Maintenance and Preventative Treatments

Workplace duties for animal care attendants may include giving treatments and performing maintenance health care tasks. Pet owners will also need to carry out many of these treatments when their companion animal has a health issue, or as part of the regular duties of caring for a pet. Common preventative health and health maintenance treatments include, but are not limited to administering:

• internal and external parasite topicals
• eye drops
• long-term medication, including tablets, liquid medications or water additives for birds
• ear cleans
• teeth brushing
• medicated shampoo (flea or skin condition) / mite spray for birds
• vaccinations
• nail/claw trims 
• bathing, clipping and grooming
• anal gland expressions (EAGs).

Procedures for common preventative and health maintenance treatments

The preventative and maintenance heath care treatments you will need to perform will depend on your workplace. Always follow your workplace procedures for specific treatments. However, the following step-by-step instructions are typical procedures.

If any animals you work with are known to have any kind of infection, make sure you dispose of your gloves in the biohazard bin, rather than in the general waste, and perform an antiseptic hand wash after cleaning up.

Administer parasite topicals

To administer a liquid, ‘spot-on’ parasite topical:

1. If possible, wash the animal beforehand, so its coat is nice and clean.
2. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
3. Remove the collar and any other items from around the animal’s neck.
4. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
5. Part the hair at the base of the neck, between the shoulder blades, so the skin is visible. Placing the product here prevents the animals from accidentally licking it during grooming.
6. Make sure there are no lesions or broken skin in that area.
7. For small doses, squeeze the entire contents onto one spot. For larger doses, spread the dose over three spots in the same general area, making sure that all three spots are positioned so the animal can’t reach them with its tongue or paws.
8. Dispose of the product packaging and your used gloves in the general waste.
9. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub.
10. Check the product label to find out how long you must wait before the animal can get wet.
11. If you are treating multiple animals, keep them separated for a while to prevent them from grooming each other.

Administering mite spray for birds

Mites are a common external parasite for birds and are prevented by regular administration of a mite spray. To administer a mite spray:

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
2. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
3. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area. Remove any water or food bowls if you are administering the treatment in the bird’s enclosure.
4. Spray the bird from above, from approximately 30-40 cm away. Do not spray directly towards their face – avoid the face and eye areas as much as possible.
5. Store any remaining product properly or dispose of empty product packaging in the general waste.
6. Dispose of your used gloves in the general waste.
7. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub.

If you spray the bird’s nest box, bed, cage, etc., allow them to dry completely before allowing the bird access to them again.

Administer eye drops

To administer eye drops:

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
2. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
3. Stand to the side of the animal. Place your non-dominant hand under the animal’s jaw to hold its head steady.
4. Open the product and hold it between your thumb and pointer and the middle fingers of your dominant hand.
5. Use the little finger of your dominant hand to gently pull up the top eyelid and hold the animal’s eye open.
6. Being careful not to touch the eye with the nozzle of the product, which could cause infection, gently squeeze:
   • the required number of liquid drops into the eye and let the animal blink to disperse the product.
   • a small strip of gel into the middle of the eye or along the inside of the bottom eyelid and let the animal blink to disperse the product.
7. Store any remaining product properly or dispose of empty product packaging in the general waste.
8. Dispose of your used gloves in the general waste.
9. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub.

Review this procedure in the following video demonstration of administering an eye gel (0:43 min).

Administer long-term medication

Long-term medications treat ongoing illnesses or conditions. You will likely need to administer long-term medication if an animal stays in your care for extended periods, such as at a boarding kennel.

Long-term medication or supplements may be in the form of tablets, liquid medications or water additives.

Administering tablets

To give an animal a tablet:

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal
2. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
3. Check with your supervisor to see if the medication is safe to give with food and that the animal doesn’t have any food intolerances.
4. If safe to do so, hide the capsule or tablet in a small amount of food. Use a strong-smelling food that you know the animal will like.
5. Try high-value treats first, such as cheese or peanut butter.
6. Only use a small amount of food to hide the tablet. If you use a large amount, the animal may eat around the medication.
7. Make sure the entire small amount of food is eaten, and the medication is gone before giving the animal the rest of its food.
8. If the animal will not eat the medication in food or the medication needs to be given on an empty stomach, you will need to tablet the animal. This can be done with your hands or a pill popper.

Tablet by hand:

• Stand to the side of the animal. Place the palm of your non-dominant hand over the top of the animal’s head and/or nose.
• For a small animal, such as a cat or small dog, wrap your thumb and pointer finger over the top of the animal’s head. For larger animals, grasp the muzzle and place your thumb and pointer finger just behind the canine teeth.
• Tilt the head upwards so that the lower jaw goes slack.
• Hold the tablet with the thumb and pointer finger of your dominant hand.
• Use the little finger of your dominant hand to push the bottom jaw down.
• Push the tablet into their mouth, towards the back of the tongue and then hold the animal’s mouth closed to make sure it swallows.
• You can stroke the front of the throat to encourage the animal to swallow. 

Using a pill popper:

• Place the tablet in the end of the pill popper.
• Stand to the side of the animal. Place the palm of your non-dominant hand over the top of the animal’s head and/or nose.
• For a small animal, such as a cat or small dog, wrap your thumb and pointer finger over the animal’s muzzle. For larger animals, grasp the muzzle and place your thumb and pointer finger just behind the canine teeth.
• Tilt the head upwards so that the lower jaw goes slack.
• Insert the pill popper just behind the canine tooth and wiggle it a bit so the animal opens their mouth.
• Push the pill popper towards the back of the tongue and release the pill by pushing on the plunger.
• Quickly withdraw the pill popper and hold the animal’s mouth closed. You can rub the front of the throat to encourage the animal to swallow. 

1. Store any remaining product properly or dispose of empty product packaging in the general waste.
2. Dispose of your used gloves in the general waste.
3. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub.

Review the procedures of tableting a cat by hand and with a pill popper in the following video (6:00 min).

Liquid medications

To give an animal a liquid medication, you can either mix it with food or syringe it directly into the animal’s mouth using the following procedures:

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
2. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
3. Check with your supervisor to see if the medication is safe to give with food and that the animal doesn’t have any food intolerances.

Mixing medication with food:

• If safe to do so, mix the liquid medication in a small amount of food. Use a strong-smelling food that you know the animal will like.
• Try high-value treats first, such as cheese or peanut butter.
• Only use a small amount of food to hide the medication. If you use a large amount, the animal may eat around the medication.
• Make sure the entire small amount of food is eaten and the medication is gone before giving the animal the rest of their food.

Medicating by syringe:

• If the animal will not eat the medication in food or the medication needs to be given on an empty stomach, you will need to medicate the animal using a syringe.
• Draw up the correct volume of medication in a syringe.
• Stand to the side of the animal. Place the palm of your non-dominant hand over the top of the animal’s head and/or nose.
• Use the same technique as administering a tablet with a pill popper to secure than animal’s head and insert the syringe into their mouth.
• Push the syringe towards the back of the tongue and slowly push the plunger to release the medication gradually. Do not squirt a large amount in quickly or angle the syringe towards the back of the throat. This could cause the medication to go into the animal’s trachea (windpipe) and could cause breathing complications.
• Alternatively, slowly push the medication into the cheek pouch so that the animal can lap it up. However, if the medication is bitter or unpleasant in taste, the animal may simply spit it out.
• Withdraw the syringe and hold the animal’s mouth closed. You can rub the front of the throat to encourage the animal to swallow.

1. Store any remaining product properly or dispose of empty product packaging in the general waste.
2. Dispose of your used gloves in the general waste.
3. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub. 

Medicating birds

Medication for birds is often in liquid form. Medicating birds can be very tricky, especially if you have not had a lot of practice. It is very easy to accidentally get liquid into the bird’s airways (aspiration), causing major respiratory complications for the bird. So, seek assistance.

To administer liquid medication to a bird:

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
2. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
3. Make sure you are in a room with the doors closed.
4. Draw up the correct volume of medication in a syringe and have all equipment ready before starting.
5. Restrain the bird using your non-dominant hand. Hold small birds in a ringer’s grip or use a towel to restrain a larger bird’s wings while you hold their head steady with your thumb and pointer finger.
6. Make sure to hold the bird upright, so none of the medication accidentally drips into its airways.
7. Use the tip of the syringe to pry open the beak from the side gently.
8. Very slowly, push the plunger to add medication into the mouth drop by drop.
9. Give the bird time to lick and swallow between drops.

Review the procedure of medicating a bird in the following video.

Water additive for birds

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
2. Clean the water bowl and remove all other sources of water from the bird’s cage or enclosure.
3. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
4. Carefully follow the dosing instructions on the label of the medication and add the correct amount of medication to the specified volume of water.
5. Regularly clean and monitor the water bowl because birds will often bathe and dip their food in their water.
6. Store any remaining product properly or dispose of empty product packaging in the general waste.
7. Dispose of your used gloves in the general waste.
8. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub.

Ear clean

Most ear cleaner products have applicator nozzles. However, if there is an active infection or excessive discharge present, it is easy to suck it into the nozzle and contaminate the solution accidentally. Instead, it is best practice to draw an appropriate amount of solution into a sterile syringe.

It may be easiest to have a second person comfortably restrain the animal’s head while you clean the ears. To clean an animal’s ears:

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
2. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
3. Following the instructions on the product label, draw up the required amount of solution in a syringe.
4. With your non-dominant hand, hold the pinnae (outer ear structure) directly up in the air.
5. With your dominant hand, use the syringe to gently squirt the required amount of solution into the ear canal.
6. While continuing to hold the pinnae up, use the fingers of your dominant hand to massage the ear canal at the base of the ear until you hear a squelching sound.
7. Gently wipe the ear opening with cotton balls or swabs to remove the excess solution and any discharge. Do not use cotton buds or try to stick anything else down the ear canal. Just remove what you can reach with your fingers.
8. If the animal moves with the intention to shake its head, step out of the way. If possible, place a towel over the animal’s head to stop the solution from splashing around.
9. You may need to repeat steps 5-9 several times.
10. Wipe the residual solution off the animal with a towel.
11. Store any remaining product properly or dispose of empty product packaging in the general waste.
12. Dispose of your used gloves in the general waste.
13. Dispose of the used swabs and cotton balls in the biohazard bin.
14. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub.

Review the procedure of ‘How to Clean a Dog's Ears’ in the following video.

Teeth brush

You will likely need a second person to restrain the animal’s head while you brush its teeth. You must also always use veterinary-approved toothpaste and toothbrush. Human toothpaste is not suitable because they contain fluoride and foams up. Animal toothpaste comes in fun flavours like chicken, beef and cheese, making them more palatable for the animal. Finger brushes (rubber toothbrushes that you slide onto your finger) are a better option with most pets because they are less likely to cause injury if the pet moves suddenly.

To bush an animal’s teeth:

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
2. Put on disposable gloves so that your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product or plaque.
3. Make sure you are using toothpaste and a toothbrush suitable for the animal.
4. Put a small amount of toothpaste on the brush.
5. Starting at the front of the mouth, brush each tooth individually.
   • You don’t need to brush as thoroughly as you do for yourself because animal toothpaste is more abrasive and contains enzymes that help break down the plaque. Just two or three brushes per tooth are adequate.
   • It is also ok to just brush the outside surface of the teeth because this is where 96% of the plaque and tartar form.
6. Store any remaining toothpaste properly or dispose of empty product packaging in the general waste.
7. Clean and sanitise the toothbrush or dispose of it in the general waste as appropriate.
8. Dispose of your used gloves in the general waste.
9. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub.

Review the teeth brushing procedure and how to acclimatise an animal to having its teeth brushed in the following video.

Medicated shampoo

Medicated shampoos are used to treat skin conditions, such as dermatitis, or external parasite infestations, such as fleas. Regardless of the purpose of the product, the procedure is the same.

To wash an animal with medicated shampoo:

1. Confirm that you have the correct product for the animal.
2. Wear disposable gloves, so your skin doesn’t come in contact with the product.
3. Wet the animal’s entire coat thoroughly with clean water.
4. Follow the instructions on the product label as to the amount of product to use. Place small amounts of the shampoo on several areas of the body so that it is applied evenly.
5. Massage the product into the coat and skin well using a sponge, exfoliating gloves or a silicone hairbrush.
   • Focus on problem areas and hard-to-reach areas, such as the groin and between the toes.
   • Take care not to get water or the product in the animal’s eyes or ears.
6. Follow the instructions on the product label as to how long to leave the product on before rinsing. The product will not be effective if it is not left on the skin and coat for long enough.
7. If the product instructions specify rinsing (some medicated shampoos are ‘leave in’), rinse the coat thoroughly with clean water. You may need to rinse several times to make sure there is no product left in the coat.
8. Use towels to dry the animal.
9. Store any remaining product properly or dispose of empty product packaging in the general waste.
10. Dispose of your used gloves in the general waste.
11. Clean and sanitise the bath, brush, sponge or any other equipment used.
12. Wash your hands with a routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub.

Clipping nails and claws

Animal claws and nails are important for grip when they walk or climb, for digging and for defence. They grow continuously but do wear down through use. However, it is important to check an animal’s nails and claws are an appropriate length. Too short and they may cause discomfort to the animal, too long and they may grow into the pad of the foot and cause injury or infection.

Review the following video, ‘How to Clip Your Rabbit's Nails - Bearwood Vets’ to learn how to trim a rabbit’s claws. The process is the same for cats, dogs, guinea pigs and other small animals with claws. Remember though, that nail clipping can go wrong quite quickly so this is something that you can also ask a trained professional to do.

Eye clean

After you’ve treated the animal, the next step is to document the treatment details and any relevant observations in the animal’s file. To do this well, your records should be:

• easily accessible
• accurate
• appropriate.

Good file notes will be detailed while being clear and concise and use accurate industry terminology.

Most organisations use computer-based, online software or a mobile application that will prompt you to enter information, step by step. The record may not be able to be saved until all relevant information has been entered. This makes it easy to ensure all important details are entered.

Whether the records are paper-based or digital, they should be stored according to the organisation’s filing system for immediate retrieval at a later date, to make it easily accessible to those that need it and when they need it. If you are unsure where the file should be stored, ask your supervisor.

When communicating with the owner of the animal or the vet, listen actively to gain accurate information. Clarify and confirm anything you may not have heard correctly or fully understood.

There are many types of animal health records that may be required in the workplace. Identify the purpose of the record before entering information to make sure what you are entering is relevant and appropriate.

Examples of common animal health care records include:

• Daily observation logs – can include behavioral, nutritional and health observations
• Medical history files – records of previous illnesses, injuries, symptoms and treatments
• Pathology reports – findings from blood and other pathology tests.

Ensure the information is easily understood and use plain English to make your record accessible to anyone that reads it. However, you must use appropriate and accurate industry terminology to document medical information. For example, ‘bpm’ to represent beats per minute, or ‘MM’ to represent mucous membranes or ‘hypothermic’ to mean too cold.

A comprehensive record makes the information useful for future reference, should animal health concerns arise, or for the purposes of handing over the care of the animal to a new organisation or facility. Firstly, the record should identify the animal and owner details clearly. When you enter information on an animal for the first time, gather all of the relevant historical health information. This will help the organisation determine what the particular needs are of the animal in your care. Consistently update the record each time you provide an animal with health care.

You must also make an accurate record of routine care or first aid details at the time the service is provided.

Record useful information for the ongoing care of the animal, such as alerting the owner when the next parasite treatment or vaccination may be due.

Activity

Use the information from the case study about Doug the Pug to complete this activity.

Post your summary of Doug’s health in the forum. Compare what you have written to your classmates’ posts. Did you miss anything? Did they miss anything? Comment if you see something important.

After you have treated the animal and documented the treatment, it is time for post-treatment routines. There are two main post-treatment routines that you may be required to carry out:

1. Post-treatment monitoring of the animal
2. Clean-up of the health care work area.

Recognising signs of progress or deterioration

It is important to swiftly recognise changes in an animal’s condition – whether they are progressing, deteriorating or remaining the same. Therefore, monitor an animal’s general health and vital signs and record basic daily observations, if necessary, at these times:

• post-treatment or procedure
• if it has a chronic health condition
• if it is on medication
• if it is in your care for a period of time, such as when in a boarding kennel.

In your initial assessment, check for signs of progression or deteriorating health by assessing any changes to the animal's:

1. demeanour
2. normal baseline vitals.

To monitor an animal, first, establish a baseline. The baseline is the first set of vitals for that animal. Ideally, the vitals are taken when they are in a calm, resting state so that you have something to compare to when you do repeated checks.

There are normal vital sign ranges for each species, however, each individual is different. The size (Chihuahua vs Great Dane), life stage (neonate, junior, adult, senior, geriatric), health status and even the animal’s environment may have an impact on this. For example, the animal may have a chronic heart issue and so, although their heart rate and respiratory rate may be well outside normal ranges, it can be ‘normal’ for this animal.

To recognise signs of deterioration, you would look for changes to the normal baseline vitals for that particular animal. Take into consideration the above variables and consider if you need to alert your supervisor to the changes. If the vital signs and demeanour have changed drastically or show a trend in one direction or the other (heart rate keeps increasing/temperature continues to drop), you need to record this and report to your supervisor that the animal is showing signs of deterioration.

Sometimes it is very clear that an animal is not well, as evidenced by its demeanour. Demeanour is the most obvious indicator that an animal may be deteriorating in health. Poor demeanour would prompt you to check the vital signs to confirm the severity of the decline.

General health monitoring may include observing secondary health indicators particular to their illness or procedure, such as urine or faeces output, vomiting or pain score. Monitoring will alert you to seek timely help if needed.

The following table provides a sample monitoring record. Mock comments have been added in red to give you an idea as to what may be entered on a real-life record. The final column indicates the initials of the person monitoring the animal. Again, alert your supervisor and seek assistance if the animal shows signs of deterioration.

DATE	DEMEANOUR	EATING	DRINKING	URINATING	DEFECATING	COMMENTS	INITIALS
7/11 AM	QAR	No	Offered	++	Soft stool	Admitted today.	SH
7/11 PM	QAR	Small amount	Offered	++	Soft stool	Notified supervisor of faeces. Changed diet to gastrointestinal. Continue to monitor.	SH
8/11 AM	BAR	Ate half of offered food.	Offered	++	Normal		SH
8/11 PM	BAR	Ate all	Offered	+++	Normal		SH

Activity

Write a summary in your own words (2-3 sentences) that explains what the mock notes above show about the animal’s health. Then compare what you wrote to the example summary below by clicking the + button.

Clean-up of the health care work area

Regardless of the treatment you have administered to an animal, the following should form part of your post-treatment routine:

• take all used or soiled towels, drapes and cloth restraints to the laundry
• clean and sanitise the treatment surfaces (not required if the animal was treated in its cage or enclosure)
• clean and sanitise any pieces of equipment that were used to treat the animal, such as a pill popper or hydrobath.

Waste should be dealt with in the following manner, regardless of the treatment type. Dispose of:

• gloves in the general waste or in the biohazard bin if the animal has a known infection
• any medication or product packaging in the general waste
• any remaining, single-dose medications or products in the general waste, unless the SDS specifies a different disposal method
• all used swabs, cotton balls or dressings in the biohazard bin.

Cleaning and sanitising

The level of cleaning and sanitising required will depend on the treatment and the health care work area. For example, a clinic room will require cleaning and sanitising of all surfaces and equipment after treating an animal with an open fracture and significant bleeding, whereas you would only need to give the floor a sweep and clean and sanitise the equipment after a routine hoof trim in a stable.

Where animals are concerned, the environments you work in can become exposed to contamination very quickly. Therefore, appropriate cleaning and sanitising tasks need to take place to help prevent any spread of infection. To maximise the effectiveness of infection control, a combination of cleaning and sanitising should become a part of regular cleaning responsibilities.

In the first step, clean with a standard soap or detergent that removes organic material (for example, dirt, blood and saliva). In the second step use a disinfectant that is an antimicrobial to destroy pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.

It is important to consider that cleaning and disinfecting methods may vary depending on the surface or the type of equipment you are using. For example, you would not use the same cleaning equipment to clean the treatment area as the flooring in the kitchen. You would also need to apply a certain procedure for cleaning clippers or surgery equipment. All staff must be trained properly when it comes to cleaning and familiarise themselves with the relevant safety data sheet for the chemical they are using.

The following information about cleaning and sanitising is a general guide only. Refer to the policies and procedures of your workplace for specific information.

Cleaning

Cleaning is the process of removing accumulated matter, such as faeces, urine, blood, dirt or food, from an item or surface. Cleaning typically involves the use of a detergent to help break down the matter. When cleaning the treatment area, consider:

• removing loose dirt with a cyclonic vacuum cleaner containing a HEPA filter
• sweeping with broom before mopping
• cleaning, disinfecting and drying mops daily (dispose of mops in the biohazard bin after cleaning up after a significant contamination event
• wearing appropriate PPE, especially where splashing is possible.
• using a face mask where airborne exposure is likely
• scrubbing with detergent when matter is difficult to remove (AIDAP 2016).

Sanitising

Sanitising, or disinfecting, is the process of applying a product or process to destroy pathogens. You should always clean before disinfecting in case any matter on the surface protects pathogens from the sanitising process. Appropriate use of disinfectants can reduce the spread of infection.

The following procedure outlines the general considerations when using a disinfectant:

• Ensure the area is well ventilated before using disinfectant.
• Wear gloves. Either disposable or reusable rubber gloves may be appropriate. Ensure reusable gloves are cleaned, sanitised and dried before using them again.
• Wear googles or other eye protection if there is a risk of splashing.
• Always follow the product instructions for:
  • correct dilution rates
  • appropriate time to leave the product on the surface.
• When rinsing is required, do so thoroughly.

Post-treatment clean up

The following table outlines the steps involved in the clean-up after some common preventative and health maintenance treatments. Remember, regardless of the treatment, you should always:

1. Clean and sanitise the treatment area if necessary
2. Dispose of your gloves and any empty product packaging in the general waste bin
3. Wash your hands.

TREATMENT TYPE	POST-TREATMENT ROUTINES SPECIFIC TO THE TREATMENT
Parasite topicals	General clean-up routine
Eye drops	General clean-up routine Store any remaining product according to the manufacturer’s instructions (for example, in the fridge or out of direct light) or dispose of empty packaging
Long-term medication, including water additives for birds	General clean-up routine If using a pill popper or reusable syringe, wash with detergent, then dry and spray with veterinary disinfectant Spray and wipe any surfaces in contact with the medication with veterinary disinfectant Store any remaining product according to the manufacturer’s instructions or dispose of empty packaging
Ear clean	General clean-up routine Dispose of used swabs, syringe and gloves into the biohazard bin If using a reusable syringe, wash with detergent, dry and spray with veterinary disinfectant Place towel into the laundry Wipe any cupboards and surfaces the ear cleaner may have splashed onto using a regular cleaner, then with veterinary disinfectant  Store any remaining product according to the manufacturer’s instructions or dispose of empty packaging Mop floors using veterinary disinfectant
Teeth brush	General clean-up routine Wash the toothbrush with detergent, then place it on paper towel to dry  Store toothpaste according to the manufacturer’s instructions
Medicated shampoo	General clean-up routine Put your apron and all towels into the laundry Mop the floor and put down the wet floor sign Rinse out the hydrobath and remove any excess hair from the drain Store any remaining product according to the manufacturer’s instructions or dispose of empty packaging
Mite spray for birds	General clean-up routine Make sure all spayed items are completely dry before placing them back in the cage Replace food and water Store any remaining product according to the manufacturer’s instructions or dispose of empty packaging

Disposing of hazardous waste

Animal facilities use materials that can pose a considerable hazard to employees, the general community and the environment. Often, the use of these hazardous materials can’t be avoided. However, measures can be taken to ensure their impacts are minimised. The use and disposal of hazardous materials is regulated by local and/or state governments and workplaces must comply with the requirements or face fines and other ramifications.

Examples of hazardous materials include:

• Biological products – for example, blood, tissue, faeces and contaminated cloths
• Clinical waste – for example, sharps, bandages and swabs.

External or internal medications should be disposed of in clinical (hazardous) waste bins.

“The disposal of unwanted or expired pharmaceutical drugs and veterinary biologicals is an emerging environmental issue. All medications applied externally, injected or ingested (and their bioactive transformation products) have the potential to be excreted or washed into the sewage system and from there discharged into the aquatic or terrestrial environments. Veterinarians should make every effort to ensure these products are properly disposed of… In general, with the exception of Schedule 8 drugs, pharmaceutical waste should be disposed of in the same manner as clinical (hazardous) waste, i.e., with clinical waste or with sharps… Examples of Schedule 8 drugs are fentanyl, ketamine, oxycodone, morphine, pethidine, pentazocine, buprenorphine, and butorphanol” (Bond 2013).

Follow your workplace and the New Zealand government’s legislative recommendations for the use and disposal of hazardous waste. Remember that your environmental responsibility includes a duty of care to reduce and improve the use and disposal of hazardous materials.

As learnt previously, you must ensure hazardous substances are used according to the manufacturers or suppliers written instructions, in the form of a safety data sheet (SDS), and the safe working procedures are followed at your workplace. Make sure you know where to access the SDSs for the substance you are working with.

Hazardous substances must be stored securely and labelled clearly. A number of the substances used in animal care practice must be kept in locked storage and accessed only by animal care practitioners. They may include medications and dangerous drugs.

Hand washing after treatment

The final step of your post-treatment routine is to remove your gloves and wash your hands. Regardless of treatment, use a:

• routine hand wash or antiseptic hand rub if you were working with a healthy animal
• antiseptic hand wash if you were working with an animal with a known or suspected infection.

If the animal you are treating has a known serious infection, such as a zoonotic disease or a highly contagious, life-threatening disease, the hand washing routine is slightly different.

1. Treat the infectious animal.
2. Remove and dispose of your gloves in the biohazard bin.
3. Wash your hands using an antiseptic hand wash.
4. Put on clean gloves.
5. Clean up the treatment area.
6. Remove and dispose of your gloves in the biohazard bin.
7. Wash your hands using an antiseptic hand wash.

Summary

Well done! You have completed the learning for this module. You now have the skills and knowledge required to provide assistance to experienced staff in the health care of animals.

The key concepts from this module include:

• what the key infectious and non-infectious health conditions that affect companion animals are
• zoonotic diseases, their symptoms, treatments and how to prevent them
• preparing and performing basic health condition checks on companion animals
• what vital signs are, how to take them and how to interpret them
• the steps for performing basic first aid on animals and what to do in an animal medical emergency
• the routine health and maintenance tasks that need to be carried out to ensure animal wellbeing
• hygiene and cleaning for animal health care
• communication and documentation for animal health care

You are now ready to complete assessment 05A1. This assessment has a theory and a practical part. The format of the theory part will be familiar to you: the questions will be based on scenarios that relate to the information that we have covered in this module.

The practical assessment could include a mix of the following (depending on your placement, the animals that you have access to, and what tasks you select):

• identification of the animal and the health treatment that they require
• checking health care records of animals that require treatment
• assessing the risk of performing a health care assessment
• appropriate handling, preparation and PPE
• referring to work place policies and procedures
• handwashing procedures
• hands on or hands off health assessments
• body condition scores
• animal examination techniques
• taking vital signs
• animal first aid
• monitoring recovery
• providing follow-up, preventative and maintenance treatments
• completing post-treatment routines
• communication and completing required documentation.

You may need to speak to your work place supervisor about which of the options above will be available to you to demonstrate. You may also need to speak to animal owners outside of your work placement and discuss with them whether you could work with their animals to complete some of the practical tasks for the assessment.

It’s a good idea for you to read the assessment thoroughly and then make a plan about which of the assessment options you will choose so that you will be able to clearly explain them to either your work placement supervisor, or the owners of the animals that you will be working with.

Well done on making it this far and all the best for your final assessment! Pai ki a koe - This is a great achievement!