Considerations when Admitting Animals Into Care

Question 1

Who is involved in wildlife rehabilitation in Ontario (provincial)

Answer 1

-MNRF and Wildlife Custodian Authorization
-Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS)
-Public Heath Ontario
-Ontario Public Health Units
-College of Veterinarians of Ontario

Question 2

Who is involved in wildlife rehabilitation (nationally)

Answer 2

-Canadian Wildlife service (CWS)
-Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
-Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative
-Canadian Council on Animal Care

Question 3

Who is involved with wildlife rehabilitation (locally)

Answer 3

-Municipalities
-veterinarians
-Other wildlife custodians

Question 4

When are you most likely to receive a call about an orphaned animal

Answer 4

Spring (and sometimes in late summer for some birds and mammals)

Question 5

How can you limit how many phone calls you get?

Answer 5

Limit how widely you advertise yourself

Question 6

How to determine whether an animal is truly orphaned?

Answer 6

Look at whether it is altricial or precocial

Question 7

What to do when an orphaned animal is found

Answer 7

Keep the animal away from noise, in a dark closed box or other carrier with ventilation. Keep animal warm with a warm bottle of water near the animal. No food or water yet.

Question 8

Why is it important to identify species

Answer 8

To know what kind of care and diet it needs, when it should be weaned, and what parasites might be present.

Know when to report rare species to the MNRF.

Question 9

Are wildlife custodians responsible for picking up animals?

Answer 9

No, provincial authorization does not require this. Public will often bring them to the facility.

Question 10

How do swans defend themselves

Answer 10

Powerful wings

Question 11

How do loons, bitterns and herons defend themselves?

Answer 11

Use their beak to stab

Question 12

How do raptors defend themselves?

Answer 12

Strong talons and beaks

Question 13

How do porcupines defend themselves?

Answer 13

Barbed quills. Note: they don’t actually throw these.

Question 14

What determines whether you allow an animal to be brought to you

Answer 14

Whether you are prepared to restrain the animal

Question 15

How can you confirm what species a caller is referring to

Answer 15

Have them send a picture

Question 16

What disorder can happen as a result of trying to catch a fawn deer or swan?

Answer 16

Capture myopathy

Question 17

What specific info should be in the log book, according to the wildlife custodian authorization? (10)

Answer 17

1. Authorization number and name of holder
2. Case number
3. Date the animal entered care
4. Species, life stage and estimated age
5. Description of the unique temporary marker
6. Description of how it is identifiable in the facility
7. Name, address, and number of the contact
8. Date and specific location of its capture
9. Reason it was brought to the facility
10. Date of death and date, manner, and location of its disposition

Question 18

What are 2 things to worry about when stressing an animal

Answer 18

1. Increased cortisol causes immune system suppression. This can lead to infections such as aspergillosis.
2. Animal may injure itself or you

Question 19

6 Ways to minimize stress on animals

Answer 19

1. Reduce handling
2. Provide sight barriers so they cannot see other animals or people
3. Manage sensory input (noise, smells, keep temp appropriate)
4. Do not allow other predators within auditory or visual range of your wild patients
5. Manage pain
6. Give meds in food instead of handling the animal for injections

Question 20

3 triage categories

Answer 20

First: their injuries are urgent and life threatening
Second: their injuries are minor enough to be treated later
No treatment: due to severity

Question 21

What does mouth breathing in a bird mean?

Answer 21

1. Stress and overheating
2. A life threatening emergency

Question 22

What should you do before treating an injury

Answer 22

Provide pain meds and a dark place

Question 23

What is the order of the emergency triage steps

Answer 23

1. Open airway and able to breathe
2. Major bleeding stopped
3. Seizure activity stopped
4. Acute poisoning treated immediately

Question 24

4 steps of stabilization

Answer 24

1. Analgesics
2. Thermoregulation (give proper heat or fluid to keep at the right body temp)
3. Stress reduction (keep animal in a quiet dark place)
4. Fluids (rehydration or fluid therapy support, provide warmed isotonic fluids unless hyperthermic)

Question 25

Most animals brought in are in pain and dehydrated, unless they are _____.

Answer 25

Immature

Question 26

How long are rehydrating fluids provided usually

Answer 26

24-48 hrs

Question 27

What should be considered in a physical exam (7) these are not steps, as seen in Appendix 4

Answer 27

-Observe and start the exam
-Ensure proper handling and restraint
-Use gloves to prevent bacteria from infecting wounds and for your own safety
-Handle patients in a way that will prevent injuries from getting worse
-Conduct the exam in a consistent and systematic way
-Record info in an organized way
-Obtain accurate wait so pain meds, fluid, and nutrition is correct

Question 28

What could paresis in a duck indicate

Answer 28

spinal trauma, head trauma, botulism, lead poisoning

Question 29

Who can diagnose an animal and prescribe treatment

Answer 29

A vet

Question 30

What should be included in a monitoring plan (6)

Answer 30

-Weight
-Hydration
-Feather / body condition
-Eating and drinking habits
-Feces, urine, and urates output
-Medications