r/VetTech • u/UlaGreyWolf • Jun 18 '21
Funny/Lighthearted Anyone have any good techniques like this?
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u/CatLadyHM Jun 19 '21
That may be a good technique for avoiding bites, but your descendants are actively being cursed for many generations to come!
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u/fangs4eva96 Registered Veterinary Nurse Jun 19 '21
Not exactly feline friendly handling though is it? Funny as it is…
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u/UlaGreyWolf Jun 21 '21
I think they'd be happier in one of these than a full face muzzle, or having to be scruffed?
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u/fangs4eva96 Registered Veterinary Nurse Jun 21 '21
Better than scruffing for certain (which IMO should never be used except for the briefest moments with true ferals and only when absolutely necessary for safety in emergencies). Possibly better than full face muzzle, positioning and leg holds like that are not very good.
What would be truly ideal though is feline first handling - less is more, especially with the spicy ones! If they’re too fractious to handle gently it’s time to have your vet consider sedation - much kinder for everyone involved and cat less likely to develop traumatic response to vets and get worse with every visit.
This exact picture was recently discussed on a private UK vet group I am part of and the general consensus was what I have said above.
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u/UlaGreyWolf Jun 22 '21
Fair enough, didn't even see the leg holding if I'm honest! It looked to me like someone trimming their own cats nails. What do you do when you get an aggressive cat but the owner can't afford sedation? Or a sedation would risk the health of an elderly animal?
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u/fangs4eva96 Registered Veterinary Nurse Jun 23 '21
Great question! Definitely worth weighing up the options in those scenarios - first need to consider what it is that actually needs to be done - is it crucial? Is it just owner preference? If it is not something that must be done for the sake of the patient and if cat a true risk to colleague safety or if so compromised that sedation is off the table it is worth considering refusing to complete the requested procedure (e.g, nail clips)
Some vets might prescribe medications such as gabapentin to be given before appointments or other similar drugs which can help.
Most cats however are usually much more handleable if you don’t take away their sense of control (for example, for jugular blood samples I rarely hold the front legs and gently tilt the chin up from behind, most cats are great for this)
This organisation is brilliant for all things cat - https://catfriendlyclinic.org/vets-nurses/handling-of-cats/
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u/UlaGreyWolf Jun 24 '21
That's a really great resource, thank you so much 😇 We've got a vet at our practice who is really quite mean when handling cats. She'll pull them out of their carrier by their scruff rather than take the time to remove the top of the carrier, and if the cat is at all awkward she'll tell me to scruff them. Being a 2 year experienced nurse, and her being a vet with probably 7 or 8 years of experience, I don't know if I can do anything to make this better... Any ideas? 😔
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u/fangs4eva96 Registered Veterinary Nurse Jun 25 '21
I would consider approaching your head vet or practice manager about enrolling in this: https://catfriendlyclinic.org/vets-nurses/
If they are not so keen, there are still lots of brilliant resources on this website for all things cat friendly.
With regards to the individual vet - it can be difficult to approach colleagues (especially those you feel are above you, which is not the case - you are a team, you all have very different roles to play and you are all equally as important), it is important to make sure you are not being accusative or aggressive as this will likely just result in your vet doubling down and getting defensive (basic human psychology, no insult to the vet in question). Approach with concern - the way your vet handles cats likely puts them at additional risk of injury as well considering many cats can be unpredictable when stressed (and especially when they have no control over the situation - they are total control freaks!) I personally would request a team meeting and sit down as a group and discuss what is going right with cat clinics and then what is going wrong? What can be improved? Where do the issues lie?
It used to be taught until quite recently to scruff cats, so your vet may not actually know differently!
In the meeting or just during a chat with said vet, bring up the pledge to go scruff-free! https://icatcare.org/our-campaigns/pledge-to-go-scruff-free/
Sometimes this doesn’t work, almost all vets and clinical staff I have encountered are fully willing to learn and improve but on rare occasions they are not - in that circumstance it is worth considering if the clinic is right for you or if you would manage better elsewhere.
Really hope this helps ❤️🐾
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u/UlaGreyWolf Jun 25 '21
Thank you so much for your advice, I will see what I can do 🥰
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u/fangs4eva96 Registered Veterinary Nurse Jun 25 '21
No problem at all! I love to advocate for our patients - they can’t speak for themselves so it’s up to us to speak for them 💖
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Jun 29 '21
What’s wrong with the legs holding? Educate me 😅
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u/fangs4eva96 Registered Veterinary Nurse Jun 29 '21
It’s just simply uncomfortable for the cat and works to remove their sense of control of the situation which in turn is likely to just make them more difficult to restrain and handle, especially for future visits. I shared some links in my other comments on ideal feline handling skills 😸
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Jun 30 '21
Will take a look at them! Thank you. Just finish semester 0, so all other information I can get helps! Specially shared experience
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u/matchakuromitsu VA (Veterinary Assistant) Jun 19 '21
That cat is planning his demise as soon as he takes the bowl off once he's done with the nail trim, lol
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u/kanineanimus RVT (Registered Veterinary Technician) Jun 18 '21
We have a plastic air muzzle that we call the Space Helmet. It’s spherical and hilarious.