Caring for Contagious or Ill Animals

Animals get ill from time to time and caring for them involves following specific routines in addition to normal hygiene duties so that infection or infestation do not spread. In certain animal care environments caring for ill animals will be a daily occurrence due to the basic purpose of the facility, ie. a veterinary clinic. In other types of animal care situations, an illness may occur due to the close confines of the animals and the high level of turnover with new incoming residents arriving daily, potentially with new germs or diseases.

There are three major components of disease transmission:

1. Source of infection
   Greater community transmission is spread due to one host person/animal secreting an infectious agent (ie. body fluid) and contaminating others. These animals may not display any symptoms themselves (asymptomatic). Animals may also be convalescent - which means they have had the disease and stopped displaying symptoms but did not or have not fully recovered and could still be contagious.
2. Susceptible host
   Certain animals are more prone to infection than others. These include immunocompromised patients, injured animals, the elderly and/or the very young.
3. Means of transmission
   Germs can't travel on their own, they rely on a means of transmission to move from one host to another. This may be through physical contact, aerosol (inhaled droplets), fomite (germs left on objects), oral and vector (biting). Transmission can also occur between mother and infant during pregnancy, the birthing process or less commonly via milk.
   Preventing spread relies on removing one or all of these links. Means of transmission is the easiest to prevent/control through practices such as hand washing, cleaning / sanitising, and the use of personal protective equipment. All animals should be considered a potential source of infection, and a certain level of personal hygiene and cleanliness must be observed even when caring for healthy animals, these practices become more stringent if a contagious illness is identified.

Containing illnesses

You need to be prepared that some of the animals in your care may be very ill. They will need to be regularly monitored and their condition regularly updated on their records to observe any changes in their condition. If there are significant changes noted, their care will need to be adjusted, this includes either an increase in medication or fluids. These changes are only to be implemented by the veterinarian, while you can report them, you need to ensure the vet is the person who is making and implementing any of these significant changes.

It’s really important that shelters or clinics ensure that animals being kept onsite stay healthy while there, or if unwell, do not spread illness. In New Zealand this is covered by Code of Welfare: Temporary Housing of Companion Animals, which you can review in the module about legislation. In fact, most of this topic includes content that we have already covered elsewhere in the learning. However, it is important that you understand how it applies to the context of containing infectious conditions so that they do not spread to other animals.

Infection control policies, procedures and practices are essential for animal care work places. These include:

• Hands should be washed before and after handling animals.
• Wear appropriate PPE whenever touching/handling broken skin, discharges, blood, mucous membranes, body fluids/excretions.
• Regularly clean and sanitise surfaces such as cages, pens and enclosures; door/cupboard handles; counters/benches; utensils; computer equipment; phones; EFTPOS machines.
• Dispose of waste regularly as per your workplace procedures.

Isolation Protocols

Ill or contagious animals should be isolated from healthy ones to prevent the spread of disease. This includes using designated quarantine areas. Quarantine is a period of isolation where an animal (or human) has come into contact with a highly infectious disease.

When an animal has been diagnosed with a contagious disease, the animals will need to be kept away from the general population to avoid transmission of disease. These animals will need to be located in an isolation ward (ISO-W).

Many animal hospitals and some holding facilities will have a designated isolation ward or area where animals will need to be housed and treated until they are no longer infectious or pose a risk to other animals in the general population. The ISO-W will need to be separate from the rest of the facility with only designated personnel to enter and exit the ward. Isolation wards should always be low traffic; meaning as minimal people passing through as possible and ensure there are separate entry and exit points that do not cross over with the general population. This is particularly important when the animal has been diagnosed with a contagious disease during their consultation and requires immediate isolation.

Several points need to be considered when working in an isolation ward. Take some time to read through the following considerations for the isolation ward:

• Separate ventilation where possible to avoid airborne contagions from travelling through the air vents with the inclusion of extraction fans to direct the airflow outdoors rather than to other parts of the facility.
• It would be ideal for appropriately trained staff work in the ISO-W where they have been trained according to the standard operating procedures.
• Ensure the standard operating procedures are kept accessible to designated staff at all times.
• The isolation ward should have clear signs to identify the area and should also stipulate the use of PPE and the relevant biosecurity protocol.
• There should be a login book at the entry and exit points of the ISO-W to account for all staff who are entering and leaving the ward.
• No other personnel aside from the allocated staff and owners of the hospitalised animal should admit to the isolation ward.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Always wear appropriate PPE such as gloves, gowns, masks, and shoe covers when handling contagious animals.

Hygiene is always an integral aspect of your job in the animal care industry. This is emphasised even further when working in an isolation ward. Certain measures need to be considered to avoid any possible chance of transmission to other parts of the hospital and minimise the risk of taking it home with you.

The PPE you would likely require in the isolation ward will include, protective clothing (preferably disposable), double gloves (wearing an inner and outer pair of nitrile gloves), face masks, face shields and foot coverings. Any gowns that are in use, are to be worn once and either disposed of or carefully laundered.

At the entry and exit points of the ISO-W, you will often find a foot mat or footbath. These footbaths or foot mats are usually soaked with disinfectant. Which the relevant staff will need to step into and wash their shoes to avoid transmitting bacteria from the floor. The footbaths and foot mats should be regularly cleaned to avoid bacterial build-up. It is also important to exercise caution when walking because the soles of the feet will be wet.

Once the patient has been cleared to leave the ISO-W, the area where the animal was held will need to be cleaned twice to ensure all bacteria has been cleaned. The bedding and waste must be treated as infectious and disposed of as per SOPs- this may involve incineration.

Any personnel who launder bedding, gowns or other items from the isolation ward must follow the hygiene protocols relevant, including that of hand hygiene and wearing appropriate PPE. Laundry items should be washed separately from other hospital laundry and washed at a minimum of 40 degrees. For disinfection, the washing cycle should include detergent and bleach. Laundry should be dried in a hot air drier to ensure all bacteria has been exterminated.²

Activity

You will have noticed that there was a lot of writing in this section on infection control and biosecurity, and not much in the way of pictures. This is due to the importance of the processes and making sure that people understand the ‘why.’ However, we don’t want staff to have read through pages of content each time they need to enter an ISO-W environment. Review what you have learned above and think about how you could present this information visually as a quick reminder for staff before they enter an ISO-W space. A poster format would work really well. Design your visual information, save it and load to the forum. As always don’t forget to take a look at what your classmates produce. The way they think, and present information may help you with your own learning.

Bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that cause disease are called pathogens. Pathogens often enter the body when there is a cut or wound in the skin, however, they can also enter through other openings. To protect animals from harmful bacteria and other pathogens during medical procedures, animal care providers use the aseptic technique.

There are four aspects of the aseptic technique:

Barriers

Sterile barriers such as gloves, gowns, masks, and drapes help to prevent pathogens from being transferred to the animal from the animal care worker, the environment, or a combination of both. Sterile barriers are specially packaged and/or clean items that have not touched a contaminated surface. There are specific processes in place for using/wearing these items to minimise exposure to germs.

Animal (patient) and equipment preparation

The animal's fur/hair and skin are another potential source of contamination during a medical procedure, therefore animal care workers will shave/clip unnecessary fur and hair and apply a topical cleansing and bacteria-killing solution to the skin before making any incisions.

Environmental controls

This refers to the simple process of isolating the treatment area with closed doors and windows and limiting the number of people who are present. Unnecessary bystanders increase the risk of contamination.

Contact guidelines

Once animal care workers are wearing their sterile barrier equipment, they must be extremely careful to not touch any non-sterile items including their bodies.

A new arrival at a shelter may not show symptoms of illness if they have only just been infected. It’s important that staff keep an eye on all new arrivals so that infection control procedures and medical treatment can be administered as soon as possible.

Monitor animals closely for signs of illness, including changes in appetite, behavior, energy levels, and physical symptoms like coughing, sneezing, diarrhea, vomiting, or discharge from eyes or nose.

Recording and Reporting

As you will have come to learn, documentation is an integral part of working in the animal care industry. It is highly regulated therefore you need to ensure you have knowledge surrounding the documentation you will become exposed to.

Paperwork can be a labour-intensive task that never seems to end; however, paperwork is there for a reason and must be undertaken. In the case of an emergency, it may be a difference between life and death, or in the case of inspection, it may mean accreditation is lost or fines are issued. Documentation is not a task that should be overlooked and should be carried out carefully and with a degree of detail.

Document any signs of illness accurately and report them to the veterinary staff promptly.

Your workplace may have certain paperwork or records that need to be completed regularly to maintain infection control. This may include:

• Date and time of last cleaning activity.
• Medication administration records.
• Health examination notes.
• Vaccination history
• Food and water intake charts.

You must always complete these records accurately as other staff rely on them.

Veterinary Care

Once a contagious illness has been diagnosed, the fastest route to recovery is appropriate care. All information needed to do this will be recorded in the animal’s file. It’s important that animal care attendants read these at the start of every shift and note down any important changes in status before the end of the shift.

Follow Veterinary Instructions

Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by the veterinarian, including dosing, timing, and method of administration.

Record Keeping

Keep detailed records of all treatments administered, including dosages, times, and any observed side effects or responses.

Nutrition and Hydration

In most cases sick animals will continue to eat a normal diet. There may be situations where a change in diet is important to help the animal while they recover. This information will be recorded in the animal’s file and should also be included on their cage card if this system is used.

Special Diets

Ensure ill animals receive the correct diet as recommended by the veterinarian, which may include special therapeutic or easily digestible foods.

Hydration

Monitor and maintain proper hydration levels, providing fluids as necessary and as prescribed.

Minimizing Stress

Just like humans when they are sick, animals may not be at their best when unwell. This could lead to changes in temperament and behaviour. Keeping stress low will help the animal with their recovery.

Comfort and Environment

Provide a calm and quiet environment to reduce stress. Use bedding, toys, or other comfort items that are easy to disinfect.

Gentle Handling

Approach and handle animals calmly and gently to minimize anxiety and stress.

Indicators of Recovery

All animals that are ill or injured need to be monitored regularly. Special consideration must be made for any patients that are immunocompromised, severely injured, elderly or very young/orphaned.

The process of monitoring indicators of recovery can be achieved by using a clinical score sheet. These documents have a series of parameters that an animal carer can check at each patient observation (usually twice a day).

Each parameter has a series of condition descriptions with an allocated score. Based on observation and basic tests (such as vital signs) an overall score can be ascertained for the animal which then falls within a series of judgements ranging from 'Normal' to 'Severe distress, consider euthanasia'. Based on these judgements decisions can be made regarding ongoing care.

An example of a clinical score sheet has been constructed below:

^{Adapted from Wolfensohn & Honess, 2005}

Organisations that care for animals need to have plans in place to ensure that sick animals are cared for appropriately. It is important that all staff are aware of what is required both ethically and legally and that this is reviewed and discussed on a regular basis.

Communication and Education

Staff Training

Ensure all staff members are trained in infection control, handling contagious animals, and recognizing signs of illness.

Client Education

Educate pet owners on how to care for their pets at home, particularly if they are contagious, including isolation protocols and hygiene practices.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Compliance with Regulations

Follow New Zealand’s regulations and guidelines regarding animal welfare, biosecurity, and veterinary care.

Ethical Care

Ensure humane treatment of all animals, adhering to ethical standards and practices in veterinary care and animal handling.

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Protocols

Have protocols in place for dealing with outbreaks of contagious diseases, including emergency isolation procedures and communication plans.

Supplies

Maintain adequate supplies of PPE, disinfectants, and other necessary materials to handle contagious animals effectively.

Read the following case study where Emily is talking to a group of intermediate school children who have come on a class trip to the SPCA. They have prepared some questions for Emily about what she does.

Case Study

Emily’s school trip talk

Emily: Mōrena everyone and welcome to the SPCA. My name is Emily and I can see a couple of lucky people already holding Albus and Sirius, two of our rescue kittens that are ready for re-homing! I am an animal care attendant here. My primary duties are observing, documenting and reporting health and behaviour concerns of animals in the shelter’s care, giving maintenance care and treatments, and supporting veterinarians when required.

School child 1: Hi, Emily. What does maintenance mean?

Emily: Good question! Maintenance means doing routine procedures, such as general health checks, parasite control, medicated shampoos, teeth cleaning and dentistry, as well as treating and dealing with cat abscesses and malnutrition. If an animal requires major surgery, such as serious injuries from a vehicle accident, we have a full veterinary hospital on site which we can transfer them to.

School child 2: What health care tasks are you responsible for?

Every animal that arrives in the shelter undergoes a general health check. I prepare the exam room, scan the animal, in case they are microchipped, and restrain them while the vet conducts the examination. I then record all the vital signs and other medical observations. After the health check, I give the animal a bath and a brush. Most of them require a flea treatment and a nail clip as well. I also clean their ears and eyes and generally try to make them feel more comfortable.

School child 3: Have you had to perform first aid on an animal?

Yes. A dog was confiscated from an bad owner and was brought in with an open fracture on its hind leg. I was working in reception when the animal was brought in. I put pressure on the wound to control the bleeding as best I could. I then splinted the leg while another staff member called the staff in the emergency hospital. We stretchered the dog over to the hospital, and I padded it with towels, so it didn’t move too much while we moved it.

School child 4: What are your post-treatment duties?

I clean and sanitise the surgery area and sterilise all the instruments and gowns. I must be careful to follow all the hygiene procedures because infection might occur if there is a contaminated surface, or a dirty piece of equipment is used.

Record keeping is also an important part of this job, and I write down all the major animal statistics and the vet's summary notes for future reference. Teacher: Thank you Emily, that was really informative!

Emily: You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit here.

Activity

The next time you are at work, or on your work placement ask your supervisor about the policies and procedures around controlling infections and caring for ill animals. Compare the advice given in the learning content with what the organisation requires from staff in the work place. Do they do anything different?

Summary

By keeping to these key points, animal care attendants can effectively care for contagious or ill animals while minimizing the risk of disease transmission and ensuring the welfare of all animals in the facility. In the next topic we will be looking at the practical actions animal care attendants (and human owners) can take to keep our companion friends healthy. Ka pai temahi.