Advice for Veterinary Professionals 165
Handouts
Pre-prepared handouts can supplement advice given during talks and behavioural clinics,
and can help the client to remember and comprehend the verbal information they have
been given. Handouts can also be invaluable when there is only time for cursory advice
to be given, for example during a consultation for other issues or when speaking to the
client at the reception desk. It is always preferable, however, that some verbal instruction
is also given because it cannot be guaranteed that a client will read the handout.
Preparing a client handout
● Ensure that the information on the handout is correct and from a reputable
source. But do not directly copy other people’s work unless you have their permis-
sion, and then give appropriate credit and indicate if any changes have been made.
● Keep advice simple, straightforward and easy to understand. Try to avoid termi-
nology unless you can provide a simple explanation/definition.
● Break up text by using short paragraphs and/or bullet points.
● Pictures and illustrations can also make the handout look more attractive, inter-
esting and inviting for the client to read.
Behavioural First Aid
This is advice offered to the owner of an animal with a behavioural problem until a full
behavioural consultation can be conducted. The aims of behavioural first aid advice are to:
● Offer short-term relief; the advice may not completely resolve the problem or be
appropriate for the client long-term, but it may alleviate the worst aspects of the
problem until professional help can be obtained.
● Prevent worsening of the problem, for example by advising against anything that
the owners may be doing that might exacerbate the behaviour or lead to more
serious issues.
● Promote improvement, for example: by providing the owner with some explana-
tion of why the problem may be occurring and dispelling myths and mispercep-
tions; by promoting good practice and advising against bad or ineffective actions;
and by helping the client in the right direction towards further help and advice.
Why might behavioural first aid advice be necessary?
Time and resource limitations
Correctly identifying the cause of an unwanted behaviour, devising an appropriate
treatment programme, and passing on the necessary information and advice to the
owner can be a complex and time-consuming task that usually requires:
● Veterinary examination to rule out or treat possible contributory medical issues.
● Gathering of a full behavioural and medical history.