Weekday: 8:30am to 6:00pm | Saturday: Closed Sunday: Closed
Weekday: 8:30am to 6:00pm (open until 8pm Tuesday & Thursday) | Saturday: 9am to 2pm | Sunday: 9am to 12pm
Here we are then, April’s underway and many of us will be shaking off the winter blues with walks in the country. Some of you may even have a brand new puppy. If so, there will already have been at least two visits to your vet. This and along with meeting the wider world, the puppy will be feeling excited and possibly worried in equal measure. It’s the job of all of us at the clinic to minimise the worry whenever any animal, particularly puppies (and owners!) pay us a visit. How we do this can be a little obscure. Over the last few decades, our knowledge of animal psychology and behaviour has improved significantly. It has allowed us to better recognise stress or pain in our patients, and take steps to minimise both. This month, we are covering the effect of stress on our pets.
“If only they could talk”, an oft-repeated saying and the title of a James Herriot book, which raises two thoughts in my mind. First off, they can! It’s just that we need to learn the (body) language of dog and cat-speak. Secondly, the practices of the Herriot era have been replaced by modern, purpose-built buildings like the clinic in Sherborne. The large car park is not just for staff and owners. It gives dogs more space when arriving and departing, and at least some greenery to sniff and piddle on while adjusting to somewhere new.
Our interior environment is also quite different to Mr. Farnon’s back room, which I suspect smelt strongly of disinfectant and pharmaceutical lotions and potions – a massive assault on the super-sensitive canine nose. What’s more, cats and dogs are separated in our reception area, reducing stress (and excitement) for both species. And that means less hassle in the consultation room and a smoother transition to ‘back-of-house’. This includes the prep room and operating theatres, when that’s necessary. We really strive to do our best for all species.
The point is, we are trying to identify and reduce anxiety, recognise pain and improve patient welfare. Why? Advantages for the patients are obvious. It also affects all veterinary staff, particularly nurses, as 98% have been bitten by scared dogs and cats. So, reduce the fear, reduce the threat. Want a few more stats? 41% of dogs fear the vet, 14% are extremely fearful and almost all cats are scared. Can you blame them?
There is a ladder to canine aggression (that we now call ‘threat repelling behaviour’). It starts with yawning and increased blinking, followed by turning away and changing body posture, including rolling on the back. This can easily be confused for an invitation for a tummy tickle by a relaxed and happy dog. Their face will be relaxed, tongue lolling and tail wagging. No, this is quite different, as dilated pupils with tense facial muscles combined with a back-roll means this is your last chance to stop. The next steps are a growl, a snap and then if all else fails, a real bite (although this is rare). This can all happen very quickly. It simply means we haven’t read the signs or taken steps to mitigate the fear.
So, how do we do this? It really starts before the visit, perhaps with a ‘chill protocol’ (sounds like a Tom Cruise film). For example, a pre-emptive dose of stress or pain-relieving medication. There are plenty of natural products on sale, based on vitamins, minerals and certain amino-acids, and although scientific proof of their effectiveness is often lacking, many owners report benefits. There are other more potent pharmaceuticals that we can supply and increasingly do so.
Lick mats for dogs are excellent distractors and can give us enough time for an examination. We usually conduct examination on the floor, not a cold, hard table. For cats, carriers with easily removable lids are essential. Forced eviction from a hiding place is never a good idea. We also like to use a soft towel to cover the sharp bits. We allow the examination to take place in the base of the carrier once the top has been removed.
If your pet has to come in for a procedure or investigation, we have to be even more mindful of how stressful that can be for an animal, now separated from its owner. It’s useful to know if your pet prefers men to women. Sometimes, even what type of bedding is best or their favourite food. Facing cages can be shielded as some dogs are frightened of others in view. Cats all need a litter tray and a place to hide; their cages need to be big enough to allow this.
Veterinary practices with these facilities and protected areas for cats gain the “Cat Friendly” accreditation. We hold the gold standard level in Sherborne and the Silver level in Yeovil. These accreditations are awarded by The International Society of Feline Medicine. This means that we have met a rigorous set of criteria to reduce stress on our feline friends by recognising their unique needs.
All the above is important but more so is pain management. The first step to successfully managing pain is its recognition. That’s why we use the Glasgow pain score on dogs and the feline grimace scale in cats. Both are available on the internet and are useful for owners as well as veterinary professionals. By learning how to interpret body language and facial expressions, we can assign a numerical pain score. If too high, it means more and better analgesia is needed. Pain-free and warm, comfortable patients recover much quicker and funnily enough, are not so grumpy! I wonder if the same applies to old men….and with my 65th birthday in a few days’ time, I guess I’m about to find out.
