Wildlife Care Basics for Veterinary Hospitals Before the Rehabilitator Arrives a Word About Author The
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Wildlife Care Basics for Veterinary Hospitals Before the Rehabilitator Arrives A Word about the Author about Word A A Word about the Author Irene Ruth, Winchester Wildlife Irene Ruth spent over a decade working as an artist. She discovered the world of wildlife rehabilitation when a forester friend asked her to take in a litter of orphaned baby raccoons. Once they entered her life, there was no going back. She soon founded a wildlife rehabili- tation center, called Suburban Wildlife, at her home in Connecticut. She has rehabilitated hundreds of injured and orphaned wild animals every year since. When Irene and her husband, Gus, moved to New Hampshire, Suburban Wildlife became Winchester Wildlife, since the facility there is housed on over 100 wooded acres in a setting no longer quite “suburban”! Irene served as a board member of the Connecticut Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and was the New England state representative to the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. She is also the author of First Aid for Wildlife, a handbook for finders of wildlife in trouble, and co-author of Wild Mammal Babies: The First 48 Hours and Beyond. Wildlife Care Basics for Veterinary Hospitals: Before the Rehabilitator Arrives i Acknowledgements Contents of Table Acknowledgments Table of Contents This handbook was inspired by all the calls from veterinary offices requesting information about how to temporarily care for and treat injured and orphaned wildlife. Because the needs of wildlife A Word about the Author .......................................................................................................................................i are so different from those of domestic animals, it became clear that there was a wide information gap that needed to be filled. Acknowledgments ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ii The practical information in these pages will not only help the veterinarian’s office provide Table of Contents ..........................................................................................................................................................iii the needed short-term emergency care and housing, but it will also help facilitate the transfer of disabled wild animals to licensed wildlife rehabilitators. Tips for educating and screening Veterinary Hospitals and Rescued Wildlife............................................................................................1 the public are included, along with some relevant resource materials. How to Handle Calls about Wildlife ..............................................................................................................3 I am deeply grateful to all the people who made this possible. Many thanks to The Fund for Animals and the Katharine Matthies Foundation for funding the original printing of this book. I’m honored When Animals Are Brought to Your Veterinary Facility that the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association has selected this handbook to offer to veterinary professionals and animal shelters. The Basics ..........................................................................................................................................................................5 Getting Information from the Finder...............................................................................................................5 Also, thank you to all the contributing authors, including Shannon Jacobs, a rehabilitator, for Where and How to Confine Wild Animals .....................................................................................................6 her wonderful flow charts and emergency rescue information; Michele Goodman, a waterfowl rehabilitator, for her critical information on emergency care of ducks and geese; wildlife rehabilitator Performing a Physical Exam .................................................................................................................................6 Debra Gode for her wildlife disease information; Laura Simon, of the Humane Society of the United Body Temperature ...................................................................................................................................................8 States, for her crucial rabies information and helpful hints on solving wildlife problems; and Harriet Beyond the Basics .........................................................................................................................................................9 Forrester, a turtle rehabilitator, for the special supplemental section on turtle care. Mammals—Infants and Juveniles ......................................................................................................................9 Special thanks to Laurie Fortin and Mark Clavette of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Dehydration and Rehydration ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������9 Protection and to Pam Runquist of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association for their input Methods for Administering Formula/Feed ................................................................................. 11 and review and to rehabilitators Kim Johnsen and Debra Gode for their donation of photographs. Frequency of Feeding ................................................................................................................................... 12 Finally, a special thanks to our veterinary review team for their insightful comments, additions Proper Feeding Position .............................................................................................................................. 13 and revisions: Bowel and Bladder Issues ............................................................................................................................ 13 Roberto Aguilar, DVM, Cape Wildlife Center, Barnstable, Mass. Common Feeding Problems ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 Stefan Harsch, DVM, South Florida Wildlife Center, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Mammals—Adults ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Mark Lloyd, DVM, wildlife conservation, management, and medicine consultant; Special Species Information .............................................................................................................................. 16 institutional disaster planning and preparation specialist, Winterville, Ga. Opossums .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 Erica A. Miller, DVM, Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Inc., Newark, Del. Raccoons ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 Skunks ................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Mark A. Pokras, DVM, Wildlife Clinic, Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Mass. Bats ...................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Rabbits ...............................................................................................................................................................20 Note to Readers: The medications, doses, and dosages mentioned in the text are based Rodents: Squirrels, Chipmunks, Woodchucks, Beavers, and Porcupines .................................... 21 on clinician’s experience and recent publications, but are intended only as initial guidelines. Careful re-evaluation and re-dosing must be undertaken by the veterinarian with whom Large Rodents: Beavers and Muskrats ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������22 the licensed rehabilitator receiving the animal consults. Mustelids: Weasels, Mink, Ferrets, Fishers, Badgers, Wolverines, and Otters ...........................22 ii Wildlife Care Basics for Veterinary Hospitals: Before the Rehabilitator Arrives Wildlife Care Basics for Veterinary Hospitals: Before the Rehabilitator Arrives iii Table of Contents of Table of Contents Table Avian ..........................................................................................................................................................................23 Heatstroke or Hypothermia .............................................................................................................................. 51 Young Birds ......................................................................................................................................................23 Cat Caught ...............................................................................................................................................................52 Adult Birds ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������24 Oiled Wildlife ..........................................................................................................................................................53