Zoo Animal Health

Health and Safety of Staff

Laws

What is 'good health'?

How can health be assessed?
1. Loss of appetite/reduced water intake
Can be difficult to monitor in group
Observe at 'feeding times'
Monitor weight, lethargy

3. Change in faeces and urine

Hard F+, straining-constipation
Loose F+-diarrhoea
Changes in colour-cloudy
Amount produced

5. Vomiting

Not all species can V+
When does animals V+ - after food, after water, certain time
Any blood present in V+

6. Obvious signs of pain 2
Breathing - shallow, tachypnoea, dyspnoea
Twitching, muscle spasm, straining
Lethargic, depression
Sleeplessness, lying motionless

8. TPR

Need to know normal for species
Changes from normal indicate ill health

Stress causes immunosuppression
Fighting between animals
Wrong diet, Disease from pests
Ill health from foreign objects
Visitors littering
Genetic diseases

Keepers role in animals health:

Preventative care:
1. Correct diet
Should have correct nutrition
Often keepers and vets will discuss nutrition
To ensure good health

3. Parasite Control

Endoparasites: Helminths (Nematodes, Platyhelminths, Cestodes, Trematodes)
Ectoparasites: Flies, Lice, Fleas, Mites, Ticks

5. Enclosure Design

Safety, Injury
Ventilation, Drainage
Humidity, Lighting

7. Vaccination

No vaccs specifically designed for zoo animals
Make do with vaccs from CA and LA

9. Foot Care

Most common issue in captive animals
Check regularly for overgrowth, injuries, abscesses, cracks in hooves/soles

Treatment

Managing pain

Managing pain