Identify animal handling and restraint hazards related to working in the small animal care industry.

Identification should include

  • terminology related to animal handling and restraint hazards in the small animal care industry
  • types of physical injuries in the small animal care industry
    • ergonomic and musculoskeletal hazards
    • eye hazards
    • heat stress
    • ionizing radiation
    • laser hazards
    • needle stick, scalpel, and other sharps hazards
    • noise
    • respiratory hazards
    • slips, trips, falls
    • waste disposal
  • types of chemical hazard exposures through dermal contact and/or inhalation or splashes resulting in contact with the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes
    • disinfectants
    • hazardous drugs
    • latex
    • pesticides
    • waste anesthetic gases
  • types of restraint procedures used for handling animals
  • zoonotic diseases, methods of transmission, and methods of prevention.

Process/Skill Questions:

  • Why is safety important when working and playing with small animals?
  • What types of diseases or other health-related problems can small animals transmit to humans? How are they transmitted?
  • What precautions should be taken to prevent being infected by small animals?
  • How can small animal care workers protect animals from diseases transmitted by other animals?
  • What are the proper restraint procedures when working with small animals?
  • What is lateral recumbency? What is sternal recumbency?
  • What is an Elizabethan collar? For what purpose is it used?
  • What are the most common types of injuries to people who handle small animals? How can these injuries be prevented? 

Teacher Resource: