British Wildlife Flashcards
1
Q
Wildlife casualties
A
- 1). Trauma - dog bites, human injury, RTA, Predation
- Manage injury or euth at triage
- 2). Debilitation - starvation, parasitism, infection
- Support + Tx or euth
2
Q
Native raptors casualties
A
- Traumatic - euth if unable to fly + breed, rehab in specialist centre - plan for 6 w so doesn’t end up w/ 2y problems, muscle wastage, feather damage
- Fx close to joint/open Fx w/ exposed bone, chances of releasing bird drop to < 10%
- ST injuries - better Px, shorted recovery phase
- Poisoning - accidental = lead, shotgun pellets, lead assays - cheap
- Non-accidental poisoning - birds of prey living on gamebird premises chemical - rat-bat -> clotting issues, neurotoxins, guarded Px
3
Q
Non-accidental poisoning
A
- Supportive care - cushion, thermal care
- Charcoal - by tube
- Chelation agents
- IVFT - flush toxins through
- Assist feeding - laxatives to purge system
- Manage symptoms e.g. seizures - diazepams, midazolam, or even propofol/isoflurane to prevent intense seizures temporarily
4
Q
Pigeon presentations
A
- Trichomoniasis - particularly feral pigeons
- Neurological
- Neonates
5
Q
Pigeons - Trichomoniasis
A
- Protozoa parasite
- Colonises oral cavity - cleft in roof of mouth -> feeds into nasal passages + extends down into oesophagus + into roof of crop -> thick plaques of white rough material over mucosa -> discomfort + inability to feed
- Female produce crop milk -> pass to young
- Carnidazole for mild cases / Euthanase severe cases as likely 2y
- If birds of prey consume pigeons, will develop similar lesions
6
Q
Pigeons - neuro
A
- Paramyxovirus (pigeon paramyxovirus closely related to Newcastle disease, but can also get chicken Newcastle strain) - keep well away from other birds
- Avian influenza - not high risk, rarely affected, not reservoir
- Botulism - more waterfowl issue, not 1y accum of toxins/problem, if feed off maggots from decomposing carse - will get 2y botulism
- Trauma - fly into windows, more recoverable in 24 - 48 h
- Tx = Euthanasia
7
Q
Pigeons - neontates
A
- Fall out of nests/removed from nest by cat
- Rehab or euth
8
Q
Small bird - cat injury
A
- Euth if severe
- Reasonable Px - manage medically - AB (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid/fluoroquinolone - not first-line but may be more appropriate if need to give smaller birds PO, Pasteurella can cause septicaemia within 48/72 h)
- Analgesia
+/- Wound care - using lubricants to keep exposed muscle moist so doesn’t desiccate/necrose, applying topical antiseptics, Sx closure - Assist feed regularly - q 4 h if budgie size + smaller
- Admin fluids as needed - esp if de-gloving - lose a lot of fluid, via PO/IV?intraosseous
- Consider repair once stabilised, a lot are puncture wounds + don’t need Sx
- Maintain at warm temps - if cold will deplete weight faster
9
Q
Juveniles incapable of independence
A
- Support + rehab of appropriate - if just fallen back in nest + parents around, put back, better chance of survival
- Avoid imprinting - manage w/ minimal contact, rear in groups - recognise as own flock, better environment, experienced staff, species-relevant ‘puppets’ for feeding - seasonally, social + age grouping
- Move to rehab facility
- Euth if no pot to rehabilitate
10
Q
Granivore baby pigeon neonatal support
A
- 20% BW/day
- Parrot liquid feed = 5% dextrose, short-term alternative
- Feed q 4 h - check crop empty before - palp over front of bird, if full delay - don’t want to overfeed, admin by soft crop tube - don’t overheat, no greater than body temp
- Monitor weight BID, adjust feeding if not gaining weight, want steady inc + regular crop emptying, if not emptying regularly, inc feeding interval/if emptying but no weight gain, can alter vol
- Provide suitable ‘nest’ - enclosed in little area, don’t want them to walk around too early or risk of splay leg - twisting of long bones, multiple birds - stay huddled together
- Avoid imprinting e.g. species-relevant ‘puppets’ for feeding, move to crèche rearing (into flock)/social group when possible
- Soft release via aviary, still got skills to learn until full release
11
Q
Swifts + swallows
A
- Struggle to take off when landed - if grounded, try chucking out from height
- If lift up + drop to ground will need support
- Triage and support if dehydrated or underweight
- Release from height, depends on time of year, may need to wait for following spring
12
Q
Swans
A
Debilitation
- Lead intoxication (neuro signs) - old shotgun pellets in vegetation, old fishing weights
- Fishing hook ingestion - ingest bait, hook lodged in mouth/oesophagus -> pos abscess formation
- Aspergillosis - chronic consequence of debilitated swan, hepatic + weight loss signs, DDx = avian TB, chronic weight loss + ill-thrift signs
- Social issues - territorial established pair on lake will attack + potentially drown + skill all swans that have invaded their territory
- Triage + investigate
- Local swan groups for rehab + release
13
Q
Swans - fishhook injury / pharyngeal injury - removal
A
- Release barbs of fish hook
- Sx removal of hook if cannot physically remove - cut down over oesophagus - via palp/radiographs -> reflect skin -> incised into oesophagus + remove hook, pull hook out through incision, cut line off and pull out of mouth (dec contamination) -> close via inverting suture pattern -> skin closure
- If abscess - leave open/marsupialised
- Analgesia - Meloxicam +/-
butorphanol + NSAIDs - Antibiotic cover
14
Q
Swan - fishhook injury, post Sx
A
- Maintain in semi-aquatic enclosure if possible, some access to water (Prolonged dry docking (will need tube-feeding) limits normal behaviours and potentiates 2y problems)
- Feed problems - don’t maintain on dry for too long, risk of bumble foot
- Herbivore/omnivore - 10% BW/day as maintenance -> inc to 15% in recuperating bird as 2 feeds/day
- Feed insectivore/omnivore diet - blended insects + granivore/herbivore
diet - Dog/lamb tubes - hole of sufficient size
- Tube feed - consider pharyngotomy tube (if sloughing/oesophageal abscesses) for severe injuries, suture in place
15
Q
Lead intoxication
A
- Commonly affects waterfowl
- Chelation therapy - Sodium calcium
edetate IM daily; Oral chelation - IV fluids (flush out) - via superficial ulna vein on inside of ulna/easier access via medial tarsal vein (keep dry-docked, not ideal if in water), bolus administration, 2 x maintenance
- If unable to stand will need additional support - muscle flaccidity, important to raise front of chest off the ground, to breathe, need to be able to move their keel bone
16
Q
European hedgehog
A
- 1). Ectoparasitism - fleas + ticks, Fipronil spray - e.g. Frontline, remove ticks manually + examine
- Ivermectin injection into deeper layers - remove mites from crusting + cracking skin presentations
- 2). Endoparasitism - (GIT rarely clinically relevant) Crenosoma lungworm, Fenbendazole
- 3). Out in daylight, out looking for food, normally crepuscular/nocturnal - assess for cause of debilitation
- 4). Traumatic injury - predators, RTA, can cope well w/ single limb amputation
- 5). Dental disease - euth if unable to feed
- 6). Too light to hibernate - support over winter in protective garden
17
Q
Deer
A
- RTA
- Antler injury
- Limb flailing
- Debilitation - TB, endoparasitism, injury, Johnes
- Poorly tolerant of stress + handling
- D+ - check for enteric pathogens/parasites
- Malignant catarrhal fever
- Strong restraint - chemical before doing anything
18
Q
Deer - RTA
A
- Hands-off management for Fx if welfare not compromised
- Dart w/ pain relief + may survive
- Fx may stabilise w/ time or require analgesia + appropriate facility
- If bad Fx - will have to be shot
- Will not cope being confined - will need sedating to do anything
19
Q
Deer - antler injury
A
- 1). Check if just velvet - not action needed, dry antler underneath, let it get on w/ natural cycling
- 2). Knocked velvet/antler before fully matured + blood vv regressed, pouring of blood
- Cauterise area bleeding, can tie cable tie tight at area of velvet to stop bleeding, ectoparasite prevention + release - pour=on anti-flystrike Tx
- Release ASAP
- Can purchase ‘do not eat’ tag/kept in captivity for withdrawal period - if given any therapeutics, in case of hunting season
20
Q
Deer - debilitation
A
- TB - shed in saliva, can spread to other deer, cattle, farms
- Endoparasitism - coccidia common in captive, strongyles
- Injury can lead to failure to eat
- Johnes - captive, if endemic on farms, wild may pick up
- Poorly tolerant of stress + handling
21
Q
Deer - diarrhoea
A
- Check for enteric pathogens/parasites
- Screen for parasites + culture
22
Q
Deer - malignant catarrhal fever
A
- Ovid herpes-virus 1
- Transmitted from sheep and goats
- Causes fever, ataxia, occulonasal discharge and diarrhoea
- Mortality is high in deer, within 7 days
- No vaccine is available
- Avoid direct or indirect contact with carriers - keep separate from goat + sheep
23
Q
Foxes
A
- Manage as domestic dogs
- Mange often severe in chronically sick animals
- Consider euthanasia
- E.g. Severe sarcoptic mange - v immunocompromised, v poor Px
- If unable to feed and breed then do not release
- E.g. pelvic fractures not releasable - inc risk of dystocia if breeding
24
Q
Badgers
A
- Rare in normal hospitals
- Be aware of TB risk - don’t die, just shed - urine, skin secretions
- Manage as isolation cases
- Surprisingly strong
- External wounds - beware skin TB lesions, wear gloves
- Non-accidental injury - non-authorised culls, badger baiting
- Ecto/endoparasitism - rarely clinically sig
25
Reptiles
Uncommon patients
- Grass snakes can be treated as any other colubrid snake
- Adders venomous and handle with caution - use tubes and tongs to manage
- Smooth and common lizards rare
- Cat injury most common - manage wounds, prophylactic antibiotics, analgesia, similar to birds but have more time to work with as tougher
