name
hospital admission date
attending veterinarian
reason for admission
allergies and/or warnings – large/bright for team to notice easily.
All patients admitted to the hospital must also have a cage or medical card. The information above should be on the patient’s cage or medical card, along with observations/notes on the following:
food fed
type of food
amount of food eaten
water given and amount
amount of water patient drank
urination
defecation
body temperature and time taken
medications administered, time administered.
Avian restraint
As with all animals, proper restraint techniques for birds are important for the safety of the handler and the person performing examinations or treatments, but most importantly for the safety and well‐being of the patient. Restraint is a large stressor for avian patients, so knowing the avian patient and proper restraint and capture techniques will help to decrease pain and stress resulting from restraint.
All escape routes should be closed, and the room should be sealed. Hiding places to which the bird may flee should be identified and closed off. To capture and restrain an avian patient, it is recommended to use a towel. Towels of different sizes relative to the size of the bird are indicated. Using a towel to capture a bird helps to reduce fear of hands in the future. Gloves are not recommended, as a fear of hands may develop with gloves and the wearer loses much of their tactile sensation which is extremely important when handling birds. A slow approach with the towel in hand is best. Do not try to capture a bird that is sitting on the owner, as this may result in behavioral issues of the bird toward the owner and may result in the bird biting or attacking the owner. Remember to use a calm and soothing tone when approaching a bird. Confidence should be displayed, especially when trying to capture and restrain a large bird – they can detect fear and hesitation.
The hand (in the towel) should grasp the head of the bird toward the cervical (lower) end of the head but do not choke around the neck. Hold the sides of the head firmly, but insure the bird is able to breathe. Oftentimes, letting the bird bite the excess towel offers a distraction. For small birds, use the remainder of the hand to control the body and make sure the towel is wrapped around the bird to control the wings and feet (Figure 4.11). Larger birds should remain controlled with the opposite hand holding the towel that is wrapped around the body. The person restraining the bird should be monitoring the bird’s respirations and stress level the entire time it is restrained. Observe the avian patient closely for signs of stress, hypoxia, and hyperthermia. Hands should be moved accordingly to allow the examiner to exam the bird at a faster pace.
Restraint is a very stressful experience for a bird. Allow the examiner to move as quickly as possible to insure the bird is restrained as little as possible. It is typical for a bird to show signs of stress when the restraint is released and the bird is placed back in its carrier. Open beak breathing, holding wings away from body, and fluffing of feathers may be exhibited so be aware if the bird exhibits these behaviors for a while after returning to its cage. However, normally the bird should recover rather quickly,
Figure 4.11 Restraining a bird with a towel. Courtesy of Kara M Burns, LVT, VTS (Nutrition).
Reptile restraint
Most snakes can be picked up in the transport carrier, especially when dealing with nonaggressive snakes. For aggressive snakes, a towel may be used by tossing the towel over the snake and finding the head of the snake. Once the head is located and restrained, it is safe to remove from the carrier. It is best to gently grasp the snake behind the head with one hand and support the body with the other hand.
Aquatic turtles, also known as chelonians, are considered easy to capture. However, restraining a chelonian involves controlling the head. To gain control of the head, the health‐care team member should put their thumb on one side of the cranial neck portion and the index finger (or fingers if a larger animal) on the other side of the neck at the base of the skull.
Lizards typically can be held with two hands and removed from the transport carrier. However, some lizards are aggressive or the species’ natural defenses will prevent one from simply picking up the lizard. In this instance, long‐sleeved shirts, gloves, and a towel may be necessary. Frightened lizards may try to bite or scratch with their long claws. It is recommended to keep one hand on the neck, immediately behind the base of the skull, to prevent being bitten. Do not try to capture a lizard by the tail. Many species have a natural response to “drop” their tail to escape, and this may happen if they view the restrainer as a predator. Restraint of lizards can be obtained by placing one hand again around the neck and pectoral region and the other hand supporting the body near the pelvic region. Apply only enough pressure to keep the lizard restrained, as too much pressure may damage their spine.
Rabbit restraint
Physical restraint of rabbits needs to be carefully performed to avoid injury to the animal. Because rabbits have a well‐developed muscular system and thin cortical bone, they are subject to vertebral and long bone fractures if restrained incorrectly. Because most skeletal injuries associated with incorrect restraint occur in the lumbar vertebrae, it is important to firmly restrain the hindlegs.
Rabbits should be handled in a manner similar to cats; place one hand under the forelimbs and use the other hand to hold the rear legs against the body. Always place the rabbit onto a nonslip surface to ensure that it has good footing. To restrain the animal, lightly scruff it and support its dorsum with the same arm. The opposite arm is used to support the body and rear legs.
Handling rodents
Guinea pigs
Most guinea pigs are docile and do not require aggressive restraint. Often a hand on the animal's dorsum is adequate to restrain a guinea pig patient on the examination table. When transporting a guinea pig, support the body with one hand under the thorax and abdomen while placing the other hand on the back to prevent the patient from falling or jumping.
Rats and mice
Rats and mice use their one means of defense – their teeth. Most rats and mice are easily handled and not very aggressive but they can bite if handled roughly or incorrectly. Mice have an increased tendency to bite if worried, stressed, or handled by an unfamiliar person. The best way of handling a mouse is to grasp it firmly by the base of the tail, lift it up carefully and then place it on to a nonslip table. Once it is placed
