Textbook for the Veterinary Assistant. Lori Renda-Francis

Chapter 4 Behavior, Handling, and Restraint

      The entire veterinary health‐care team is responsible for safety awareness in the veterinary hospital. In the hospital setting, this includes the safety of health‐care team members, clients, and patients. Animals, not unlike people, may behave differently in unfamiliar surroundings. The goal of the veterinary health‐care team is to insure that the veterinarian or technician examining the patient does not get bitten by a frightened and/or injured patient and that the patient does not suffer further injury. All animals have an innate fight or flight instinct that causes the animal to flee or stand ground and fight when faced with a stressful situation. It is important for veterinary assistants to remember that each patient will behave differently in different procedures and perhaps even from visit to visit. Remember, each patient has its own psyche and reacts to stress in its own individual way.

Social behavior

      Canine

      The social groups of today’s domesticated dog are small and open to outsiders. They typically are not related individuals. There are also misperceptions regarding dominance in dogs and that dominance is a personality trait in dogs. In fact, we may see one dog take the dominant role in one relationship and a subordinate role in a different relationship. Additionally, the roles may change between individuals, depending on the context in which the interaction takes place. Oftentimes, dogs are incorrectly labeled by their owner as “dominant” when, in fact, they are fearful. The misconception that dog behavior problems are caused by dominance has led to the application of cruel and unwarranted forms of dog training. Dog owners do not need to and should not physically dominate their dogs and need to be educated regarding this mistaken belief. These types of behavior are likely to worsen the fearful dog's behavior problems.

      Dogs use an assortment of visual and olfactory cues when initiating, forming, and maintaining social relationships. When unfamiliar dogs meet, they normally begin by sniffing each other. Commonly, sniffing begins at the head and moves toward the tail. Typically, the dog that approaches and begins sniffing first may resist being sniffed itself. Although the dog that is being sniffed is most likely to try to terminate the interaction, it is unlikely to attempt to sniff the other dog. A dog attempting to take the dominant role will usually approach the other dog in a “T position” in relation to the other dog's shoulder and begin sniffing. If accepting a subordinate role, the other dog turns its head away from the approaching dog. Dogs that do not want the subordinate role may resist being sniffed and may attempt to sniff the other dog. In addition, dogs may signal submission by rolling over on their back and exposing the inguinal region. This area is then sniffed by the dominant dog. Often, the dog will raise a paw loosely, wag its tail loosely, and exhibit a play face. Often this followed by the play bow indicating it is ready for play.

      Feline

Domestic cats are often thought of as animals which do not socialize. However, this is not totally correct. Domestication of the cat has led to a highly adaptable animal that can modify its social organization according to available resources. Feral or free‐ranging cats may live in large groups, especially when a food source may be near – a dump, a fishing village, or a farm. These groups are typically made up of related females which form a dominance pecking order. A dominant male cat's territory includes the territory of these females. The male is allowed when a female is in estrus. Other cats deemed to be “strangers” are chased away from the territory.

      Domestic cats that live together may demonstrate cheek rubbing and tail rubbing. Even so, household cat aggression continues to be a problem for multicat households. Cat owners are unfamiliar with the visual signals used by cats, and their signals may be very subtle. Differentiating play from true aggression can be challenging for most pet owners.

      Cats are not asocial animals; however, their tolerance of other cats is limited and is based on familiarity and individual temperament.

      Introducing a new cat should be done in a gradual and systematic way rather than by simply releasing a new cat into the home. The veterinary team must educate clients about the challenges associated with adding cats to a household – behavioral and medical – before the owner gets a new cat. The tendency for a cat to be aggressive toward other cats appears to be an innate trait. Thus, cat owners must be educated that some cats simply do not like to live with other cats. Even if the addition of another cat has been done properly, there is no guarantee that the cats will eventually get along with one another. Tolerance of each other may be more likely in a larger home, where cats have plenty of litterboxes, food dishes, water bowls, etc., and are not forced to interact with each other because of close confinement. Those clients who want more than one cat find it easier to acquire two kittens and raise them together. Research demonstrates that aggression is less likely in pairs of cats, the longer they have lived together. Veterinary teams must educate clients that adding new cats to the home regularly and/or maintaining more than two or three cats at a time are more likely to lead to aggression and house soiling problems.

Animal body language

      Canine

      The body language of animals is a good indicator of their emotional state. It is imperative that veterinary health‐care team members familiarize themselves with the body language of specific species and, when possible, a specific animal. Most dogs enjoy being with humans and exhibit behaviors that are associated with their happiness. This is indicated in dogs that initiate affection. Typically, these dogs wag their tail and approach people in a straightforward manner with a slightly lowered and/or cocked head. Although these dogs appear to be content, care must always be taken when the need to restrain arises. All dogs, even the happiest and most easy‐going, have the potential to bite if treated too roughly or if they are cornered and feel threatened.

      The veterinary health‐care team must also become familiar with the body language of the fearful or anxious dog. The ears of a fearful dog are drawn down and back. These