Profession 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. 

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Personality Type

Knowledge

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Signs of animal illness

    Physical, behavioural and environmental signs of health and ill health in various animals.

  • Physiology of animals

    The study of the mechanical, physical, bioelectrical and biochemical functioning of animals, their organs and their cells.

  • 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.

Skills

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Handle veterinary emergencies

    Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.

  • 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.

  • Prepare animal therapy equipment

    Ensure that animal therapy equipment is assembled and prepared for use, including personal protective equipment.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Control animal movement

    Direct, control or restrain some or part of an animal's, or a group of animals', movement.

Optional knowledge and skills

safe work practices in a veterinary setting communicate with customers cope with challenging circumstances in the veterinary sector safely interact with animals use physiotherapy for treatment of animals assess animal nutrition animal production science prescribe physical therapy to animals use osteopathic techniques to improve health of animals assess animal's condition manage animal welfare make decisions regarding the animal's welfare design plans to address undesirable behaviour in animals understand the animal's situation use different communication channels assess animal behaviour collaborate with animal related professionals maintain veterinary clinical records develop an animal handling strategy provide support to veterinary clients veterinary terminology consider environmental factors in long-term care for animals use animal chiropractic techniques perform massage techniques on animals

Source: Sisyphus ODB