Make sure you visit Clipnosis (Booth 3700) at the 2011 NAVC in Orlando, FL. and learn more about this exciting product! We'll be located in the Orlando World Center Marriott right by the front door, so please make sure you visit us.
Dates of the show are Sunday, January 16 through Wednesday, January 19, 2011.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Now Shipping to Canada and Mexico!
Clipnosis is now available to veterinarians and technicians in Canada and Mexico. Please note, however, that at this time the owner's manual and DVD are only available in English, and we only offer customer service in English.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Are All Cats Influenced by Clipnosis?
In developing Clipnosis, researchers found that, as with scruffing, not all cats were susceptible to the effects of Clipnosis, and the effectiveness can vary among cats.
According to research done on the subject, about 70% of cats are affected by scruffing and / or Clipnosis. Tarttelin (1991) reported that 67% of cats responded to clipping, and Gagnon (2006) found that 69% of cats responded scruffing (using two fingers instead of clips). Our own research included a survey sent to veterinarian and vet techs who used Clipnosis, and we found that 66% of cats exhibited calmer behavior after application of the clips, and 79% of vets and techs rated Clipnosis as being “very effective” or “somewhat effective.”
During clinical research, it was found that scruffing provided a reasonable prediction of whether or not cats would respond positively to Clipnosis. If a cat responds to scruffing, the odds are very good that it will also respond to Clipnosis.
In addition, the effectiveness of Clipnosis can vary from cat to cat. We have seen examples of cats falling over and appearing catatonic after application of Clipnosis, but this reaction is not typical. Most cats do exhibit calmer behavior
after application, however. Cats also tend to become more tolerant and accepting of the clips after repeated experience with them. It’s also very important to reiterate that calm, quiet cats respond much better to Clipnosis than do agitated cats. In the clinic, application of Clipnosis should be done before attempting any procedures, and not as a last resort. Arouse cats are less likely to respond positively to Clipnosis.
The bottom line is, Clipnosis is effective with most cats, so results may vary depending on the cat and the environment in which Clipnosis is applied.
Source: Pinch-induced behavioral inhibition (‘clipnosis’) in domestic cats, Megan E Pozza BS, Judi L Stella BS, Anne-Claire Chappuis-Gagnon DVM, Susan O Wagner DVM, MS, DACVIM, CA Tony Buffington DVM, PhD, DACVN
Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery
Volume 10, Issue 1, February 2008, Pages 82-87
According to research done on the subject, about 70% of cats are affected by scruffing and / or Clipnosis. Tarttelin (1991) reported that 67% of cats responded to clipping, and Gagnon (2006) found that 69% of cats responded scruffing (using two fingers instead of clips). Our own research included a survey sent to veterinarian and vet techs who used Clipnosis, and we found that 66% of cats exhibited calmer behavior after application of the clips, and 79% of vets and techs rated Clipnosis as being “very effective” or “somewhat effective.”
During clinical research, it was found that scruffing provided a reasonable prediction of whether or not cats would respond positively to Clipnosis. If a cat responds to scruffing, the odds are very good that it will also respond to Clipnosis.
In addition, the effectiveness of Clipnosis can vary from cat to cat. We have seen examples of cats falling over and appearing catatonic after application of Clipnosis, but this reaction is not typical. Most cats do exhibit calmer behavior
after application, however. Cats also tend to become more tolerant and accepting of the clips after repeated experience with them. It’s also very important to reiterate that calm, quiet cats respond much better to Clipnosis than do agitated cats. In the clinic, application of Clipnosis should be done before attempting any procedures, and not as a last resort. Arouse cats are less likely to respond positively to Clipnosis.
The bottom line is, Clipnosis is effective with most cats, so results may vary depending on the cat and the environment in which Clipnosis is applied.
Source: Pinch-induced behavioral inhibition (‘clipnosis’) in domestic cats, Megan E Pozza BS, Judi L Stella BS, Anne-Claire Chappuis-Gagnon DVM, Susan O Wagner DVM, MS, DACVIM, CA Tony Buffington DVM, PhD, DACVN
Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery
Volume 10, Issue 1, February 2008, Pages 82-87
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Feline Healthcare Gap
Cats are America’s most popular companion, with an astounding 93.6 million cats living in the US households. Yet cats are much less likely to enjoy regular veterinary care. Unfortunately, only about 45% of cats go to the veterinarian for routine exams, and 20% are taken only when they are sick.* This leaves millions of cats untreated for illness, pain and discomfort. One of the most common reasons cat owners cite for not taking their cat to the vet is the stress it causes both cat and owner.
Aren't those statistics sad? We think they are. But, we also think that Clipnosis has the potential to increase the overall health of cats by easing the stress cats feel when they have to visit the veterinarian. By using Clipnosis in your clinic, and showing clients how to properly use it, together we can minimize the anxiety associated with vet visits and help increase cat visits to your clinic.
Give Clipnosis a try! We offer a special Trial Pack, which contains two large clips and two small clips. Clipnosis affects cats in different ways, so try it on multiple cats. We'll be posting soon about how the effectivemess of Clipnosis varies among cats.
* APPA 2009 - 2010 National Pet Owners Survey
Aren't those statistics sad? We think they are. But, we also think that Clipnosis has the potential to increase the overall health of cats by easing the stress cats feel when they have to visit the veterinarian. By using Clipnosis in your clinic, and showing clients how to properly use it, together we can minimize the anxiety associated with vet visits and help increase cat visits to your clinic.
Give Clipnosis a try! We offer a special Trial Pack, which contains two large clips and two small clips. Clipnosis affects cats in different ways, so try it on multiple cats. We'll be posting soon about how the effectivemess of Clipnosis varies among cats.
* APPA 2009 - 2010 National Pet Owners Survey
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Clipnosis and Kittens
We've been asked "Is Clipnosis safe for kittens" many times since its introduction, and the answer is an emphatic YES! In fact, there are several reasons why using Clipnosis on kittens makes perfect sense.
First, remember that Clipnosis simulates the same response in kittens as when their mother picks them up by their scruff. They go limp, blocking the "fight or flight" instinct, which allows the mother cat to move and carry their kittens at will. Kittens instinctively react to Clipnosis.
Second, cats become more relaxed and tolerant to being clipped with repeated experience. Using Clipnosis on kittens, and continuing its use as they age, will allow them to get used to the effect and even welcome it!
Jaycee the kitten readily accepted Clipnosis and became very still while it was applied. With Clipnosis applied, a veterinarian or vet tech would have been able to have both hands free to groom her, clip her nails, or even give her a vaccination.
We believe Clipnosis can radically change the way vets and tech (and groomers) handle cats, and can dramatically reduce the stress both cats and owners feel when taking them to routine vet appointments.
First, remember that Clipnosis simulates the same response in kittens as when their mother picks them up by their scruff. They go limp, blocking the "fight or flight" instinct, which allows the mother cat to move and carry their kittens at will. Kittens instinctively react to Clipnosis.
Second, cats become more relaxed and tolerant to being clipped with repeated experience. Using Clipnosis on kittens, and continuing its use as they age, will allow them to get used to the effect and even welcome it!
Jaycee the kitten readily accepted Clipnosis and became very still while it was applied. With Clipnosis applied, a veterinarian or vet tech would have been able to have both hands free to groom her, clip her nails, or even give her a vaccination.
We believe Clipnosis can radically change the way vets and tech (and groomers) handle cats, and can dramatically reduce the stress both cats and owners feel when taking them to routine vet appointments.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
How Clipnosis Came to Be – A Guest Blog by Dr. Tony Buffington
I am very happy to see Clipnosis become available to cat lovers everywhere. This product is the result of a dinner conversation. We were talking with a feline practitioner friend from France when the topic of clipnosis came up. Although the technique has been known for many years – some cat veterinarians describe it as their “third hand” - a variety of clips were used since no one had ever developed anything specifically for this use, or studied it much in cats.
Other than seemingly calm the cat, there wasn’t even much known about the effects on the cat. I had cats in my laboratory at the time with a disease syndrome called “feline interstitial cystitis”, so we decided to test the technique on them. A student working in the lab, Megan Pozza, started to investigate the effects of Clipnosis on the physiology and behavior of our cats. We found that the cats responded well to the clips, which didn’t change their heart rate, blood pressure or temperature, all signs of stress, and when the clips were removed, the cats stayed relaxed or continued what they were doing. Their continued relaxed behavior suggested that the clips probably didn’t hurt them, since they didn’t try to flee. We also noticed that the cats seemed to relax more the more often we used the clips with them. In fact, many of the cats would lie down when they saw the clips on the exam table.
With this background, we decided to try the clips on some of our own cats, and those of our students. We had the same experience with the cats, although some of the students were concerned that the clips would hurt the cats – until they saw how relaxed the cats were during and after being clipped. We had some similar experiences with doctors in the hospital, until they saw what happened and recognized that the cats were showing signs of relaxation rather than distress.
During our studies, we noticed that the pressure exerted by the clips we were using wasn’t always consistent, so we contacted Dr. Steve Tsengas at OurPets to see if he might be interested in creating a more consistent product. I have known Dr. Steve for many years; he helped me with a food treat toy I wanted to make available during the 1990s. The product was licensed to Steve, who had the clip designed, tested, and brought to market.
Our purpose is to improve the lives of cats through education of cat owners about “how cats are”, and we developed clipnosis in the service of this mission. By building on a natural reflex of cats, the clip can calm cats for nail clipping and other grooming procedures, physical examination, and minor treatments recommended by veterinarians. Like all devices, it takes a bit of practice to learn to use, both for the owner and the cat. I recommend that owners use it the first couple of times without doing anything else, just to get some practice. Cats should be clipped smoothly and gently when they already are relaxed, and praised and given a treat when the clips are removed. Once they become comfortable with this, one can begin to use the clips for other purposes. A relaxed cat is easier to work with, which also relaxes the owner, so both parties can benefit from interactions made easier by Clipnosis.
C. A. Tony Buffington, DVM, PhD, DACVN
Professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Adjunct Professor of Urology
The Ohio State University Veterinary Center
Other than seemingly calm the cat, there wasn’t even much known about the effects on the cat. I had cats in my laboratory at the time with a disease syndrome called “feline interstitial cystitis”, so we decided to test the technique on them. A student working in the lab, Megan Pozza, started to investigate the effects of Clipnosis on the physiology and behavior of our cats. We found that the cats responded well to the clips, which didn’t change their heart rate, blood pressure or temperature, all signs of stress, and when the clips were removed, the cats stayed relaxed or continued what they were doing. Their continued relaxed behavior suggested that the clips probably didn’t hurt them, since they didn’t try to flee. We also noticed that the cats seemed to relax more the more often we used the clips with them. In fact, many of the cats would lie down when they saw the clips on the exam table.
With this background, we decided to try the clips on some of our own cats, and those of our students. We had the same experience with the cats, although some of the students were concerned that the clips would hurt the cats – until they saw how relaxed the cats were during and after being clipped. We had some similar experiences with doctors in the hospital, until they saw what happened and recognized that the cats were showing signs of relaxation rather than distress.
During our studies, we noticed that the pressure exerted by the clips we were using wasn’t always consistent, so we contacted Dr. Steve Tsengas at OurPets to see if he might be interested in creating a more consistent product. I have known Dr. Steve for many years; he helped me with a food treat toy I wanted to make available during the 1990s. The product was licensed to Steve, who had the clip designed, tested, and brought to market.
Our purpose is to improve the lives of cats through education of cat owners about “how cats are”, and we developed clipnosis in the service of this mission. By building on a natural reflex of cats, the clip can calm cats for nail clipping and other grooming procedures, physical examination, and minor treatments recommended by veterinarians. Like all devices, it takes a bit of practice to learn to use, both for the owner and the cat. I recommend that owners use it the first couple of times without doing anything else, just to get some practice. Cats should be clipped smoothly and gently when they already are relaxed, and praised and given a treat when the clips are removed. Once they become comfortable with this, one can begin to use the clips for other purposes. A relaxed cat is easier to work with, which also relaxes the owner, so both parties can benefit from interactions made easier by Clipnosis.
C. A. Tony Buffington, DVM, PhD, DACVN
Professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Adjunct Professor of Urology
The Ohio State University Veterinary Center
Friday, May 28, 2010
Clipnosis is now available!
We recently launched www.clipnosis.com in order to spread the word about the Clipnosis Gentle Calming Clip!
See, we strongly believe that cats deserve the best care possible and that Clipnosis can help improve the overall health care of felines. According to the American Pet Products Association's "2009 - 2010 National Pet Owner's Survey," only an estimated 45% of cats go to the vet for routine exams. What's more saddening is that 20% are only taken to the vet when they are sick! That means that millions of cats go untreated for illness, pain and discomfort.
One of the most common reasons people cite for not taking their cat to the vet is the stress it creates for both the cat and owner. We believe that spreading the word about Clipnosis and teaching people to use it can minimize the anxiety associated with vet visits, increase feline health care and cat visits to the vet.
We think that's a pretty good goal and it's what we hope to achieve.
See, we strongly believe that cats deserve the best care possible and that Clipnosis can help improve the overall health care of felines. According to the American Pet Products Association's "2009 - 2010 National Pet Owner's Survey," only an estimated 45% of cats go to the vet for routine exams. What's more saddening is that 20% are only taken to the vet when they are sick! That means that millions of cats go untreated for illness, pain and discomfort.
One of the most common reasons people cite for not taking their cat to the vet is the stress it creates for both the cat and owner. We believe that spreading the word about Clipnosis and teaching people to use it can minimize the anxiety associated with vet visits, increase feline health care and cat visits to the vet.
We think that's a pretty good goal and it's what we hope to achieve.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
So, what IS Clipnosis?
The ability to quiet animals and make them less sensitive to sights and sounds has been found in many different kinds of animals, including insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals. For example, baby animals, including kittens, become limp when their mothers pick them up by the neck in their jaws to move them. This is called the “scruff response.” The kitten’s tail curls up between the legs, the back rounds as the kitten pulls its legs in close to its body and becomes passive. Veterinarians and other pet care professionals sometimes use this response to their advantage when they grasp the skin on the back of a cat’s neck (an area called the “scruff”) with their hands, producing the same response seen when mother cats grasp their kittens.
The Clipnosis® Gentle Calming Clip causes a similar calming behavior when clips are applied to a cat’s scruff. In fact, the result is almost identical to that seen in kittens when their mother picks them up by the skin of their neck to move them from one nest site to another. Clipnosis provides a safe and effective alternative to scruffing and harsh restraint methods and allows you to have both hands free for grooming tasks, such as clipping nails and brushing, exams and minor treatments, like vaccinations.
We recently distributed 500 Clipnosis sample kits to veterinarians and vet techs for them to use on cats and give us their feedback. 80% of those who tried Clipnosis rated it as "effective." Furthermore, about two-thirds of cats tend to respond to the calming effect of Clipnosis. A good rule of thumb is that if a cat responds to scruffing, they will respond to Clilnosis. It's a great tool to have in the clinic!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Welcome to the Clipnosis Blog!
Welcome to the Clipnosis blog! We'll be adding posts frequently to update you on Clipnosis, the Clipnosis.com website, and other topics related to cat health.
Be sure to check back often!
Be sure to check back often!
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