Environmental enrichment in veterinary practice

For many companion animals, a visit to their veterinary surgeon can be a very stressful and anxious experience. It frequently represents a novel environment or may be associated with previous adverse experiences. Stress factors for pets can include an unfamiliar environment, separation from family, the presence of other animals, noise and noxious procedures performed by strangers; they cannot predict or control what happens to them. By being aware of the signs of stress and anxiety in hospitalized patients and providing structured, evidencebased approaches to environmental enrichment (EE), the welfare of patients can be greatly improved.

The degree to which a patient is stressed by a visit to, or stay at, a veterinary clinic and the degree to which it suffers because of this depends on the animal's experience, genetics and capacity to avoid or control their situation (Bradshaw and Goodwin, 1998; BCSPCA, 2004; Hewson, 2008). This article aims to outline some simple approaches to reducing stress in hospitalized dogs and cats using both proven methods and methods with overwhelming anecdotal evidence. A structured programme of EE has benefits to not only the patient but also the pet owners and the veterinary practice team.