Animal Restraint & Behavior

Overview

This text covers key foundational skills for veterinary assistants, focusing on animal restraint, understanding animal behavior, safety during handling, and the practical use of restraint equipment and techniques in clinical and farm settings.

Animal Behavior & Body Language

• Instinctive behaviors are inherited actions, such as nursing and maternal care.
• Learned behaviors are acquired through experience, such as conditioning and modeling.
• Recognize signs of happy (relaxed, alert), scared (stiff, ears back, avoids eye contact), and angry (aggressive stance, bared teeth) animals.
• Aggression types include dominance, fear, territorial, and redirected aggression.

Principles of Restraint

• Restraint is used to control animals for safety and accurate medical procedures.
• Types include physical (body or equipment), chemical (sedatives), verbal, and psychological.
• Always use the least amount of restraint necessary to minimize stress.

Safety Considerations

• Always assess animal behavior before restraint to prevent injury.
• Never allow untrained individuals to restrain animals—safety and legal risks are high.
• Use protective equipment (muzzles, gloves, anti-kick bars) as appropriate.

Restraint Equipment & Techniques

• Muzzles prevent biting; use correct size and type for each animal.
• Towels can calm and restrain small animals; use the “kitty burrito” or “taco” for cats.
• Squeeze cages hold difficult or feral animals for minimal contact.
• Welding gloves protect from bites/scratches, but be aware of decreased tactile sensation.
• Anti-kick bars and hobbles minimize movement in large animals.
• Stanchions/headgates are used to restrain large animals like cattle.

Basic Restraint Positions

• Standing Restraint: Keep animal standing with arms controlling head and body.
• Sitting Restraint: Hold animal in a sitting position, often with a bear hug around neck.
• Sternal Recumbency: Animal on its chest, often for exams or procedures.
• Lateral Recumbency: Animal on its side; used for procedures like blood draws.
• Dorsal Recumbency: Animal on its back, common in surgeries or some radiographs.

Venipuncture Restraint

• Cephalic vein (front leg): Use sitting or sternal recumbency.
• Jugular vein (neck): Head extended upward, limbs controlled for safety.
• Saphenous vein (hind leg): Use lateral recumbency, stabilize limb.

Special Handling Notes

• For small animal restraint, use distraction and calm talking; monitor body language.
• For cats, scruff or stretch techniques may be required—use towels for added safety.
• For rabbits, always support the hind limbs to prevent spinal injury.
• For large animals, use halters, leads, and proper knots (square, quick release, reefers).

Fear-Free & Low-Stress Handling

• Use calming techniques and minimize stressful stimuli in the clinic.
• Allow pets time to acclimate to carriers or exam rooms before procedures.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Aggression — behaviors that signal attack or defense.
• Recumbency — animal lying down (lateral, dorsal, or sternal).
• Muzzle — device placed over an animal's snout to prevent biting.
• Stanchion/Headgate — equipment to restrain large animals safely.
• Venipuncture — practice of drawing blood from a vein.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Practice restraint techniques under supervision to build skill.
• Review facility protocols for safety equipment use.
• Study animal body language to improve handling safety.
• Learn knot-tying and equipment placement for large animal restraint.