Page 142 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

126 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

(a) (b)

FIGURE 8.9 Aggressive dog body language: (a) showing mild aggression, with mouth open, eyes and ears directed forward, tail straight out from
body, and front legs spread wide; (b) hackles raised, head even with shoulders, mouth snarling, eyes and ears directed at antagonist. Source:
Wikimedia Common. Used under CC BY‐SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Labrador_Growl.jpg; https://commons.wikimedia.
org/wiki/File:2003‐09‐08_Dog_showing_aggression.jpg.

into flight or fight. Let them approach you first, offer TIP BOX 8.1
treats and kind words, move slowly and confidently.
Aggressive dogs will often try to engage your eyesight, When allowing a cat to explore the exam room make sure
be aware of this and avert your gaze either at their feet or all the doors are shut and the staff side door should have
over the top of their heads. Use your peripheral vision to an indicator about a cat being loose in the room.
look at them. Aggressive body language includes the
head lowered even with the shoulders, ruff standing on while hunkered down in its “safe place,” in this case the
end, and often their tails are straight out from their carrier.
bodies (Figure 8.9). Eyes and ears will be pointed at you It is important to read a cat’s body language and if the
and their tail may or may not be wagging. cat is scared, nervous, excited, or aggressive prepare
It is to be hoped that the aggressive dog will be identi- other ways of handling the cat, which are discussed later.
fied and come with a muzzle already in place. However, For now, Figures 8.10–8.13 provide a description and
any dog can be pushed into biting and so listen to your visualization of body language that can help you know
instincts. If you feel like the dog is potentially a biter or what the cat is feeling. Remember that cats vocalize in
may bite because of the procedure, a muzzle can be several ways so listen as well as observe!
placed on the dog in a fear free manner, which is dis- A relaxed cat may or may not be purring, irises will be
cussed a bit later in the chapter. at normal dilation, whiskers lowered, often laying on its
Approaching cats can be very easy or it can be very side with feet extended (Figure 8.10). Vocalization will
hard. The fear free method is to allow the cat to acclima- often be a purr. This not a worried cat.
tize itself to the room by roaming around and exploring Cats show annoyance by hooding or closing their eye-
for a bit. This often puts a cat at ease and, being a cat, it lids to slits, they often move to a sternal position, as if to
will often end up on the exam table by its own volition. be ready to jump up and move (Figure 8.11). Whiskers
This is the time to slip in and offer a treat. A cat that has will be up but not straight out at this point. Ears may
been brought into the clinic in a carrier should not be move from flat to erect. However, it will not take much to
unceremoniously dumped out onto the table, nor do push this cat into becoming angry. A soft coaxing voice,
you reach in and pull it out. It is recommended that the an offered treat, and very gentle handling may bring
entire lid be removed and then an assessment of its them around to relaxing. Vocalization may be a low
behavior can be made. If the cat choses to walk out on its grumble.
own it is allowed to go exploring as just discussed. Figure 8.12 is a montage of pictures showing the var-
Otherwise the ensconced cat is examined and treated ious reactions of cats to unsettling experiences. The cat