SOURCE: Animal Handling: Cats

MAIN POINTS:

NOTES:

Considerations

Angry Cat

Venipuncture Sites

Taking Cat out of Carrier

Types of Restraint

Sternal Recumbency

ALWAYS use minimal restraint

They dont socialize like dogs so already
more stressed coming into the hospital
o Escape is a concern
o Always have everything ready before you
get cat out
Tools: cat muzzle, towel, gloves, cat bag
Ears Back
Tail wagging
Growling
Pupils dilated
Spitting and hissing
Scratching
Jugular
Medial Saphenous (Hind Leg)
Cephalic (Front Leg)
If they will walk out, let them
Disassemble cage if you have to
Scruffing = best way to restrain!
Distraction works well
Watch out for space between cage and door
legs can get stuck
Sternal Recumbency
Standing Position
Restraint of head Scruffing or holding head
Cat Stretch Lateral recumbency Medial
Saphenous
Venipuncture Restraint
Taking in/out of Cage

Lying on belly can hold for cephalic vein

Have arms on each side of cat and hold head up and
have front legs over side of table
Hold front legs without crossing them
Cats can be restrained in lateral
recumbancy using the "stretch" method, holding
the scruff of the neck and the hind legs. It is more
difficult for the cat to get a hind limb loose from
the grasp of the holder if the legs are held
between different fingers of the same hand rather
than both legs grasped together. This is usually
the restraint for a cystocentisis

This photo shows restraint for a medial saphenous

venipuncture. Some prefer to bring the cat's body
to the edge of the table (marked by the red X) so
they can hold the limb off the table. More mellow
cats don't need to be held by the scruff and can
be held in lateral recumbency.

UNN FIGURE 21-1

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UNN FIGURE 21-2

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UNN FIGURE 21-3

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UNN FIGURE 21-4

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UNN FIGURE 21-5

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UNN FIGURE 21-6 Sitting restraint.

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UNN FIGURE 21-7 Sternal restraint for a cephalic venipuncture.

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UNN FIGURE 21-8 Lateral recumbency.

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UNN FIGURE 21-9 Burrito wrapping of a cat.

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CanineRestraint
MAIN POINTS:

NOTES:

Reason for
Restraint

Considerations:

Types of
Restraint

Must be done in the LEAST stressful way possible (minimal

restraint always best)
For the safety of the animal and of the people working on the animal
Clients should NEVER hold/restrain their own animals, except to take
out of crate or cage.
Wash hands between patients, because animals are very sensitive to
smells
Must know body language:
o Cats: ears back = aggressive and tail wagging = aggressive
o Dogs: ears forward = aggression and tail wagging = excited
(good or bad)
Try to move around the exam room calmly, take time if you can
Can use touch to distract animal tap on head
Know each animals anatomy you will be working with
Take Good Histories!
Lateral Recumbency
Sternal Recumbency
Holding off cephalic and lateral saphenous
Standing Examination
Nail trim
Muzzling

Animal is lying on its side. Arm closest to head holds head/neck down with elbow
while holding leg closest to ground. Other had is holding off lateral saphenous.
(feel for notch when holding off for lat. Saphenous)
Getting dog down:
Lateral
Recumbency

Sternal
Recumbency

The nice way =

o Have the dog sit, have dog lie down.
o Grab legs on the side you want the dog to lie down and gently
pull them on that side
The not so nice way =
o Have someone help you (especially if the dog is too large to do
by yourself). Dont let dog hit their head!
o Pick dog up while supporting dog, pull both legs out and lie the
dog down gently on side.

Sit dog down.

Have dog lie down
Put both arms on either side of dog to support dog in that position and

keep dog down.

If holding of cephalic vein, do so with arm not holding/restraining
head.

Sternal Recumbency for Cephalic

The animal is restrained in sternal

recumbancy for placement of a cephalic catheter. Notice
that the holder is standing on the side of the dog
opposite the leg that is being catheterized. The dog is
restrained close to the body of the holder. The muzzle is
held away from the face of the holder and the person
placing the catheter. She is reaching over the dog to
hold off the vein and can apply downward pressure over
the dog's back, if needed to keep the dog in sternal
recumbancy. If the animal is not struggling, it is not
necessary to apply pressure over the animal's back. The
dog's leg is being held at the elbow to prevent her from
pulling back her leg.

Standing
Position

Hold arm nearest head around dogs head; angle of elbow determines
amount of restraint
Have other arm under the belly, supporting dog in standing position
Can also hold of cephalic vein with arm not supporting head.

To restrain an animal in lateral recumbancy the holder places their

elbow over the neck and holds the elbow of the leg closest to the
table. The other arm is draped over the abdomen of the animal
with the hand holding the rear leg which is closest to the table. The
limbs should be held at a point close to the body, if you hold the
limbs too far distal, the animal has more leverage to roll
themselves back into sternal recumbancy.

The holder should only apply light pressure at all restraint points. If
the animal struggles, the holder applies greater pressure and may learn their body over the
thorax of the animal for additional control.

The thumb is placed on the medial side of the limb and

then "rolled" to the dorsum of the leg, close to the
elbow in order to roll the cephalic vein in a more dorsal
location.

The thumb is being used to occlude venous blood

returning from the leg, causing the vein to distend with
blood. In some cases the vein will be clearly visible, in
other cases you may palpate the distended vein.

The holder also prevents the dog from pulling the limb
away from the venipuncturist

GAUZE MUZZLE FOR DOGS

If a muzzle is not available a length of roll gauze can be used to create a muzzle. The gauze
should NOT be stretchy (don't use "Cling" gauze). As the gauze is not very strong it should be
doubled to increase strength.

The length must be adequate to wrap

around the muzzle at least twice, then tie
behind the ears.

A large loop is made in the center of the

length of gauze. The loop should be about
3 times the diameter of the dog's muzzle.

The loop is placed around the muzzle and

pulled tight at dorsum of the nose. A single
knot is placed.

The ends of the gauze are then tied under the

jaw with a single knot.

The long ends of the gauze are brought

behind the ears and tied in either a square
knot or a easy release bow. I prefer to tie a
square knot and have a scissors handy in
case the muzzle needs to be quickly
removed.

If the animal has a short face this style of muzzle easily slips off. To reduce slippage, after
tying the square knot behind the ears, bring the long ends of the gauze forward and loop the
ends under the loop of gauze which is around the muzzle, then pull the ends back over the
forehead and under the gauze a behind the ears, then tie another square knot.