Considerations when Admitting Animals Into Care Flashcards
Who is involved in wildlife rehabilitation in Ontario (provincial)
-MNRF and Wildlife Custodian Authorization
-Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS)
-Public Heath Ontario
-Ontario Public Health Units
-College of Veterinarians of Ontario
Who is involved in wildlife rehabilitation (nationally)
-Canadian Wildlife service (CWS)
-Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
-Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative
-Canadian Council on Animal Care
Who is involved with wildlife rehabilitation (locally)
-Municipalities
-veterinarians
-Other wildlife custodians
When are you most likely to receive a call about an orphaned animal
Spring (and sometimes in late summer for some birds and mammals)
How can you limit how many phone calls you get?
Limit how widely you advertise yourself
How to determine whether an animal is truly orphaned?
Look at whether it is altricial or precocial
What to do when an orphaned animal is found
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.
Why is it important to identify species
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.
Are wildlife custodians responsible for picking up animals?
No, provincial authorization does not require this. Public will often bring them to the facility.
How do swans defend themselves
Powerful wings
How do loons, bitterns and herons defend themselves?
Use their beak to stab
How do raptors defend themselves?
Strong talons and beaks
How do porcupines defend themselves?
Barbed quills. Note: they don’t actually throw these.
What determines whether you allow an animal to be brought to you
Whether you are prepared to restrain the animal
How can you confirm what species a caller is referring to
Have them send a picture
What disorder can happen as a result of trying to catch a fawn deer or swan?
Capture myopathy
What specific info should be in the log book, according to the wildlife custodian authorization? (10)
- Authorization number and name of holder
- Case number
- Date the animal entered care
- Species, life stage and estimated age
- Description of the unique temporary marker
- Description of how it is identifiable in the facility
- Name, address, and number of the contact
- Date and specific location of its capture
- Reason it was brought to the facility
- Date of death and date, manner, and location of its disposition
What are 2 things to worry about when stressing an animal
- Increased cortisol causes immune system suppression. This can lead to infections such as aspergillosis.
- Animal may injure itself or you
6 Ways to minimize stress on animals
- Reduce handling
- Provide sight barriers so they cannot see other animals or people
- Manage sensory input (noise, smells, keep temp appropriate)
- Do not allow other predators within auditory or visual range of your wild patients
- Manage pain
- Give meds in food instead of handling the animal for injections
3 triage categories
First: their injuries are urgent and life threatening
Second: their injuries are minor enough to be treated later
No treatment: due to severity
What does mouth breathing in a bird mean?
- Stress and overheating
- A life threatening emergency
What should you do before treating an injury
Provide pain meds and a dark place
What is the order of the emergency triage steps
- Open airway and able to breathe
- Major bleeding stopped
- Seizure activity stopped
- Acute poisoning treated immediately
4 steps of stabilization
- Analgesics
- Thermoregulation (give proper heat or fluid to keep at the right body temp)
- Stress reduction (keep animal in a quiet dark place)
- Fluids (rehydration or fluid therapy support, provide warmed isotonic fluids unless hyperthermic)
Most animals brought in are in pain and dehydrated, unless they are _____.
Immature
How long are rehydrating fluids provided usually
24-48 hrs
What should be considered in a physical exam (7) these are not steps, as seen in Appendix 4
-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
What could paresis in a duck indicate
spinal trauma, head trauma, botulism, lead poisoning
Who can diagnose an animal and prescribe treatment
A vet
What should be included in a monitoring plan (6)
-Weight
-Hydration
-Feather / body condition
-Eating and drinking habits
-Feces, urine, and urates output
-Medications
