In this article, I will describe some important aspects about handling rabbits and guinea pigs in a veterinary setting. As prey species, the importance of low-stress handling becomes even more vital.

This hold controls direction in 6 ways to reduce movement and provide staff safety from head flip or bite attempts. Combine this technique with targeting to help the dog focus and learn to stand in place for blood draw, injection, palpation, and nail trims.

For some workplaces, changing animal care to a Low Stress culture has been an exciting change, with clear objectives and training. For other, a divide has erupted as Low Stress Handling™ techniques are resisted by some of the staff. As a speaker and writer promoting positive veterinary exams, I hear the frustration from those who experience the benefit of Low Stress Handling and find resistance to changing handling practices at their workplace. I want to share some insight into this problem and a few solutions.

Every year hundreds of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal behaviorists, and others search for new and better ways to treat and train animals both in the veterinary practice and in the home. A few years ago pioneering animal behaviorist and veterinarian, Dr. Sophia Yin, developed a system for recognizing brewing fear and aggression, while reducing this through specific handling techniques that decrease stress by improving patient comfort and safety. The program: the Low Stress Handling™ Silver Certification. As of October 2016 the program has certified hundreds of individuals, clinics, hospitals, and other agencies. In trying to gauge the success of the Low Stress Handling™ Silver Certification program,

This method of enrichment was very successful based on how readily the penguins interacted with the devices to acquire the food inside the floating devices. The birds went after the balls eagerly. They were so interested in the hamster balls, in some cases, the birds would spend hours manipulating the balls to get fish from them. This was particularly exciting because this extent of foraging for food is more reflective of wild penguin swimming behavior.

An interview with Amber Taylor, RVT. Broad Ripple Animal Clinic & Wellness Center has staff members that are trained animal behaviorists to offer comprehensive behavior services. They’ve decided to do this for the same reasons that CattleDog Publishing and DrSophiaYin.com were born: seeing so many animals put to sleep because of behavioral problems rather than disease or injury. They created a school for dogs called Bark Tutor, where they work with owners and their pets to help them be successful. Last year, Dr. Yin had the pleasure of conversing with Amber Taylor, RVT and practice manager, about their puppy program.