April 26, 2023
Cooperative Care – What Is It And How Can It Improve Your Vet Visits?
Cooperative Care. Ever heard of it? What does it mean?
Cooperative Care is becoming more commonly used in the companion animal veterinary field. The definition and goal of cooperative care is to give an animal the choice to opt in or out of a medical procedure, resulting in less stressful vet visits. The practice can be used when grooming as well. Sound like a fantasy? It’s not! Cooperative care can be trained easily to create better veterinary visit outcomes for the patient, owner, and veterinary staff.
The process is rather simple and fun! The way I teach animals to accept and opt in or out of a procedure is to not only condition them to feel comfortable with a variety of handling techniques and equipment, but to be able to say “yes” or “no” to a particular procedure. The basics of the method I use essentially teach a dog that when he is lying on a specific mat or blanket in a relaxed manner, the medical staff has the green light to touch and examine him. If he moves off the mat, that is the staff’s cue that his stress level has risen, and he is no longer comfortable. When he returns to the mat, the exam can resume. All of this is taught using positive reinforcement. I generously reward calm relaxed behavior and acceptance of handling. I also agree to remove touch and handling when the animal communicates that he is becoming nervous. This process builds trust and gives the dog agency in medical situations. What a wonderful alternative to forceful handling and difficult restraint!
The techniques used in cooperative care can do wonders for making veterinary visits less stressful for you and your pet. The practice can also strengthen your bond with your dog because you are teaching him that his emotional state will be respected by you and those you have entrusted with his care.
Keep in mind that in emergency situations, cooperative care may not be feasible. But for yearly exams, vaccines, blood work, nail trims and more, cooperative care can mean the difference between a dog who becomes increasingly stressed and anxious with each vet visit and a dog who wags her tail in happy anticipation of seeing her veterinarian and nurse friends.
These handling techniques can be taught by a trainer and practiced at home by the owner and a variety of trusted people. If your veterinary team has the scheduling ability to fit in practice sessions, even better!
Take a look at my pal Bigbee learning to love veterinary style handling! He is a great guy who is affectionate and sweet, but didn’t understand why that one time it hurt so much when his ears were examined. A past ear infection gave Bigs a negative impression of ear exams, causing him to be averse to having his ears handled. We are methodically working to reverse his opinion on the subject. He is a star when it comes to his training!
Pearl watches from the sidelines, happy to se her brother’s progress 🙂
Consider learning the basics of cooperative care for your best friend and help turn vet visits into a lower stress, and even fun event! Contact Cerberus Dog Training Services at info@cerberusdogtraining.com for more information!