CHAPTER 26. Restraint
Valerie A. Chadwick
INDICATIONS
I. Facilitate control for physical examination. Strive for minimum effective restraint
II. Prevent the animal from harming itself
A. Prevent self-mutilation
B. Avoid removing bandages
C. Keep from jumping off examination table
III. To administer oral, injectable, or topical medications
IV. Perform certain procedures, such as applying bandages or catheterization
V. Protection of personnel. Veterinarian may be legally responsible if client is hurt by their own animal during a veterinary procedure
VI. Key to remember: “More is not better”
VERBAL RESTRAINT
Most dogs and cats respond favorably when spoken to:
I. Use calm, reassuring voice
II. Speak the animal’s name
III. May try appearing less large and overbearing
A. Hunker down
B. Offer hand to sniff
C. If you are accepted, animal’s body will relax, may sniff hand, dog may wag tail and approach
PHYSICAL RESTRAINT OF DOGS
I. Lifting
A. Small dogs: Grasp around thorax gently behind the elbows
B. Medium dogs: Place one arm under the dog’s neck with forearm holding dog’s head securely, place other arm underneath or over the top of dog’s abdomen or thorax, and pull dog close to chest of person restraining
C. Large dog: May need two people; one person places arms around forequarters, and one person places arms around hindquarters; both people on the same side of the dog
1. If the dog is male, it might object to being lifted under the flank area near the prepuce
2. The person at the rear of the dog will need to have one arm forward of the prepuce when lifting
II. Standing restraint
A. Forequarters and hindquarters need to be controlled to prevent the dog from jumping or falling if on an examination table
B. Place one arm under dog’s neck to hold dog’s head securely
C. Place other arm underneath or over the top of the dog’s abdomen or thorax
D. Pull the dog close to the chest of the person restraining
III. Sitting or sternal recumbency
A. Place one arm under dog’s neck to hold dog’s head securely
B. Place other arm around dog’s hindquarters, and tuck in to the restrainer’s inner elbow
C. Pull the dog close to the chest of the person restraining
IV. Lateral recumbency: Small and medium dogs
A. With the dog standing, reach over the top of the dog and grasp the foreleg (proximal to carpus) and rear leg (proximal to tarsus) of the dog closest to the restrainer
B. Gradually lift the dog’s body and slide slowly down and against the restrainer’s body until in lateral position
C. Restrainer uses the forearm nearest to the dog’s head to exert pressure on the neck and side of head to keep immobilized
V. Muzzles and mouth gags
A. Commercial muzzles
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