Restraining of cats and dogs for clinical examination and medication

1. Restraining Methods of Dogs
and Cats
Tahmeena

2. What is Restraint
• It is Restriction of an animal’s activity by
 verbal
 Physical and
 Chemical
• means so that the animal is prevented from
injuring itself or others.

3. Purposes of Restraint
• To facilitate physical examination including
ophthalmic and rectal examination.
• To apply bandages
• To medicate the animal
• To perform certain procedure such as urinary
catheterization
• To prevent self mutilation
• To perform surgery

4. Verbal restraint
• In general, Begin with the least restraint &
proceed to more severe method.
• Speak to dog or cat when approaching it
• Use the animal’s name
• If necessary speak firmly to the animal
• many pet animals know commands such as:-
SIT, STAND, STAY, COME, DOWN and NO etc.

5. Physical Restraining
.

6. Different restraining tools for cat
and dog
Noose Leashes
• A noose leash is a single piece of nylon or rope
with a ring on one end and a handle at the other
• The noose leash can be used to remove a dog
from a cage or run
• Make the loop on the noose leash big enough to
fit around the head

9. Rabies pole
• The rabies pole is used to capture a dog or cat when
you cannot put your hands on it.
• This could be used to remove a dog or cat from a cage
or to capture an animal that got loose in the hospital
• This may be the restraint necessary to give a sedative
to allow for a physical examination or treatment to the
animal.
• Once the noose is around the neck, quickly tighten it.
• Anyone using this pole should familiarize themselves
• with the tightening mechanism of the noose before
using it.

12. Cat Bag
• A cat bag is useful for restraint because it
prevents the cat from scratching. The
• Head is still exposed, however. These bags are
typically made of nylon. The cat bag is used to:
•Restrain a cat so that personnel do not get
scratched.
• Provide access to specifi c areas of the body
through various zippered openings allowing for
injections or venipuncture.
• To provide restraint while anesthetizing a cat
with an anesthetic mask.

13. Obtain the cat bag you will be using and unzip the
top all the way open.
Scruff the cat and lift it into the bag.
This should be done in one swift motion.

17. Muzzle
• place commercial muzzle of appropriate size
on dog
• Otherwise cut strips
of cloth or gauze etc.

18. Strip of cloth & loop
• Before approaching
the animal, make a
loop of strip of
cloth.
• Diameter of loop
must be double
than the dogs snout.

19. Cont…
• Slip loop over dog’s
nose and mouth with
the half square knot
on dorsal surface of
dogs snout and pull
strip from both ends to
tight the muzzle.

20. Cont…
• Cross free ends of muzzle under dog’s lower
jaw.
• Bring ends of muzzle
up behind dog’s ears
and tie in a bow.

21. Cont…
• Muzzle should be removed immediately when
animal has difficult breathing or starts to
vomit.
• To remove muzzle quickly untie bow and pull
on one end of muzzle.
• Double thickness strip of cloth/gauze Is used
in giant breeds of dog

22. Cat Muzzle
• Approach the animal
from behind
• Put muzzle on the
face
• Tightened the muzzle
with a kont

23. Cat Muzzle

24. Use of Elizabethan collar
• it should be made of tough flexible structure
like plastic.
• Place it on neck of fractious dog or cat to
prevent animal from biting or licking itself.
• in this, animal can paint easily
• may be applied for days without any
drawback
• Collars are reusable

25. Commercial Elizabethan collar
• a

26. Restraining of dog in different
position
.

27. Physical Restraint
It includes
Restraint of dogs in sitting position
Restraint of dogs in standing position
Restraint of dogs in lateral recumbency
Restraint and positioning for cephalic
venipuncture

28. Cont….
Restraint and positioning for saphenous
venipuncture
Restraint and positioning for jugular
venipuncture

29. Restraint of Dog In Sitting Position
• Place one arm under the dog’s neck to secure
dog head firmly
• Place the other arm around the hindquarters
to prevent the dog from standing or lying
down.
• Pulling the dog close to the chest allows more
control if the animal attempts to move.

30. Sitting position

31. Restraint in standing position
• Place one arm under the dog’s neck in such a
position that it is impossible for the dog to
bite.
• Place the other arm under the abdomen to
prevent the dog from sitting or lying down
• Pull the dog close to your body allows more
control if the animal attempts to move.

32. Standing position

34. Restraint of dogs in lateral
recumbency
• Take hold of the foreleg and hindleg closest to
you.
• Gradually lift the dog’s legs off the table and
allow her body to slide slowly against your
body until she is lying on her side with feet
pointing away from the handler.
• Use your forearm to exert pressure on the side
of the dog’s head, thus immobilizing the head.
• Used for saphenous venipuncture

35. In lateral recumbency

36. Restraint and positioning for cephalic
venipuncture
• Extend the animal’s front leg by placing the palm
of one hand behind the animal’s elbow.
• Compress the cephalic vein with the thumb, and
stabilize the vein by rolling the skin laterally.
• For IV injection, slowly lift the thumb off the vein,
leaving the hand in position behind the elbow to
prevent the animal from withdrawing the leg.

37. Cephalic venipuncture

38. Complications of restraint
• Trauma, including contusions, bruising,
lacerations, and nerve paralysis
• Metabolic disturbances such as acidosis,
hypoxia, hypocalcemia, hyperglycemia,
and hypoglycemia
• Hyperthermia
• Regurgitation
• Emotional stress

39. Restraint of Cats
• Restraining a cat is difficult than restraining of
dog because:-
 cat can move very quickly
 Use claws as well as teeth to defend
themselves
Cat is a small animal, can be injured by
indiscriminate use of force

40. Restraint of cats
• Grasp the loose skin of cat’s neck between the
ears tightly. (called scruffing )
• This grasping/scruffing unable cat to turn her
head and bite.
• Wrap the fingers of the other hand around and
through the cat’s hind legs.
• Gently stretch the cat out
• Brace the cat's back and neck firmly against your
forearm.

41. Scruffing
• ws

42. Restraint for femoral venipuncture
• The hand holding the hind legs can then be
used to hold the top leg and tail out of the
way
• While the person performing the
venipuncture pulls out on the leg closer to the
table.
• Pressure placed vertically on the inner thigh
will occlude and raise the femoral vein.

43. Cont….

44. Restraint of the Cat for Cephalic
Venipuncture
•Place the cat in sternal recumbency on an
examination table
•Scruff the cat with your right hand and extend the
left front limb forward by grasping the elbow in the
palm of your hand with your thumb on top of the elbow
joint. The procedure for occlusion of the vein is the
same as in the dog

46. Restraint of the Cat for Jugular
Venipuncture
•Place the cat in sternal recumbency with its
chest close to the edge of the table.
•Hold the head up, away from the chest.
This can be achieved by cupping your hand
underneath the jaw and pushing the head up
toward the ceiling

48. References
• Routine clinal procedures in small mammals
• Restraint and Handling for Veterinary
Technicians and Assistants