Aussie Icons

Question 1

What is the average temperature of a marsupial?

Answer 1

36C
Slower metabolic rate than other mammals = lower body temperature

Question 2

When considering the digestive anatomy of marsupials what are the consequences if we are giving the wrong AB?

Answer 2

risk of dysbiosis

NO tetracycline!

Question 3

What are some of the important zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted from wildlife?

Answer 3

Leptospirosis
Salmonella
Q-fever

Question 4

Where are the blood sampling sites on koalas, wombats, bilbies, macropods, possums, bandicoots and dasyurids?

Answer 4

Cephalic: koalas, wombats

Lateral tail vein: bilbies, macropods, possums, (some native rodents)

Jugular: bilbies, bandicoots, koalas, dasyurids

Question 5

Where do we collect blood from an echidna?

Answer 5

Sinus on beak

Question 6

Why is it so important to monitor/manage stress in wildlife species when hospitalised?

Answer 6

Capture myopathy a genuine risk!
may need neuroleptics to manage wild individuals in captivity

Question 7

What are the key points with therapeutic treatment in wildlife species?

Answer 7

AS with reptiles, there are few pharmacology studies in marsupials, therefore we must monitor response to treatment closely

Beware overgrowth of pathogenic GIT bacteria with use of antibiotics! esp. in herbivores.
NO amoxicillin for ringtail possums - leads to caecal stasis
NO oxytetracycline in koalas - leads to ileus, wasting and death in koalas

Question 8

What are the common presentations of wildlife in GP practice?

Answer 8

Motor vehicle accidents
- check pouch
- macropods: limb fracture or spinal injury = euthanasia
- echidna: back injury, fracture

Predator attacks
- need antibiotics usually (esp. cats)

Fire
- bushfires
- chimneys
- electrocution

Question 9

What are the common conditions that kangaroos might suffer from if kept in inappropriate housing/care?

Answer 9

Candida, coccidia (both can cause diarrhoea), lumpy jaw (diet, hygiene, trauma), pneumonia (aspiration)

Question 10

What is an emerging parasitic disease globally, and nationally, in wilds animals? (in AUS: wombats, bandicoots, dingo’s, koalas

Answer 10

Sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei)

Question 11

How can we treat sarcoptic mange?

Answer 11

Treatment requires moxidectin/ivermectin for up to 10 weeks depending on severity

Question 12

What is the pathophysiology of exertional myopathy?

Answer 12

Prolonged sympathetic nervous system stimulation (flight/fight) leads to lactic acidosis, hypoxia, poor tissue perfusion, muscle ATP depletion and eventually muscle ischaemia.
-> restraint and stress!

Predisposing conditions: heat, prolonged chase/restraint, captive management of wild species

Question 13

How do we treat exertional myopathy?

Answer 13

• Aggressive IV fluids to protect kidneys, flush out Mb
• Sedation (benzodiazepines)
• Cooling if hyperthermic
• Analgesia - buprenorphine or butorphanol
• Only consider NSAID’s if renal function is not compromised
• House in quiet, dark, padded environment

Question 14

What are some of the zoonosis that can be transmitted from wildlife?

Answer 14

Q-fever, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, parasites, lyssavirus (bats)

Question 15

How do we control zoonotic risks?

Answer 15

Hygiene!
Detergents (use first!)
Disinfectants (use on clean surfaces)
Personal protective equipment
- Being specific about PPE important!
- N95 masks to protect from aerosols
- wearing gloves to protect from bodily fluids (contact with bacteria/virus/pathogen/parasite)
- hand hygiene important even when gloves have been worn to protect from accidental ingestion
- full face masks to protect from splashes into eyes
- beware of sharps when treating wildlife avoid needle stick injuries