Restraining and transporting injured
animals
Restraining and transporting injured animals
2
Approaching injured animals
2
Transporting
2
Admitting aggressive animals to hospital
5
Handling and restraining the patient for the veterinarian
6
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© NSW DET 2007
Restraining and transporting injured
animals
Animals requiring emergency treatment are often in pain and shock. All care
should be taken to prevent further pain and injuries, also to prevent people
from being bitten. Even the quietest dog or cat will bite and scratch if it is in
pain.
Therefore, restrain the head, muzzle if necessary so the vet can give the
animal medication for pain and to assess injuries. Unconscious or immobile
accident victims should be left where they are until examined.
Approaching injured animals
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Be gentle, yet confident and reassure the animal.
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Muzzles can be used unless the animal is having trouble breathing.
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You may need to lasso frightened dogs (not cats).
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Owners (unless very emotional) should stay with the animal.
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Allow the animal to position itself on car seat (they will usually lie
on their wounded side).
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Cats, birds and native wildlife should be put in a box or cage.
Transporting
There tends to be two methods of transporting injured animals depending on
whether they can walk or not.
Ambulatory
Non-ambulatory
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Use a muzzle or throw large blanket over animal to
prevent biting.
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Allow animal to walk (even if it is slow) if it can and
place itself in the vehicle for transportation.
Do not carry a suspected spinal fracture—place them if small
enough in a boxes or baskets and these must:
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be escape-proof
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be ventilated
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allow constant observation.
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Otherwise use a stretcher or board so the spine can
be kept straight.
Note for small dogs or cats: lift under sternum, hold
head/neck against your chest, support body.
Stretchers or trolleys
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suspected spinal fractures
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are used for…
A stretcher has to be…
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collapse with dyspnoea
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collapse with thoracic or abdominal injuries
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unconsciousness
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any animal where handling is too painful
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care with conscious animal that they do not try to
jump off the stretcher and injure themselves further
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strong
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rigid enough to support weight of animal
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transportable (e.g. wood or hardboard sheets)
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wire mesh with two handlers to pull it tight between
them
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sacks mounted on 2 wooden poles
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blankets (not for spinal injuries)
Some methods of transporting injured animals
An anaesthetised dog strapped safely
onto a stretcher
Stretcher
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Carry small dogs and cats horizontally and place carefully to prevent
interference with the animal's blood pressure.
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Use two or more people to prevent dropping patient or causing
injury to the transporter's back.
Makeshift blanket stretcher method
Lift the dog using two or more people to prevent dropping the patient or
causing injury to transporter's back. Support the dog's body, hold close to
yourself. You can also sling a towel under the abdomen to support the back
end of animal as it uses its front legs to walk.
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© NSW DET 2007
Lifting the animal
For a medium size dog, you can hold it around the chest and back legs,
holding the animal close to your chest. Dogs with injured back legs or
pelvis can be gently carried this way; be careful not to let the back legs
swing.
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© NSW DET 2007
Admitting aggressive animals to
hospital
Aggressive animals can pose a serious threat to the personal safety of
clients, staff and other animals. Most owners are aware of these tendencies
in their animals and prior arrangements can be made before admitting them,
such as:
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arranging a special time or entrance for admission
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muzzling
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administration of chemical restraint
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providing a cage or trap eg for a feral or aggressive cat
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arranging for the owner to stay with the animal.
As a general rule, it is advisable that all dogs and cats that come into clinic
are on a lead or in a cage. Be prepared to provide these if owners are not
complying.
If there is a possibility that an animal may be aggressive ask for assistance
from a supervisor or the veterinarian.
Be sure that you can recognise the behavioural signs that indicate aggressive
behaviour in different species of animals.
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Handling and restraining the patient
for the veterinarian
The handling and restraint of animals is necessary in order to examine and
treat them. Animals that are injured need to be handled particularly
carefully, as they will be in pain and are often more likely to bite.
Learning to apply the correct restraint technique minimises the risk of injury
to both the handler and animal. Animals may require restraint in different
ways to examine various areas of the body including;
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ear and eye
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oral and parenteral area
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restrain for venipuncture
•
restraint in lateral recumbency.
An awareness of animal behaviour is required before approaching and
using a restraint technique. Read the signs of aggression to gauge the type
and level of restraint necessary in to perform the required task—eg the
restraint of a placid cat would be different from the restraint of an
aggressive cat.
Restrain the animal according to veterinary instruction, keeping in mind the
presenting injuries.
Physical restraints
These can be your hands, muzzles, leads, towels, blankets, doors or any
other item that assists to keep an animal safe and still
Chemical restraints
These are drugs that sedate or immobilise animals and can only be
administered under veterinary supervision
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© NSW DET 2007
Approaching and handling a dog
Approach the dog from an angle, not directly from the front or
rear.
Approaching a dog from the front could be mistaken for a challenge.
Approaching from behind could frighten or startle the dog. Approaching
from a front angle is the most appropriate response so that the dog can see
you coming. A dog's peripheral vision is less than that of a human and this
needs to be taken into account when determining the angle of approach. It
must be able to see you. The ideal situation is to let the dog approach you
rather than you approaching the dog.
Slowly extend the back of hand (not an open palm), curl the
fingers, and allow the dog to sniff.
Dogs use their sense of smell when they meet each other. Allow the dog to
sniff the back of your hand with your fingers curled under. This is not a fist.
The hand should be offered by slowly extending your arm towards the dog.
Do not push the hand forward in an aggressive or downward motion, which
again could be misinterpreted as threatening. If the dog were to attack, the
back of the hand with the fingers curled out of the way is less likely to result
in serious injury than exposing the open hand and fingers.
Stroke the dog on the side of the chest, the shoulders or under
the chin (not on top of the head).
When dogs greet each other they tend to lick the side of the face, shoulder
and neck area. Gently stroking these areas will normally help to relax the
animal. By patting the dog on the head you are coming over the top and
assuming a dominant position. The dog may also be unable to see the action
coming and startle.
Restrain the dog according to veterinary instruction, keeping in mind the
presenting injuries.
Hints to handling and restraining cats
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Cats respond to gentle handling so minimal force should be used
whenever possible.
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Special restraints may be needed such as a cat bag, thick towel,
leather gloves or a cat trap.
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Methods of physical restraint include cat bags, towels, blankets and
cages.
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The seriously aggressive or feral cat should not be taken out of its
cage without veterinary assistance.
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Chemical restraints are often required and can only be used under
strict veterinary supervision.
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Handle and restrain mice
Mice are generally picked up by the tail—holding it near the base—and then
placed on a surface that they can grip—eg wire on top of cage. The other
hand can then grasp them firmly and quickly by the scruff of the neck, and
they can be restrained on their back for examining and treating.
Handle and restrain rats
They can be handled by placing the hand over the body around the
shoulders and lifting them, supporting the hindquarters with the other hand.
Do not pick up a rat by the tail! This can unsheathe their tail.
Handle and restrain rabbits and guinea pigs
They should be handled quietly and gently, held around the body as for a
rat, supporting the hindquarters with the other hand. They can be wrapped in
a towel.
Handle and restrain birds
Different birds require different handling techniques.
Some birds are capable of delivering a severe bite with the beak (eg parrots),
others are capable of inflicting severe injury with their feet—eg birds of
prey. Other birds are no threat to us, but unless we are very careful we can
cause severe injury or even death to them!
Birds should be handled only as required. Everything possible should be
done to glean as much information about the bird before handling; for
example, observation of the bird's environment, careful questioning of the
owner, observing the bird itself from a distance.
Before even opening the cage to remove a bird:
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Place cage in a room where all the windows and doors are closed
and there are no inaccessible cavities eg chimneys.
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Switch off fans, hot plates, empty sinks; put lids on bottles; put out
open flames.
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Turn out the lights and darken the room.
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Remove any perches, swings etc, from inside the cage.
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Use a towel to capture and handle the bird at all times. This is
especially important with pet birds as it prevents them becoming
'hand shy'.
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All towels used should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly
between birds to prevent transmission of disease and parasites.
Remove, handle and restrain
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Approach from behind and use a towel to throw over the bird. Then
quickly grab the lower jaw with one hand and the feet with the other.
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The most important part to immobilise in Australian parrots is the
beak.
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With raptors the talons are capable of piercing the skin and are the
most dangerous so these should be immobilised by using a towel for
them to grab hold of. Alternatively they can be enticed to hold onto
a bandage roll and then have their feet bandaged onto the roll.
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Herons and birds stab their prey with the beak. This is the most
important part to immobilise.
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Pin the wings by the bird’s side to prevent flapping which can injure
the wings (and you!).
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Soft pliable gloves can be used but they are usually more of a
hindrance than a help and are generally not as good as a towel.
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© NSW DET 2007