,” Killen says, “but by keeping calm, quiet, and moving slowly and predictably, I can help prevent that stress level from rising, which could make them feel even worse.”

A cat named Church came to the AWLA shelter after being at another shelter for about six months and not getting much attention from potential adopters. He hid under his bed when people came around.

“He was also a little shy about people being around his head because of previous medical treatments,” Killen says. “I realized he was the kind of cat that you just needed to follow his lead. If I put my finger out, he would slowly come up and sniff it, then rub his head against it.  Once I did that, he was so much more comfortable with me, and then I could work with him much more reliably to provide medical attention.”

Hardter recalls an older Cocker Spaniel who came into the shelter. His leg had been amputated after an injury, and he would yelp or scream whenever anyone touched him, or even if he thought they were going to touch him.

“We could tell he was beyond stressed but did not know how to help,” she says. “We followed his lead by giving him space to be with us without forcing an interaction and soon found he was following close behind us, even though he still didn’t want to be touched. One evening when our office was empty, I just sat on the ground near his bed and started talking to him. I wasn’t looking at him but just chatting in a calm, even voice.”

She started reading him her emails because she didn’t know what else to say. Suddenly, she felt something on her arm. To her surprise, he had approached her on his own and leaned gently against her.

“Because of his location, I was able to pet him on his neck – and he didn’t scream.  We sat that way for 20 minutes,” Hardter says. “He still had a way to go before he was ready to find his family, but that was our first sign that he was ready to start that journey and, because we followed his lead, I think he learned that he could trust that people were safe to be around and just wanted to help him.”

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

Sandra Toney has been writing about cats for over 25 years and is an award-winning member of Cat Writers Association and Dog Writers Association of America. She has written for many print and online magazines about cat health and behavior as well as authoring eight books. She lives in northern Indiana with her cat, Angel.
Top photo: Cupcake, courtesy DeSilva Studios; Cooper (rabbit), courtesy Dirty Paw Photography
 
|||

Bunny Basics: 10 Facts Clients Should Know Before Getting a Rabbit

Steve DaleWhile rabbits can be wonderful pets, they’re often acquired without much forethought or concern for their needs. The following information can help curious clients decide if a bunny is right for their family and provide the proper care these special animals need.

  1. Rabbits are often an impulse purchase made for young children, but in reality they are an 8- to 12-year commitment and better suited to adults or to families with older children. Research beforehand can help ensure that they are the right pet at the right time for a family.
  2. Rabbits have special health needs and require regular veterinary checks and wellness exams. Be prepared to refer clients to an exotic companion mammal specialist or, if one isn’t available in your area, to educate yourself about their needs.
  3. House rabbits should be spayed or neutered. Uterine cancer rates are high among female rabbits. If the cancer hasn’t metastasized, there’s a high curative rate, but if it has, which is common as rabbits age, the outlook is not good. Females can be spayed when they are six months old. Male rabbits can be neutered when 8 to 12 weeks old. Neutering can help to prevent potential hormone-related behaviors in bunnies. That’s important, because those behaviors are often a reason rabbits are relinquished to shelters. Clients should be prepared to seek the advice of a rabbit behavior expert in case their rabbit exhibits behaviors they don’t understand. Putting a house rabbit outdoors to fend for himself is a death sentence.
  4. Pet rabbits aren’t Bugs Bunny. People think rabbits like to eat carrots, and they’re right about that. However, carrots, apples, and other fruits high in sugar should be offered only as small occasional treats. A rabbit’s diet should consist of high-quality pellets and daily fresh hay (timothy hay, oat hay, and other grass hays). Access to fresh hay is essential to rabbit health. Note: rabbits can be great companions for vegetarians in search of a non-meat-eating pet.
  5. Rabbits are often purchased for young children, but the two aren’t a good match. Young children are hard-wired to hug, cuddle, pick up, and carry rabbits. “Rabbits are prey animals by nature; the only time they’re picked up is if they are about to be dinner,” says Anne Martin, executive director of the House Rabbit Society. “They’re usually very fearful of being held and snuggled. Adults and older children are better aware of rabbit body language and respond to what the rabbit is ‘saying.’”
  6. Rabbits don’t like being held, lifted up, or hugged. They may squirm when picked up, Martin says, and are easily injured if dropped.
  7. Rabbits are easy to litter box train. They need a litter box that is large enough to give them plenty of space to move around. Advise clients to fill the box with rabbit-safe litter and fresh hay.
  8. Rabbits are social and love having friends. Before bunny play dates are arranged, though, each bunny should be spayed or neutered and have a clean bill of health. Rabbits can be picky about who their friends are. Clients should place them side by side in cages at first to test compatibility.
  9. Bunnies prefer predictability and aren’t fond of turmoil. They need a place where they can retreat from commotion.
  10. Rabbits should live indoors. Rabbits kept outdoors are at risk from lawn herbicides and pesticides; predators, including neighborhood dogs; and inclement weather. They are happier, healthier, and safer living indoors.

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) has written and contributed to many books about pets; hosts three radio shows; contributes to Veterinary Practice News, CATSTER and others; is on the Board of Directors of the Human Animal Bond Association and Winn Feline Foundation, and is chief correspondent for Fear Free Happy Homes. He speaks at conferences worldwide. His blog: www.stevedale.tv
 
|||||||

How Animal Shelters “Catify” to Benefit Cats and Adopters

Jen ReederFor too long, a common refrain uttered by people thinking of getting a new cat was, “I’d go to a shelter but it’s too sad.”

Fortunately, rescue advocates across America are working to change that perception by creating cat-friendly shelters that offer enrichment along with aesthetically pleasing designs.

Kate Benjamin, coauthor of the bestselling books “Catification” and “Catify to Satisfy,” which she wrote with Animal Planet star Jackson Galaxy, and founder of Hauspanther, a company that helps people and organizations design cat-friendly spaces, said “catifying” shelters benefits cats, caregivers, and potential adopters. The overarching approach is to create a space as inviting as a cat café.

“If you can see a cat being a cat – really climbing and scratching and playing and being a cat, not just hiding in a cage – you can picture that cat in your home,” she said. “You can get to know their personality better.”

Cats can feel stress in an unfamiliar environment such as a shelter, where they might not be able to engage in typical feline behavior like climbing, hiding, and scratching. So Benjamin said a top priority is creating hiding spaces, such as installing wooden, painted boxes on the ground or on walls.

“Hiding spaces have been proven in scientific studies to help reduce stress in cats. It gives them choice and control over their environment,” she said. “This is a great DIY project if a shelter has somebody who has power tools and some woodworking skills.”

She noted hiding spaces can be up high to allow climbing and perching, since cats feel safer with a better view of their surroundings. Other design suggestions include the following:

    • Cat trees and towers. Just be sure they aren’t covered in carpet and are painted and sealed for easy cleaning.
    • Shelves and cat hammocks. Benjamin offers hammock designs that can easily be crafted from fleece by volunteers and hung in boxes or mounted to a climbing wall.
    • Ramps. These are terrific for kittens or senior cats with mobility issues.
    • Benches near cat cubby holes. Potential adopters can sit near the cats and have a better chance for interaction.
    • Thoughtful toy storage. Instead of tossing toys in a pile on the floor, Benjamin suggests creating a storage or display system so a visitor can easily grab a wand toy and play with the cats.
    • Catios. These screened outdoor patios give shelter cats protected time outdoors.
    • Color-themed blankets. Matching blankets can be comfortable for cats and make the space more appealing to potential adopters.

    Benjamin emphasized that shelter staff shouldn’t feel overwhelmed if they don’t have much money or space for renovations. It’s fine to start small.

    “You can just buy $4 shelves and install them properly – make sure all the cracks are sealed,” she says.

    If a shelter only has a closet that’s used for out-of-cage time and meet and greets, she says to avoid just putting a folding chair inside.

    “Maybe you only have $500 to work with. Build a bench, put the litter box underneath it, add some shelves, maybe a piece of art on the wall, a hiding box,” she advises. “Somebody just has to be committed to making that happen.”

    Benjamin credits Kate Hurley, DVM, and her colleagues at the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program with helping to fuel the “catification” movement through scientific research, as well as cat lovers who work and volunteer in shelters but may have already catified their homes. (Durability and the need for sanitizing are two big differences between residential and shelter catification.)

    Often working with Rescue Rebuild, a program of Greater Good Charities, Benjamin has helped transform cat spaces at shelters like Santé D’Or in Los Angeles, Calif.;  Dumb Friends League in Denver, Colorado; Liberty Humane Society in Jersey City, New Jersey; and the domestic violence shelter Sojourner Center in Phoenix, Ariz., which has a companion animal program.

    Her latest project is Operation Catification, a training program for shelters set to launch in January 2022. Shelter representatives can apply for the 12-week course, which Benjamin will instruct; at the end of the course, some of the final projects will receive grants, and one shelter will win a full makeover with Rescue Rebuild. (Interested animal shelters can email the program coordinator at OperationCatification@GreaterGood.org to be notified as soon as the application period begins.)

    “The idea is to create an environment that brings out the best in cats because it reduces that fear, anxiety and stress, and shows them off in their best light,” Benjamin said. “Catification is mostly environmental enrichment for cats – then it has this extra icing on the cake of being beautiful.”

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

    Award-winning journalist Jen Reeder is former president of the Dog Writers Association of America. She hiked over 1,000 miles to fundraise for Blackhat Humane Society on the Navajo Nation using the Walk for a Dog app.
     Photos, top to bottom: Kate Benjamin for Sojourner Center; courtesy Dumb Friends League; Kate Benjamin for Sante D’Or; courtesy Rescue Rebuild for Liberty Humane Society; courtesy Rescue Rebuild for Liberty Humane Society
     
     
|

Top 10 Treats to Win Pet Hearts

Mikkel Becker, CBCC-KA, KPA CTP, CDBC, CPDT-KA, CTCFor pets, treats are like currency. Just as few of us will expend much effort to pick up a penny, but would risk ripping the seat out of our pants for a dollar, pets too crave high-value treats. Let’s face it; not all treats are created equal. There are certain flavors, textures, and even temperatures pets prefer over others.

It’s crucial to use “the good stuff” when it comes to treating effectively and gaining a pet’s keen appetitive interest in the face of distractions and change that are beyond a pet’s comfort zone, as happens when they are removed from the comfort of home and taken into the veterinary hospital environment.

Many Fear Free Certified Professionals have their own “tricks of the treats” to persuade even the most finicky of pets to chow down and lick their lips. Dr. Marty Becker,  founder of Fear Free and a Fear Free Certified Professional himself, is rarely in the exam room without a ready supply of top-shelf treats that he and his team generously hand out as pleasant distractions and high-currency mood boosters to help deliver a more optimal emotional experience for pets during veterinary healthcare.

Here are his top 10 pet-preferred treats for Fear Free veterinary care.

For Dogs

– Baby shrimp

– Beggin Strips (broken into tiny pieces)

– Canned salmon or tuna

– Warm deli turkey

– Easy Cheese Cheddar & Bacon

– Freeze-dried meats from Pure Bites

– Honey Nut Cheerios

– Kong Squeezable Peanut Butter

– Peanut Butter Captain Crunch

– Slices of turkey hot dogs

For Cats

– Albacore tuna or salmon

– Anchovy paste

– Baby shrimp

– Bonita fish flakes

– Easy Cheese Cheddar & Bacon

– Fancy Feast: Foil packs of any flavor

– Green olives

– Marshmallows

– Vegemite

– Whipped cream

Dr. Becker and the team at North Idaho Animal Hospital pay special attention to economical means of delivering tasty treats by ordering many of the above options in bulk for a lower price. They keep treats fresh and easy to pull out for individual patients by dividing the bulk size into smaller portions when possible, placing them into small, treat-size Ziplock bags and storing in a refrigerator or freezer until needed. The team will pull out treat options from the freezer to thaw in the fridge overnight. Warming the contents in a microwave-safe container for 7 to 10 seconds prior to the exam releases fragrant aromas and heightens flavors.

Pets with allergies and other special dietary needs receive treats specially chosen treats. Oftentimes the owner will bring in a pet’s favorite treats, such as blueberries, apple pieces, or green beans. An alternative is to warm the pet’s regular hypoallergenic food or treats in the microwave to enhance scent and flavor. A canned version of the pet’s regular food or a compatible alternative soft food and treats can be delivered through means of a food-dispensing toy. Or fill small paper cups with dilute beef bouillon or tuna juice and freeze to make a long-lasting popsicle the pet can lick. Remember, pets are coming in hungry, so even their regular food warmed up can seem like manna from heaven.

Deliver tiny tastes or portions. The pet may receive dozens of treats or continuous licks of a treat during the exam, but their appetite is maintained through small amounts (think Cheerio-size or smaller) or slow delivery methods such as from a food puzzle.

How do Dr. Becker’s favorite Fear Free treats stack up with your own go-to treats? What would you add to the list?

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 is the 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 the co-author of six books, including From Fearful to Fear Free.

 

 

 
 

Challenges of Animal Pain: 4 Management Tips

Tony Johnson, DVM, DACVECC
Let’s just get this right out of the way first: animals feel pain.

They have different pain tolerances, just like people do (if I step on my pit bull Gwen’s toe, she never notices, but if I accidentally do the same to my Pomeranian, Turley, she’ll scream, run and hide, and not speak to me for days) but sensing pain comes hand-in-hand with having a complex neurosystem and a big brain.

The challenge for us as veterinarians is how we detect and react to their pain.

To address the complexities of animal pain and its management, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) has declared September to be Animal Pain Awareness Month. (https://ivapm.org/animal-pain-awareness-month/) It’s also Pain Awareness Month for another group of big-brained animals – people.

Treating animal pain will always involve some guesswork until someone develops a way for dogs and cats (and horses and iguanas, etc.) to point to their anatomy and say “It hurts right here, doc.” Until that beautiful day, we have to tease out the sometimes-subtle signals of discomfort and adopt a trial-and-error approach, backed up by science whenever possible.

As an ER clinician, acute pain is what I deal with most. I do see animals with chronic pain, and try to help whenever I can, but for those patients I encourage pet owners to seek the counsel of their family veterinarian, since chronic pain will take a solid partnership spanning weeks or months – things that are impossible in the rushed setting of the ER.

With that as preamble, I’ll share some tips from 25 years of ER pain management.

  1. If a condition is known to be painful, treat for pain. Blocked cats are painful. Pancreatitis is painful. Pyelonephritis hurts. Some diseases have pain baked in, and treating pain should always be part of the initial management plan, yet I very often see pets with diseases such as pancreatitis and urethral obstruction go without pain medication. Until the disease has calmed down, assume pain is present and treat for it.
  1. Recognize the signs of pain. Is that cat sitting at the back of the cage hissing because he is afraid, or is it pain? Is the usually sweet and slap-happy Golden now snapping at the kids because his ears hurt? Recognizing an animal in pain is an important first step in managing pain. A trial of pain medication (perhaps even combined with appropriate sedation) can help tease out the complex web of animal pain responses and decrease the fear, anxiety, and stress of painful conditions and hospitalization. Using a validated pain scale (available at https://ivapm.org/, and many other places) can also help to quantify and track pain during treatment.

AAHA, in 2015, developed guidelines for small-animal practitioners that clearly outline ways to monitor and manage pain: https://ivapm.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2015_aaha_aafp_pain_management_guidelines_for_dogs_and_cats-03.10.17.pdf

  1. Use the right class of medication for the disease. Let’s look again at blocked cats and patients with pancreatitis. A blocked cat who is non-azotemic and going home might benefit from an NSAID used cautiously. A blocked cat with a K+ of 8 and a creatinine of 4? The medical board will be knocking at your door if you give an NSAID.

Same holds true for a dog with raging pancreatitis. If he’s vomiting every time the wind blows, an NSAID will only make matters (way) worse. Opioids have minimal GI effects beyond constipation (which I have not seen as a major problem), and we use tons of opioids in the ER and ICU to manage pain. Our brains (and those of our patients) are hard-wired to receive opioids – it’s a gift from evolution and nature. Use it.

Why do brains have receptors for chemicals produced by a poppy largely grown in the Middle East? I have no idea, but for the sake of my patients I am thrilled that they do, and I make use of it every day I am on the clinic floor.

The opioid crisis has certainly made giving opioids a challenge, with increased regulation and paperwork and changes in the supply chain making some drugs unavailable. Try to keep abreast of what’s on and off the market and do your best to make sure you always have a few options for good pain control on hand. I think every hospital needs to have a full mu agonist such as fentanyl, morphine, or hydromorphone on hand for treating severe pain. Butorphanol is great as an adjunct for sedation for minor procedures like lacerations, but it’s just not potent enough for cases of moderate to severe pain.

  1. Sometime more is more. Treating pain with multiple different approaches can result in better pain control and lower doses of any individual medication. Using a lidocaine sacrococcygeal block to help unblock a cat, combined with a full mu agonist like fentanyl, or an opioid agonist/antagonist like buprenorphine, can treat pain from different angles, as well as make unblocking easier.

Look for creative ways to address pain, using different techniques such as local blocks, epidurals, and topical lidocaine patches. Combining classes of drugs such as NSAIDs and opioids, in carefully selected patients, can achieve results that higher doses of either drug can’t achieve.

I have found that learning new techniques can be a great way to fend off burnout and makes me feel as if I am growing as a clinician. Learning new pain management skills aids me in fulfilling my obligation to alleviate animal suffering. Enrolling in CE classes, attending online seminars, and even brainstorming with colleagues can open new worlds to the clinician who wants to learn and grow. It can also make great financial sense to a practice, as owners now accept and even expect advanced pain-control modalities.

The IVAPM offers consultations in pain management and pathways to become IVAPM-certified as a pain management practitioner. (More info at https://ivapm.org/).

We all want our patients to live long, pain-free lives. Learning about pain and learning new ways to manage pain and recognize it will serve our patients better and help us grow as doctors and people.

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

Dr. Tony Johnson, DVM, DACVECC, is a 1996 Washington State University grad and obtained board certification in emergency medicine and critical care in 2003. He is currently Minister of Happiness for VIN, the Veterinary Information Network, an online community of 75,000 worldwide veterinarians, and is a former clinical assistant professor at Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in Indiana. He has lectured for several international veterinary conferences (winning the small animal speaker of the year award for the Western Veterinary Conference in 2010) and is an active blogger and writer.
 
 

6 Ways to Improve Lighting in Shelters and Help Pets

Heather E. Lewis
While the best place for a dog or a cat is a loving home, a shelter can be a lot less stressful if the design considers the social, physical, and physiological needs of each animal. One important topic for creating Fear Free spaces in a shelter is lighting. Below are some practical ideas every shelter can incorporate:

  • Sunlight Is Best. No matter what we do with artificial lighting, we cannot replace the benefits of natural sunlight. Regardless of the age and quality of your shelter, it’s possible to find ways for the pets to experience daylight. For dogs, outside play time or walks will make a positive difference for behavior and well-being. A catio can be a great addition for adoptable cats; they will enjoy sunbathing and exploring a safe outdoor environment. Even if your shelter is extremely limited, look for ways to add a glass door or a tube skylight to let in natural light. Daylight benefits:
    • Reinforces natural circadian rhythms.
    • Improves staff and volunteer productivity and mood.
    • Natural UV disinfection for spaces receiving direct sunlight.
    • Energy savings for spaces that do not need to rely on much artificial lighting.
    • Creates an environment that feels more natural.
  • Replace Fluorescent Fixtures with LED. If you’re building a new shelter, this is required by energy codes, but many people do not know to replace older fluorescent lighting in their current shelters. Fluorescent fixtures buzz and flicker, and these disturbances are more obvious to dogs and cats than to people because of the way pets see and hear. Properly designed LED lighting converts alternating current to direct current at the fixture, which eliminates buzzing and flickering. As a bonus, LED fixtures use far less energy than fluorescent ones, so lighting replacement projects pay for themselves quickly.
  • Go Dimmable. LED lighting fixtures are easy to specify with dimming controls. This is a wonderful feature as it allows shelter staff to brightly light spaces when they are being cleaned or during adoption hours, but to turn down the lights during quieter times so dogs and cats can rest more easily throughout the day.
  • Keep It Dark at Night. If it is necessary to keep a light on at night for staff safety, specify a fixture that emits red light. Because dogs and cats do not see colors on the red end of the human visible spectrum, a red light creates a darker space for pets at night, allowing them to sleep normally in the shelter.
  • Use Cool Color Temperatures. Lighting can be designed to balance beautifully with natural daylight. Fixtures that are color balanced but tuned toward cooler color “temperatures” will feel more like daylight. We specify fixtures that emit light in the 3500 – 4000 Kelvin range. These are cool but not so cold as to feel institutional. The goal is for spaces to feel clean and crisp! Be careful to specify all fixtures in a similar color temperature so they blend well together.
  • Light Adoptable Animals Well. While we like animals to rest well during non-adoption hours, we also want them to leave the shelter quickly and go to their forever homes. Adoption spaces should be lit more brightly than circulation areas where people are viewing, so the animals show well and gain the attention of potential adopters.

A good lighting design can help reduce fear, stress, and anxiety in a shelter setting and can help the pets go home more quickly. It is well worth the investment!

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

Heather E. Lewis, AIA, NCARB, is a principal of Animal Arts, an architectural firm that has exclusively designed animal care facilities, including veterinary hospitals and animal shelters, for more than three decades.  She has worked on dozens of projects across the country, both large and small in her 19 years with the firm.  Heather is a member of the Fear Free℠ Advisory Board and assisted in creating the Fear Free facility standards for veterinary hospitals.  Heather is a regular contributor to various veterinary industry magazines.  She has spoken on the design of facilities for the care of animals at dozens of national and regional conferences including Fetch Hospital Design Conferences, the UC Davis Low Stress Animal Handling Conference, and the Humane Society of the United States Animal Care Expo.

Stationing Behaviors: How to Teach Consent Skills (Part Two)

Rachel Lees, RVT, KPA CTP, VTS (Behavior)Consent skills, voluntary behaviors, cooperative care. Using these techniques would be a veterinary professional’s dream come true. Wouldn’t it be great if you had some hints to begin teaching these behaviors with your own patients and pets?

We want to get you started with this brief summary of how to begin to teach stationary behaviors as well as the beginning steps of teaching consent to animals. (See Part One for a full introduction to Stationary and Consent Behaviors) It’s a good idea to practice these behaviors at home with your own pets until you are comfortable and confident with the skills and techniques.

Shaping a Stationary Behavior

In part one of this blog post, it was stated that marker training and shaping techniques are the best methods to create a strong and fluent stationary behavior. When using marker training, we are allowing patients 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 into the end goal 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.

When using this technique, we must break down the behavior into achievable steps for the patient. That means having a complete picture of what the end goal behavior will look like. An example is teaching an animal to place all four feet on a mat. The moment the mat is placed on the ground, the trainer must be aware of what behaviors need to be reinforced. Listed below are steps and criteria to teach three different behaviors. Videos will accompany the criteria to demonstrate the breakdown of each step and how the learner will achieve the final goal.

Be sure you have a good understanding of the shaping plan so you can increase or decrease criteria as needed. For instance, you may need to vary criteria based on the rate at which clicking and treating occurs. Varying criteria while adding duration to behaviors is also a good idea. It gives the learner smaller points of achievement and can be gradually increased for a greater challenge. Making duration variable is more helpful than making duration progressively more difficult.

Shaping Four Paws to a Mat

The training session begins the moment the mat is placed on the ground. The trainer should observe and begin to reinforce for the following behaviors:

  • Click and Treat for head turning toward the mat
  • Click and Treat for looking in the direction of the mat
  • Click and Treat for looking directly at the mat
  • Click and Treat for weight shifting toward the mat
  • Click and Treat for moving in the direction of the mat
  • Click and Treat for placing one paw on the mat
  • Click and Treat for placing two paws on the mat
  • Click and Treat for placing three or four paws on the mat
  • Click and Treat for keeping all four feet on the mat for 1 to 2 seconds
  • Click and Treat for duration on the mat for up to 10 seconds
  • Click and Treat for duration on the mat for 20 to 30 seconds

Shaping Nose to Target Stick

Present the nose target a few inches from the animal’s nose and observe for any nose touching or interacting with the target stick. Reinforce the following pieces of behavior:

  • Click and Treat for head turning in the direction of the target stick
  • Click and Treat for looking in the direction of the target stick
  • Click and Treat for looking directly at the target stick
  • Click and Treat for weight shifting in the direction of the target stick
  • Click and Treat for moving in the direction of the target stick
  • Click and Treat for sniffing or interacting with the target stick
  • Click and Treat for consistently nose touching to the target stick
  • Click and Treat for holding the nose at the target stick for 1 second
  • Click and Treat for holding the nose at the target stick for 2-3 seconds in duration
  • Click and Treat for holding the nose at the target stick for 5-10 seconds in duration
  • Click and Treat for holding the nose at the target for 10-25 seconds in duration

Shaping Chin Rest

Begin the training session by placing a towel on the area where the animal will be resting the chin (owner’s lap, chair, stool). The trainer then observes and begins to reinforce for the following behaviors:

  • Click and Treat for head turning toward the towel location
  • Click and Treat for looking in the direction of the towel location
  • Click and Treat for looking directly at the towel location
  • Click and Treat for weight shifting toward the towel location
  • Click and Treat for moving and walking in the direction of the towel location
  • Click and Treat for sniffing or interacting with the towel location
  • Click and Treat for head movement over the towel location
  • Click and Treat for head movement down (moving head down toward the towel location)
  • Click and Treat for chin touching the towel location
  • Click and Treat for consistently chin touching to the towel location
  • Click and treat for holding duration of the chin touching behavior for 1 to 2 seconds (at the towel location)
  • Click and Treat for duration of the chin rest behavior at the towel location for 2 to 5 seconds
  • Click and Treat for duration of the chin rest behavior at the towel location for 5 to 10 seconds
  • Click and Treat for duration of the chin rest behavior at the towel location for 10 to 30 seconds

Teaching and Understanding Consent

Consent is taught by giving the patient specific criteria when they are in their stationed behavior.  When the animal steps into the stationary behavior, the veterinary team member will begin the training session using forms of desensitization and classical counterconditioning for touching parts of the patient’s body. If the patient moves out of the stationary behavior in any way, shape, or form, the training session will be discontinued. When the patient makes the choice to move back into the stationary behavior, the training session can begin.

**Video Demonstration:  Connor and Consent Mat**

Author’s Note:  A veterinary team member should be well educated in canine and feline body language before working on these procedures. The best resource for fully training these behaviors is the text “Cooperative Veterinary Care” by Alicea Howell and Monique Feyrecilde that is published by Wiley Blackwell. 

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.
Older posts