In brief
A veterinary clinic works like a small hospital; the difference is that the patient can bite, scratch and carry diseases that pass to humans. Prompt wound care and rabies assessment after bites and scratches, vaccination and hygiene against zoonoses, not holding animals by hand during X-rays and removing anaesthetic gas at source are the basic measures. The risk assessment should be carried out separately for the examination room, operating theatre, X-ray room, laboratory and large animal area.
Veterinary clinic safety: an area-by-area risk map
In a veterinary clinic, examinations, surgery, X-rays, laboratory work and inpatient care all take place under the same roof. This structure resembles a healthcare institution; but the patient can bite, scratch, kick and carry diseases that pass to humans. Veterinary clinic safety therefore requires addressing the risks of both healthcare institutions and livestock farming together.
The risk profile of small animal clinics in Bursa city differs from that of large animal vets who visit farms in areas where livestock farming is important, such as Karacabey. For the risks of livestock businesses themselves, see our article on zoonoses and injuries in Karacabey livestock farming.
| Area | Main risks | Basic measure |
|---|---|---|
| Examination room | Bites, scratches, zoonoses, lifting heavy animals | Restraint technique, muzzle, two people, adjustable table |
| Operating theatre | Anaesthetic gas, sharps, surgical smoke | Waste gas scavenging, sharps container |
| X-ray room | Ionising radiation | Not holding animals by hand, lead apron, personal dosimeter |
| Laboratory | Blood and tissue samples, fixative chemicals | Gloves, hand hygiene, closed containers |
| Inpatients and boarding | Bites, contact with faeces and urine, cleaning chemicals | Kennel layout, gloves, wet cleaning |
| Farm and large animals | Kicks, crushing, trapping, birth material | Restraint crush, escape route, protective apron |
Animal bites and scratches: prevention and aftercare
Animal bites mostly happen when the animal is frightened or in pain, during incorrect restraint. On the prevention side, the following rules work:
- Take a history. Ask the owner whether the animal has bitten before and record it; put a warning sign on the kennel card.
- Do not let the owner hold the animal. Restraint is done by trained staff; if the owner is bitten, they are injured and the clinic also becomes liable.
- Use a muzzle and restraint equipment. A muzzle, the towel method and a suitable cage are more effective than thick gloves.
- Work in pairs. With a restless or large animal, one person holds and the other carries out the procedure.
- Consider sedation early. The decision to sedate belongs to the vet; forcible restraint is risky for both the animal and the employee.
When a bite or scratch occurs, the wound is immediately washed with plenty of soap and water for about 15 minutes. The person then goes to a healthcare facility to be assessed for rabies risk and tetanus vaccination status. Cat bites look small but are deep and prone to infection; they must not be taken lightly.
Zoonotic diseases: what is transmitted by which animal?
Zoonotic diseases are infections that pass from animals to humans. The Regulation on the Prevention of Risks of Exposure to Biological Agents also covers work in which there is no deliberate work with the agent but exposure may occur through contact with animals or animal products. Notable examples for clinics:
| Disease | Source | Route of transmission | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabies | Cats, dogs, wild animals | Bites, scratches, saliva contact with wounds | Pre-exposure vaccination according to the risk assessment, prompt attendance after exposure |
| Brucellosis | Cattle, sheep, goats | Birth and abortion material | Long gloves, apron and eye protection at births |
| Leptospirosis | Dogs, rodents | Urine, contaminated water | Gloves, covering open wounds |
| Dermatophytosis (ringworm) | Cats, dogs | Skin contact | Gloves, hand hygiene |
| Toxoplasmosis | Cat faeces | Oral | Gloves when cleaning litter trays; special measures for pregnant employees |
| Psittacosis | Birds | Inhaling dust from dried droppings | Wet cleaning, respiratory protection |
| Q fever | Sheep, goats, cattle | Birth material and its dust | Controlled removal of birth material |
| Salmonella and intestinal infections | Reptiles, poultry, faeces | Oral | Hand hygiene, not eating in the work area |
Art. 16 of the regulation provides for suitable vaccines to be given where necessary to employees who are not immune; the cost of vaccination is not charged to the employee. The World Health Organization recommends pre-exposure rabies vaccination for groups at high occupational risk, such as vets. The workplace physician decides which vaccine is given to which employee according to the risk assessment. For details, see our articles on the workplace vaccination programme and occupational infections.
Veterinary X-ray: do not hold the animal by hand
The most common mistake in veterinary radiography is holding the animal by hand during the exposure. Lead gloves and aprons reduce scattered radiation, but do not provide sufficient protection for a hand placed in the direct beam. Instead:
- Position the animal with sandbags, foam wedges and tape; if necessary, use sedation on the vet's decision.
- Only the person who is strictly needed should stay in the room during the exposure; that person should wear a lead apron and thyroid shield.
- Mark the X-ray room and close the door during exposures.
- Give staff who take X-rays a personal dosimeter and follow up the results regularly.
- Do not let a pregnant employee into the room during exposures.
Licensing of the X-ray unit and obligations relating to radiation protection are governed by the legislation of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NDK). Check your clinic's licence conditions separately against this legislation.
Veterinary anaesthetic gas and chemicals
Exposure to veterinary anaesthetic gas occurs when inducing the animal with a mask or induction chamber, through leaking connections, from gas exhaled by the animal during recovery and when filling the vaporiser openly. The measures are:
- Connect a waste gas scavenging system to the anaesthetic machine and make sure its outlet is vented outdoors.
- Leak-test the machine every day before use; replace hoses and bags regularly.
- Where possible, prefer intubation to a mask or chamber.
- Fill the vaporiser with a closed filling system where possible, in a ventilated environment.
- Have the ventilation of the recovery room and operating theatre checked.
If an environmental measurement is needed, we plan it with authorised laboratories. For the equivalent in human medicine, see our article on anaesthetic gases in the operating theatre. Disinfectants used in the clinic, fixatives used to preserve tissue samples and cytotoxic drugs used in oncology patients should also be included in the chemical risk assessment; our articles on preparing antineoplastic drugs for cytotoxic drugs and sharps injuries for needlestick injuries provide guidance.
Large animal restraint and clinic-specific ergonomics
When examining large animals on a farm, most serious injuries come from kicks, horn blows or being trapped between the animal and a wall. A restraint crush (stocks) should be used, a handler who knows the animal should be present and an escape route should be left from the working position. When assisting with births, long gloves, a waterproof apron and eye protection are used against the risk of brucellosis and Q fever.
In the clinic, lifting a heavy dog onto the table is a back load. A height-adjustable examination table or a two-person lifting rule should be applied; for technique, see our article on manual handling and lifting technique. For pregnant employees, toxoplasma, anaesthetic gas, radiation and large animal restraint are assessed separately; the framework is in our article on pregnant and breastfeeding employees.
You can check your hazard class from your NACE code with the steps in our article on how to find out your hazard class. Bursa Sistemer carries out risk assessment area by area for healthcare businesses in Bursa and the surrounding provinces, and in the workplace physician service plans the vaccination programme and health surveillance based on this assessment. For other topics specific to healthcare institutions, see our healthcare institutions page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should veterinary clinic employees be vaccinated against rabies?
The World Health Organization recommends pre-exposure rabies vaccination for groups at high occupational risk. In the clinic, the workplace physician decides which employees are vaccinated according to the risk assessment; the cost of vaccination is not charged to the employee.
Why is holding the animal by hand during X-rays not recommended?
Lead gloves and aprons reduce scattered radiation but do not adequately protect a hand placed in the direct beam. Positioning aids and, where necessary, sedation eliminate the dose to the person holding the animal.
Is an animal bite at work an occupational accident?
Yes, bites and scratches occurring at work are treated as occupational accidents. The incident is recorded, the employee is referred to a healthcare facility and the legal reporting deadlines are followed.
Which tasks should a pregnant employee be kept away from?
Contact with cat faeces, procedures with exposure to anaesthetic gas, taking X-rays and restraining large animals are assessed first. The workplace physician decides which tasks require restrictions according to the employee's condition and the working conditions.
A risk assessment that identifies and scores hazards on site, links each measure to an owner and a date, and has a clear renewal schedule.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.