Page 190 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

174 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

that can also be zoonotic. We have already talked about (subjective information, objective of data, assessment, and
how to check for ectoparasites and how to reduce fomi- plans; see Chapter 3), the appropriate place for that
tes in Chapter 4; we discuss endoparasites in Chapter 12. information is in the Plans for daily observations or opin-
All employees should be aware of the presence of ions. If the clinic uses the chronologic format, the date,
feral or other quarantined patients within the hospital. time, and information is placed on the next available line.
To protect employees and prevent accidental injury, ken- Some clinics use the acronym DUDE normal, which stands
nels and cages containing quarantined animals should for normal defecation, urination, drinking, and eating.
be prominently labeled. Handling is kept to a minimum Otherwise, each is marked as good, fair, poor, or none.
with these patients to avoid bites and scratches. Always Demeanor and mentation is important to note
be on guard against possible “fear biting” with feral ani- because a depressed animal can become a sick animal.
mals. Inadvertently backing them into a corner may Interaction with each animal in the hospital should
cause the fight in the flight or fight response. include a note about how the animal is reacting to the
interaction. The following are some abbreviations that
may be used in the medical record to describe the ani-
Reflection mal’s mentation and demeanor:

Do feral animals have the same “rights” as a pet? Bright, Alert, and Responsive (BAR)
If so, why? If not, why? Quiet, Alert, and Responsive (QAR)
Ain’t Doing Right (ADR) or Not Doing Right (NDR)
If the patient is not doing well or is unresponsive, the
Pocket Pets and Birds veterinarian must be informed immediately.

Typically, pocket pets are brought to the clinic in a small Learning Exercise
travel case which is not suitable housing if they need to be
hospitalized. If possible, the cage they normally live in Tigger is boarding at the clinic for a week. Usually
should be provided by the owner. Because they are prey he is waiting for you at the front of his kennel. He
animals, being in a dog or cat room may make them very usually rubs his body along the bars and purrs
anxious or scared. Finding a quiet countertop or an empty loudly, but this morning you noticed that he was
ward is appropriate for these patients. Ask the owner to sitting hunched in the back of the kennel and he
provide the bedding substrate as some of these pets hadn’t touched his evening meal. When you take
require specialized bedding. Birds are also brought to the the litter pan out to clean it you notice there are
hospital in a travel case which is not suitable for long‐term no wet areas or feces. What would be your next
care. Large parrots can be housed in regular kennels with course of action?
perches provided. Care must be taken to provide a large
enough cage to accommodate a long tail and wing span.
Smaller birds should be housed in a bird cage. Understanding the Disease Process
Food from home and access to water is also very
important for these patients. A sick bird or pocket pet Introduction of infection in a patient is a complex cycle
will often require warmth. Cover the cage with a towel or of relationships between the infecting organism and the
hang a towel over the door of the kennel. A heating pad host. Infectious organisms or pathogens enter the body
under the entire bird cage, half of the pocket pet cage, through the skin, mucous membranes, transplacentally,
or a heat lamp directed into the cage will help. from vectors and fomites. Likewise, they exit the body
through discharges such as blood, vomit, feces, urine,
Treatments and Procedures respiratory discharges, wounds, and milk. Transmission
is either direct as in animal‐to‐animal, or indirect as in
animal to vector (insects) to animal, or animal to fomite
Medical Records (bedding, dirt, water) to animal.
The first barrier to entry of pathogens are the skin,
Regardless of the reason for an animal to be in the hospital, hair, and secretions of the mucous membranes. The way
careful records must be maintained concerning its food in which a pathogen enters the patient varies, but once it
and water intake, demeanor, mentation, and elimination. has invaded the patient, a cascade of responses occurs to
It is important to note this information as it can impact try to kill the pathogen. The body’s immune defense
decisions made by the veterinarian on the care the patient system kicks in and tries to kill the pathogen. If it fails
may need. These observations may be written in a specific then the pathogen causes an illness or condition and the
area of the record. If the clinic uses the SOAP format patient will show signs of the disease. This is when help