BASIC CLINICAL

PROCEDURES IN VETERINARY
NURSING

HANDLING AND RESTRAINT

Introduction

• No matter what procedure to be performed, correct restraint of the patient is

essential for the safety and welfare of both the animal and the handler.

• An animal that is securely and comfortably restraint will suffer less stress
and will be less inclined to struggle and escape.

• It is important when handling any species of animal that you approach

quietly and confidently and perform the technique correctly at the first
attempt
RESTRAINT OF DOGS
• Procedure: Tying a tape muzzle
• This prevents the dog from biting the handler and diverts its attention
away from the procedure being carried out.

1. Place the dog in a sitting position on the floor

2. Ask an assistant to stand astride the dog and grasp the scruff on either
side of the head just behind the ears

3. Using a length of cotton tape or bandage, tie a loop in it

4. Approach the dog slowly and deliberately,
crouching down to its level

5. Place the looped tape over the nose and tighten

quickly and firmly with the knot over the nose

6. Bring the long ends of the tape down and cross

under the chin

7. Take the two ends of the tape backwards and tie

them in a bow behind the ears

8. Ask the assistant holding the dog to keep the

head pressed downwards.
 Procedure: lifting dogs weighing up to 15kg
1. Keep your back straight and, with your legs slightly apart, bend your knees.

2. Place one arm around the front of the dog’s chest and the other around its
back end, over the tail.

3. Hold the dog close to your chest.

4. Straighten your legs, so raising the dog off the ground.

5. Place it firmly on the table.

6. Do not leave the animal unattended while it is on the table.

 Procedure: lifting dogs weighing over 20kg
1. Arrange for another person to assist you.

2. Both people stand on the same side of the dog.

3. Keep your back straight and, with your legs slightly apart, bend your knees.

4. One person take the head end by placing one hand under the chest and the

other under the neck (if possible, person familiar to the dog).

5. Hold the head close to your chest.

Procedure: lifting dogs weighing over 20kg

6. Assistant places one hand under the abdomen

and the other around the back end under the
tail.

7. Both people straighten their legs

simultaneously and lift the dog on the table.
Procedure: lifting small dogs with spinal
damage
1. Approach the animal quietly and with care
2. If appropriate, apply a tape muzzle
3. With a straight back and bent knees, place your arms around the animal’s
chest
4. Straighten your knees and lift the animal, allowing the legs to hang
downwards
5. Gently place the animal on its side on a suitable non-slip surface ready for
examination
Procedure: lifting small dogs with spinal
damage
Procedure: lifting large dogs with spinal
damage
1. Arrange for another person to assist you.

2. Find something that can be used as a ‘stretcher’, such as a blanket, a

solid plank of wood

3. Approach the animal quietly and with care

4. If appropriate, apply a tape muzzle

5. With the help of your assistant, lift the dog on to the blanket or
plank, adopting the correct lifting position
 Procedure: lifting large dogs with spinal
damage

6. If using a plank, tie the dog on to it

using tapes or bandages

7. Gently carry the dog to the table and

place it on the table, still on the blanket
or plank.
RESTRAINT FOR GENERAL EXAMINATION
• Procedure: to examine the cranial end of the body
1. Using the correct procedure, lift the dog on to a stable examination table

2. Stand on one side of the dog

3. Place one arm under the dog’s neck and pull the head close to your chest with
your hand

4. Place your other arm over the dog’s back with your elbow pointing towards the
far side

5. Apply pressure with your elbow and forearm along the spine, making the dog
sit down
Procedure: to examine the caudal end of
the body or take the rectal temperature
• Continuing from the previous procedure

1. Keep one arm under the neck pulling the head close to your chest

2. Move the other arm and place it under the abdomen, gently lifting
the dog into a standing position

3. Pull the body close to your chest by bringing your forearm up under
the abdomen
Procedure: to examine the dog on its side or
to provide firmer control
1. Apply a muzzle if appropriate

2. Using the correct lifting procedure lift the dog and place it on the
examination stable

3. With the dog in a standing position, stand to one side of the dog

4. Reach over the dog and grasp the forelimb and hindlimb furthest
away from you at the level of the radius and tibia
5. As quickly and as firmly as possible, pull the legs away from you,
supporting the dog’s spine against your chest
6. Gently lower the body down to the table
7. Place your arm across the chest and neck and apply firm pressure to keep
the dog’s head on the table
RESTRAINT FOR ADMINISTRATION OF
DRUGS
• Procedure: administering a tablet
1. Place dog in sitting position or in sternal recumbency on a suitable non-
slip surface
2. If necessary ask an assistant to hold the tail end of the dog
3. Place one handover the top of the muzzle and, using your fingers and
thumb, gently raise the head and open the mouth
4. Hold the tablet in the other fingers of your other hand and with your
forefinger pull down the lower jaw
5. Place the tablet on the back of the tongue
6. Close the mouth and hold it closed with one hand
7. Stroke the neck until you feel the dog swallow the tablet
Procedure: Administering liquid feed or medication
1. Position the dog as in administering a tablet
2. Place one handover the top of the muzzle and, using your fingers
and thumb, gently tilt the head upwards and to one side
3. Open the mouth slightly, creating a pocket at the angle of the jaw
4. Using a syringe filled with the liquid, insert it in to the side of the
mouth
5. Slowly depress the plunger so that the liquid trickles into the back of
the mouth
6. Continue until the syringe is empty and repeat if necessary
7. When the procedure is complete, wipe the mouth clean and wipe up
any spillage on the dog’s coat
Procedure: Restraint for a subcutaneous injection

1. Place the dog in sitting or sternal recumbency on an examination

table
2. Apply a muzzle if necessary
3. Grasp the scruff firmly with one hand
4. Using the other hand insert the point of the needle with the bevel
uppermost into the raised skin of the scruff
5. Inject the contents of the syringe into the subcuticular space and
withdraw the needle
6. Gently massage the site of injection to disperse the drug
Procedure: Restraint for an intravenous injection
using the cephalic vein
RESTRAINT OF CATTLE
 OPERATING CHUTES

• Purpose
• Provide the most effective method of restraint for cattle

• Complications
• Injury to cattle
• Injury to personnel

• Equipment
• Chute
Procedure for Operating Chutes
 SQUEEZE CHUTE
1. Ready chute for operation by opening head catch, releasing squeeze, and
opening tailgate
2. Allow cow to enter
3. Catch head
4. Close tailgate
5. Apply squeeze

6. To release cow, release squeeze and then release head catch

HALTERING
• Purpose
• Provide restraint of head
• Permit leading of cattle that have been halter broken

• Complications
• Trauma to personnel

• Equipment
• Cow halter
Procedure for Haltering Cattle

1. Place cow in chute or stock.

2. Place crown piece of halter over ears, then slip nose through nose
piece.

3. Adjust halter such that nose band crosses over bridge of nose
halfway between the nostrils and eyes.
TAILING-UP CATTLE
• Purpose
• Provide restraint for examination or minor surgical procedures

• Complication
• Injury to coccygeal vertebrae
• Injury to personnel

• Equipment
• None
Procedure for Tailing-up Cattle
1. Place cow in chute or stock and catch head.

2. Stand caudal to cow and use both hands to grasp the base of
the tail, 5–6 inches from the anus. Push the tail straight over the
dorsum. Do not permit tail to curl or to shift left to right.

3. Maintain pressure until directed

to release.
CASTING CATTLE
• Purpose
• Place cow in lateral or sternal recumbency

• Complications
• Tissue trauma
• Cow resists recumbency

• Equipment
• Forty feet of heavy cotton rope
• Halter
Procedure for Casting Cattle
Burley method
1. Place halter on cow.
2. Ensure that ground surface is suitable for recumbency.
3. Secure cow to fence post. Tie knot low to the ground.
4. Locate midpoint of rope and place over dorsum of neck.
5. Run rope medial to forelimbs, crisscross over back, then
run medial to hind limbs.

6. Standing caudal to cow, pull on rope ends until

cow drops into recumbency.
NOSE TONGS
• Purpose
• Restraint device used to control head

• Complications
• Damage to nasal septum
• Personnel trauma
• Pain and discomfort to animal

• Equipment
• Tongs
• Lead rope
• Halter
Procedure for Placing Nose Tongs
1. Place cow in chute or stock and catch head.
2. Apply halter if available.
3. If halter is not used, restrain by grasping head and pin between left arm
and thigh.
4. Place tongs using a rotating motion. Insert one side of the tongs, then
rotate across the nostril and place other on opposite side.
5. Apply tension to maintain tongs in position. A lead rope can be attached
to the end of most tongs
NOSE RINGS
• Purpose
• A permanent restraint device used to control head of bulls

• Complications
• Torn nasal septum

• Equipment
• Self-piercing nose ring with screw and Allen wrench
• Cloth rag
Procedure for Placing a Nose Ring
1. Place bull in chute
2. Place halter or secure head in head plate
3. Select appropriate size ring
4. Apply topical anesthetic or inject 5.0 ml lidocaine into the septum.
Injection should be made 1–2 inches from the end of septum
5. Open ring and use sharpened end to pierce through nasal septum
Once through, use rag to wipe screw area of the ring free of blood
6. Place screw in ring and tighten using Allen wrench
RESTRAINT OF THE GOAT
• COLLARING AND LEADING GOATS
• Purpose
• General restraint

• Complications
• None

• Equipment
• Collar
• Lead rope
Procedure for Collaring and Leading
Goats
• Place collar on neck, leaving 2 inches of space between collar and
neck.

• Attach lead rope and lead animal from left side

STANCHION
• Purpose
• Restrain for hoof trim, milking, artificial insemination or examination

• Complications
• Goat jumps off stanchion

• Equipment
• Stanchion
• Collar
Procedure for Placing Goat in Stanchion

1. Lead goat to stanchion using collar

2. Encourage goat to jump onto platform by

lifting up on collar. Secure head in head
catch
Straddling the goat to facilitate jugular access Lateral restraint hold for jugular access
RESTRAINT OF THE PIG
• PIG BOARDS

• Purpose
• General restraint for examination or moving pigs from one area to another.

• Complications
• Pig escapes under board
• Handler knocked over

• Equipment
• Pig board (3-foot by 4-foot piece of plywood with hand holds)
Procedure for Using Pig Board

1. Hold board parallel to pig

2. Keep board close to the ground

3. Use board to push pig gently toward corner of enclosure

CASTRATION RESTRAINT
• Purpose
• Restrain pig for castration

• Complications
• Handler bitten on leg or knocked to ground

• Equipment
• None
Procedure for Holding Pig in Castration
Position
1. Grasp both hind limbs proximal to hocks.

2. Position pig such that handler is standing over

pig, with one leg on either side.

3. The pig’s head should be between the handler’s

legs, facing the opposite direction

SNOUT SNARE
• Purpose
• Used as a restraint device on larger pigs for sample collection or other
clinical procedures

• Complications
• Damage to entire snout as result of tourniquet effect
• Damage to nasal cartilage

• Equipment
• Snout snare
 Procedure for Applying a Snout Snare
1. Approach pig from left or right side caudal
to head.

2. Place loop over snout, working caudally

until loop is caudal to canines.

3. Tighten cable and apply pressure toward

the pig.

4. To remove snare, step toward pig, loosen

cable, and remove from mouth.
RESTRAINT OF THE HORSE
GUIDELINES FOR RESTRAINT OF THE HORSE

1. Horses are large herd animals. Their general approach is to run first and
ask questions later.

2. Always let horses know that you are in the area. Horses do not appreciate
surprises. Speak quietly; avoid loud noises and sudden movement.

3. When standing near a horse, place your hand gently on the animal. This
will alert you to any pending movement on the horse’s part.

4. Never go under a horse.

5. Never stand directly behind in the blind spot of a horse

6. If you must walk behind the horse, walk very close to the horse with
your body touching the animal. Alternatively you can walk behind at
a distance of 15 feet from the hind end.

7. Do not permit yourself to be pinned or squeezed between the horse

and a solid object. For example, do not stand between the horse and
the wall

8. Horses occasionally will cow kick (kick cranially with a hind limb)
or strike using a forelimb
RULES OF TYING
To facilitate safety of both horses and handlers, the following guidelines
should be adhered to when tying horses.

1. Always use a quick-release knot.

2. Secure to solid post. Never tie to gates, fence rails, or any object
that a frightened animal could pull apart.
3. Lead ropes should be tied short and high enough to prevent animal
from lifting a leg over the rope. This is usually at the level of the
animal’s head.
4. Ensure a minimum of 12 feet between animals.
STOCK
• Purpose
• Inhibit horse’s movement through bodily confinement

• Complications
• Injury to horse
• Bodily injury to personnel

• Equipment
• Stock
• Halter and lead rope
Procedure for Using Stock
1. Place halter and lead rope on horse

2. Open front and back gates of stock

3. Walk horse into stock while you remain

outside just to the left of the stock

4. Close front gate, close hind gate. Tie the

horse at this time if warranted
HALTERING AND LEADING
• Purpose
• Provide fundamental restraint for horse

• Complications
• Injury to handler if stepped on by the horse

• Equipment
• Halter
• Lead rope
Procedure for Haltering the Horse
1. Approach horse slowly from the
left side in the area of the
shoulder.

2. Place lead rope around neck.

3. Place nose band over horse’s

nose and buckle strap behind
ears
Procedure for Leading the Horse
1. The horse should be haltered with the lead rope attached

2. Stand on the left side of the horse

3. Hold lead rope in right hand 12 inches from the halter. Coil the
excess rope and place in left hand

4. Walk forward at a brisk pace

5. Should the horse become unruly, circle to the left. This will allow
you to act as a pivot while the horse circles around you