Alternative animal therapist

Alternative animal therapists investigate sick or injured small and large animals and provide an alternative healing treatment. They may use homeopathy or acupuncture and other alternative medicines or methods to heal the animal. Alternative animal therapists also advise treatments which strengthen the self-healing powers of animals. 

The following job titles also refer to alternative animal therapist:

animal massage therapist
natural animal therapist
complementary animal therapist
animal acupuncturist
animal homeopath
holistic animal therapist
animal healer

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Alternative animal therapist is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to alternative animal therapist.

animal massage therapist
animal hydrotherapist
animal therapist
animal embryo transfer technician
equine dental technician

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of alternative animal therapist. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of alternative animal therapist with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

animal chiropractor
animal physiotherapist
animal osteopath
animal behaviourist
official veterinarian

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of alternative animal therapist.

• Biosecurity related to animals: Awareness of hygiene and bio-security measures when working with animals, including causes, transmission and prevention of diseases and use of policies, materials and equipment.
• Signs of animal illness: Physical, behavioural and environmental signs of health and ill health in various animals.
• Animal welfare legislation: The legal boundaries, codes of professional conduct, national and EU regulatory frameworks and legal procedures of working with animals and living organisms, ensuring their welfare and health.
• Animal welfare: Universally recognized animal welfare needs as applied to species, situation and occupation. These are:
  • need for a suitable environment
  • need for a suitable diet
  • need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
  • need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals
  • need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
• Physiology of animals: The study of the mechanical, physical, bioelectrical and biochemical functioning of animals, their organs and their cells.
• Environmental enrichment for animals: Types, methods and use of enrichment for animals to allow the expression of natural behaviour, including the provision of environmental stimuli, feeding activities, puzzles, items for manipulation, social and training activities.
• Anatomy of animals: The study of animal body parts, their structure and dynamic relationships, on a level as demanded by the specific occupation.
• Animal behaviour: The natural behavioural patterns of animals, i.e. how normal and abnormal behaviour might be expressed according to species, environment, human-animal interaction and occupation.

These skills are necessary for the role of alternative animal therapist.

• Treat animals ethically: Carry out activities according to accepted principles of right and wrong, including transparency in work practices and conduct towards clients and their animals.
• Control animal movement: Direct, control or restrain some or part of an animal’s, or a group of animals’, movement.
• Manage animal biosecurity: Plan and use appropriate biosafety measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure effective overall biosecurity. Maintain and follow biosecurity procedures and infection control when working with animals, including recognising potential health issues and taking appropriate action, communicating site hygiene control measures and biosecurity procedures, as well as reporting to others.
• Assess the animal’s rehabilitation requirements: Assess the animal’s rehabilitation requirements in accordance with its current condition and according to referral from a veterinary surgeon, taking into account pre-existing health conditions e.g. diabetes, epilepsy and medication.
• Protect health and safety when handling animals: Protect health and welfare of animals and their handlers.
• Prepare animal therapy equipment: Ensure that animal therapy equipment is assembled and prepared for use, including personal protective equipment.
• Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting: Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and work environments.
• Plan physical rehabilitation of animals: Develop a plan for the handling of animals undergoing physical rehabilitation treatment, considering: age, species, breed, temperament, surroundings, prior experiences, owner’s influence, current health status, clinical history, prescribed drugs and their effects, reason for referral for rehabilitation treatment, external influences including interaction with humans and other animals, and welfare requirements. Formulate a rehabilitation treatment plan, following referral from a veterinary surgeon.
• Manage animal hygiene: Plan and use appropriate hygiene measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure an effective overall hygiene. Maintain and follow hygiene procedures and regulations when working with animals, communicate site hygiene controls and protocols to others. Manage the safe disposal of waste according to destination and local regulations.
• Manage personal professional development: Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders.
• Handle veterinary emergencies: Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.
• Monitor the welfare of animals: Monitor animals’ physical condition and behaviour and report any concerns or unexpected changes, including signs of health or ill-health, appearance, condition of the animals’ accommodation, intake of food and water and environmental conditions.
• Advise on animal welfare: Prepare and provide information to individuals or groups of people on how to promote the health and well-being of animals, and how risks to animal health and welfare may be reduced. Provide recommendations for corrective actions.
• Deal with challenging people: Work safely and communicate effectively with individuals and groups of people who are in challenging circumstances. This would include recognition of signs of aggression, distress, threatening and how to address them to promote personal safety and that of others.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of alternative animal therapist. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Veterinary terminology: Spelling and meaning of commonly used terminology of veterinary terms.
• Animal production science: Animal nutrition, agronomy, rural economics, animal husbandry, hygiene and bio-security, ethology, protection and herd health management.
• Safe work practices in a veterinary setting: Safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and working environment.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of alternative animal therapist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Understand the animal’s situation: Categorise and verify information about the environment and its impact on the animal. Analyse the situation, such as what the animal may want or need.
• Collaborate with animal related professionals: Collaborate with veterinary and other animal related professionals through communication of animal details, case records and summary reports orally or via written or electronic transfer.
• Communicate with customers: Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
• Cope with challenging circumstances in the veterinary sector: Maintain a positive attitude during challenging situations such as a misbehaving animal. Work under pressure and adapt to the circumstances in a positive manner.’
• Maintain veterinary clinical records: Create and maintain clinical records for animals according to national regulatory requirements.
• Use osteopathic techniques to improve health of animals: Apply osteopathic techniques and advise on and formulate plans for osteopathic treatment of animals.
• Safely interact with animals: Ensure a safe and humane interaction with the animal avoiding factors that will negatively affect their behaviours. This includes the use of humane training aids/equipment, as well as explaining their use to owners/keepers, to ensure they are used appropriately and the welfare of the animal is protected.
• Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
• Assess animal nutrition: Assess the nutrition status of animals, diagnose dietary imbalances and prescribe correction.
• Provide support to veterinary clients: Assist clients seeking veterinary treatment and during the provision of veterinary services. Aid clients with the care of their animals by demonstrating care techniques and use of veterinary products. Provide support during difficult situations.
• Assess animal’s condition: Inspect the animal for any external signs of parasites, disease or injury. Use this information to determine own actions and report your findings to owners.
• Manage animal welfare: Plan, manage and evaluate the application of the five universally recognised animal welfare needs as appropriate to species, situation and own occupation.
• Make decisions regarding the animal’s welfare: Make a choice from several alternative possibilities that promote the animal’s well-being.
• Design plans to address undesirable behaviour in animals: Gather information about the animal behaviour issues, interpret relevant information about the animal, assess the impact of external factors, and assess husbandry/management practices on the animal to develop a plan which tackles undesirable behaviour.
• Prescribe physical therapy to animals: Prescribe physical methods for therapy in animals, such as modification of exercise, massage, heat treatment, electrical and other wave based treatments.
• Use animal chiropractic techniques: Provide chiropractic treatment to animals, including designing a treatment plan and applying appropriate chiropractic techniques to animals.
• Consider environmental factors in long-term care for animals: Develop plans for long-term care for animals, including consideration of environmental factors. Advise animal owners on long-term care.
• Perform massage techniques on animals: Design a massage treatment plan, provide advice and use appropriate massage techniques on animals.
• Develop an animal handling strategy: Develop plans and strategies to deal with the animal in order to achieve established goals and optimal results.
• Assess animal behaviour: Observe and evaluate the behaviour of animals in order to work with them safely and recognise deviations from normal behaviour that signal compromised health and welfare.
• Use physiotherapy for treatment of animals: Adapt human physical therapy techniques to increase function and mobility of joints and muscles in animals. The goal of physical therapy for animals is to improve quality of life and decrease pain. Cooperate with veterinarians and owners to design a physiotherapy treatment and care package.

3240 – Veterinary technicians and assistants

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References

1. Alternative animal therapist – ESCO