Page 189 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

Chapter 10 Management of Hospitalized and Boarding Pets 173

FIGURE 10.3 Premixed enema and enema can.

patient to let liquid flow in with gravity. When it stops Feral and Quarantine Animal
flowing the colon is full. Clamp the hose shut and remove Housing
the tip from the rectum.
Release the patient, step out, and close the run door.
Check back in 10–15 minutes to see if the patient has On occasion, feral domestic animals and domestic ani-
mals with no prior medical history of vaccinations may be
defecated. If not give it another 15 minutes. If still brought to the hospital for quarantine and observation.
nothing, alert the veterinarian for further instructions.
One such reason for quarantine is a rabies suspect. If a
domestic animal has bitten someone, even with vaccina-
tions on records, for legal reasons, they may be quarantined
Learning Exercise for observation for up to 10 days. Non‐aggressive care in
handling these patients is important but you should wear
What personal protection equipment (PPE) would gloves and goggles. Feral animals require the use of gaunt-
be required for administering an enema? lets (see Figure 8.54) and capture poles (see Figure 8.44)
when having to handle them. This will reduce the possi-
bility of bites and exposure of staff to rabies or other zoo-
notic diseases. Stringent isolation handling and care as
Contagious Patients described in Chapter 4 is required to reduce the potential
for zoonotic disease transmission and must be in the fore-
If patients have a contagious disease it is important to front of everyone one’s mind. Skunks, raccoons, and bats
care for them last. This prevents the spread of contagious are natural carriers of rabies. If they have bitten someone
agents through the other wards. It is to be hoped that they should never be quarantined. They should be
there is a quarantine ward that is separated from the humanely euthanized, and the brains of the animal sent
other wards. Overshoes or booties, a lab coat or apron, to a diagnostic lab for testing. The person bitten must
gloves, mask, and goggles are all appropriate PPE when receive immediate medical attention to start post‐exposure
caring for these animals. These items are left inside the vaccinations against rabies. Rabies is almost always fatal
quarantine room upon exiting; you don’t wear the items and is a horrible way to die.
around the clinic as that can spread contagious agents. Remember that zoonotic diseases may be passed
Refer to Chapter 4 for a refresher on cleaning isolation through fecal waste, bites, scratches, and fomites. Feral
or quarantine rooms. animals often harbor ectoparasites and endoparasites