Exotic Pets Flashcards
What challenges can exotics pose in vet med?
complicated disease process
lack of available treatment
lack of owner education
What is a wildlife rehabilitator
practitioners that specialize in the care and keeping of injured, ill, or orphaned wildlife
When is federal licensing needed for a wildlife rehabilitator?
migratory birds, federally protected species, sea turtles, marine mammals
If the animal is a neonate, mothers may
“park” their babies while they go forage for food
What is a zoonotic disease?
can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa
Examples of zoonotic diseases
avian influenza
salmonella
rocky mountain fever
bubonic plague
west nile virus
covid 19
rabies
What is rabies
a viral infection which migrates to brain causing encephalitis
Why is rabies so problematic
once symptoms appear, the result is death
What animals can get rabies
raccoons, skunks, coyotes, foxes, bats
What species in immune to rabies
Virginia opossums
Furious rabies
affects 80% of infected people
paranoia, terror, hallucinations, delirium
Hydrophobia
hyperactivity
death by cardiac arrest
Paralytic rabies
affects 20% of infected people
less dramatic and usually longer course
gradual coma
muscle weakness and loss of sensation
paralysis
death
Nuisance Wildlife
often defined as an animal that is being menacing or destructive
Examples of nuisance wildlife
bears in yards
squirrels in attic
deer and vehicle collision
wildlife/livestock interactions
How to handle nuisance behavior
USDA APHIS Wildlife Services
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
a prion disease (similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy/mad cow disease) that effects elk, deer, reindeer, sika deer, moose specifically in brain and spinal cord
Facilities that wish to process exotic meats must apply with the
USDA FSIS
Cattlo/Beefalo Production by 1900,
geneticists and ranchers alike were attempting to create a hybrid between bison and cattle
In the 1960s, Jim Burnell and Bud Basolo began to
successfully and consistently produce Beefalo
In 1985,
USDA began marketing Beefalo meat
Studies have indicated that Beefalo meat is
lower in cholesterol and fat than standard beef
What is a concern of Cattlo/Beefalo production?
Conservationists are concerned about crossing genetics
When did the ostrich industry begin?
In the 1800s with demands for feathers
In the early 1980s, the dead ostrich industry was revived when
an embargo was placed on the importation of ostrich leather
As the “War on Fat” was waging, Americans were looking for
weaner sources of meat
Ostriches produce
red meat that mimics beef but is lower in fat and cholesterol
