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58 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

FIGURE 4.2 Kennel: note the cage card holder, door showing latch and crossbars, and kitty perch.

the contact time has elapsed, replace the bedding; this can range from simple to complex. Some cage cards
may be layers of newsprint and/or towels or blankets. have blank columns in which the staff fills in the observa-
Place clean water and food dishes in a place where they tions along with the date and time of the observation.
are not easily tipped inside the kennel. If there is a litter Others have circled abbreviations to choose from or they
pan, scoop the feces and urine out, remove visible debris can be as simple as a place to write the name of the
on the sides with detergent and water mixture, spray patient, date admitted, and the potential reason. Some
with disinfectant, wait for contact time, then dry with a clinics also use a clean/dirty cage card; this can help pre-
paper towel. If utilizing paper litter pans, dump every- vent accidental exposure of patients to contagious
thing in the large trash can and put a newly filled paper diseases.
litter pan in the kennel. Some clinics will spray a phero- ID collars are paper bands that can be written upon
mone onto a cat’s bedding to reduce anxiety. If the bed- and have a sticky end to fit the collar so they cannot be
ding is clean, leave it in the cat’s kennel as studies have pulled off, much like a hospital band around a human’s
shown familiar smells are of comfort to the animal. wrist only these go around the animal’s neck. The name
Put the animal back into its original kennel, making of patient, last name of owner, and kennel number
sure the door is latched. Accidental escapes and injuries should be on the ID collar before it is attached to the
have occurred because the kennel door wasn’t closed patient. If for some reason there are no cage cards or ID
properly. If the dog has relieved itself in the run, pick up collars, keep a notebook on the cart or in your pocket
feces, hose down urine, squeegee dry, spray with disin- and mark which animal goes where as you take them out
fectant, wait for contact time to elapse, and then it is for cleaning.
ready for the next dog. If the dog did not relieve itself, Some clinics provide raised beds or mats for dogs to
perhaps a trip outside is required before putting it back sleep upon (Figure 4.4) and perches that allow cats to be
into its original kennel. For cats, after putting them back raised away from the litter box (Figure 4.2, lower right).
in their original kennel, spray the holding kennel with These should be checked and cleaned as necessary while
disinfectant, wait for contact time to elapse, wipe dry the patient is in the hospital. Once the patient goes home,
with a paper towel, and then it is ready for the next cat. raised beds need a thorough deep clean with disinfectant
Note that the dog and cat were carefully placed back and a scrub brush used to get into all the nooks and
into their original kennel. This is very important for a crannies. Part of the cage and run that is often overlooked
couple of reasons: (i) it is the kennel that has been when cleaning is the door. It is difficult to clean doors with
assigned to the pet on the computer or in the file so a spray bottle and paper towel. They should be inspected
when treatments are required or the owner has come to regularly and lifted off their hinges and scrubbed thor-
collect the pet it is important to get the right pet; and (ii) oughly with a disinfectant as necessary. The corners of the
if the animal is contagious you don’t want to spread it to bars and where the bars or wires meet are often caked with
another animal by putting it in the wrong kennel. feces or litter if the pets liked to paw at the doors. Run walls
Cage cards and ID collars should be used to keep should be scrubbed down with a long‐handled brush, espe-
track of what animal goes where (Figure 4.3). Cage cards cially if intact male dogs were being housed in them.