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MAR 375 > Pinniped Husbandry > Flashcards

Pinniped Husbandry Flashcards

(48 cards)

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1
Q

What facilities in NY are able to rehab pinnipeds?

A

Only NYMRC

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2
Q

Where do rehab permits come from?

A
  • NOAA
  • United State department of agriculture (USDA)
  • Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
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3
Q

What veterinarian care is required for pinnipeds?

A
  • Any facility holding pinnipeds in captivity MUST have access to a veterinarian
  • NYMRC has 2
  • All treatments are overseen in-house
  • Vets clear all animals for release and euthanasia
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4
Q

What are the age classes for pinnipeds?

A
  • Weanling: still nursing
  • Pup: 6 months and under
  • Yearling: 1-2 years
  • Juvenile: 3-sexually mature
  • Adult: Sexually mature
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5
Q

When is short-term rehabilitation utilized?

A
  • Will occur for an animal not in need of long-term rehab
  • Utilized in harassment cases
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6
Q

When is long-term rehabilitation utilized?

A
  • Seals are admitted for long term rehab based on results from blood
  • Long-term rehab is 6-8 weeks long (4weeks on antibiotics then 2 weeks off)
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7
Q

What does a seal intake physical consists of?

A

All animals admitted receive a full physical consisting of:
- Blood sample
- Weight
- Level A measurements
- Documentation of external injuries
- A folder where all appropriate information is recorded

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8
Q

How should you properly handle a seal?

A
  • DO NOT SIT ON THE SEAL
  • Stablize the seal on your heals
  • Tuck your toes inward to control the seals back end
  • Tuck the flippers of the seal against the side of your legs
  • Hold your hands at the base of the head in a “box” shape
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9
Q

When are blood samples taken?

A

Blood samples are obtained:
- On initial intake
- After two weeks
- Two weeks after antibiotics
Must be cleared of antibiotics by two weeks before being released

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10
Q

How are pinnipeds blood samples taken?

A

3 ways:
1. Caudal gluteal vein
2. Dorsal spinous process
3. Hind flipper

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11
Q

How would you take blood from the caudal gluteal vein?

A

Needle is inserted at point along the pelvic bone approximately perpendicular to the midpoint between the knee and the base of tail
This is a blind stick

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12
Q

How would you take blood by the dorsal spinous process?

A

Needle is inserted into a large vein above the spinal cord that runs along both sides of the spine.
This is a blind stick

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13
Q

How would you take blood from the hind flipper?

A

Needle is inserted into rich vascular network just above where the skin between the flipper begins.

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14
Q

When is fluid therapy administered to pinnipeds?

A

The animal must be very unstable
why?

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15
Q

What methods are used to administer fluids?

A
  • IV through hind/dorsal flippers or spine - this is very challenging
    (why?)
  • Oral
  • Tubed fluids (800ml of fluids go into seal 2x per day)
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16
Q

What antibiotics are commonly administered to pinnipeds?

A
  • Clavamox: infections
  • Baytril: bone injury
  • Keflex: bacterial infections
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17
Q

What medications can be given for pain management?

A
  • Carprovet: broken flippers eye injuries, fractured jaws
  • Rimidyl: antihistamine
  • Gabapentin (makes animal drowsy, cannot be in water after receiving this medication)
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18
Q

What is a swollen flipper indicative of?

A

Infection from trauma

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19
Q

Why is a swollen flipper bad?

A
  • Blubber is a host for bacteria
  • Infection can spread to other flippers
  • Septicemia will occur when a bacterial infection enters the bloodstream
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20
Q

How is a swollen flipper treated?

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A

The flipper must be lanced allowing the flipper to drain

21
Q

What are eye ulcers?

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A
  • Damage to the eye
  • Can range in severity
22
Q

How are eye ulcers treated?

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A
  • Eye drops and topical ointment
  • Antibiotics are added to ensure infection does not occur
23
Q

What is luxation?

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A
  • Lenz is severed from the eye
  • Typically occurs in older seals in captivity
  • Could be caused by lighting/fake salt water
24
Q

What is a fecal analysis?

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A
  • A stool sample that is obtained by admitted patients and sent to antech for analysis
  • Analyzed for parasites (roundworms, tapeworms, heart worms protazoans etc.)
25
What treatments are given for parasites?
- Drontal (used for a more aggressive parasite load) - Metronidazol
26
Are meds always given when parasites are present in seals?
- No - Animals that actively eat raw fish will have a higher parasite load than other animals
27
What is Giardia?
- Known as Giardia Intestinalis - Found on surfaces or soil, food or water that has been contaminated with feces from infected humans or animals - Outer shell protects parasite and allows it to survive outside the body for long periods of time and makes it tolerant to chlorine disinfection - Most commonly spread by drinking water
28
What two dietary categories do strandlings typically fall into?
1. Premature, orphaned 2. Sub-adults, and adults
29
What are the nutritional requirements for premature/orphaned pinnipeds?
- Milk matrix - Specially prepared formula
30
What are the nutritional requirements for sub-adults and adults pinnipeds?
Whole fish
31
When is tube feeding utilized?
- To administer fluids at initial physical and within the first 24 hours - Slurry can be introduced - Animals are tubed 3-4 times a day feeds are 2hrs and 45 minutes apart (depending on how fast the animal can metabolize food) - Medication can be crushed and added to the slurry
32
When is force feeding utilized?
- After tubing seals are force fed - 1-2 frozen fish - Similar technique to tubing - Meds are placed in one fish *2-3 person job*
33
Describe assist feeding
- Fish are offered via hand or grabbers 1. Animals can be fed on ledge 2. Animal will be pushed into water - Stimulate fish moving under water *This technique is teaching them how to hunt*
34
What does a pinnipeds diet consist of?
- Whole herring or capelin - 10% of body weight divided by four - Animals eat every 2hrs and 45 minutes - Food is tossed in tank for animals to capture on their own - 1st feed = antibiotics/pain meds - 2nd feed = vitamins B1 and multivitamin - 3rd feed = anti-flagyl - 4th feed = antibiotics and/or pain meds
35
What is imprinting?
- A young animal comes to recognize another animal, person, or thing as a parent or other object of habitual trust - This will limit their interaction with other animals - Animals that have habituated in the wild will be removed and placed into aquariums (can also lead to being deemed non-releasable) *You don NOT want them to associate humans with food - this will lead to habituation*
36
What is enrichment and when is it used?
- Enrichment is the action of improving or enhancing the quality or value - Increases time in human care - Items must be switched daily to ensure animals do not get bored - Can involve food or nonfood items
37
How is water quality assessed?
- Pinnipeds are kept in fresh water - Tanks are dumped and filled daily - All tanks are tested for coliforms (fecal matter) and chlorine daily - All tanks get disinfected between animals
38
How many pinniped tanks are in-house at NYMRC?
- 16 Each tank has a... - Sand filter - Ozone - Pool with ledge
39
What is the quarantine protocol for pinnipeds and staff at NYMRC?
- NYMRC will not go to the aquarium floor if seals are in-house - Tanks have high walls to prevent airborne viruses - All animals are placed in separate holding tanks - Boots and clothes are sprayed down with bleach in between each animal
40
What are some health and safety risks associated with working with marine mammals?
- Marine mammals (healthy and ill) harbor bacteria, fungi, and parasites - Some of these are zoonotic (ex: avian influenza, seal poxvirus latent TB etc.)
41
What is sealpox?
- A skin condition caused by parpoxvirus - Contagious to other seals and humans *This is NOT deadly but very uncomfortable*
42
How can we prevent the spread of disease?
- Avoid contact with stranded animals - Wear untorn gloves when handling animals - Wear waterproof outerwear - Cover wounds with protective dressing - Wear face/eye protection - Seek immediate medical attention for bites, cuts and other injuries - Keep up-to-date with recommended vaccinations - Do not consume food/beverages in the vicinity of dead or stranded animals
43
How are seals cleared for release?
- Must be off antibiotics for 2 weeks - Must receive a final physical from a senior vet - Letter is written to marine mammal coordinator at NOAA describing the treatment plan, history of the animal, release location, and tagging information
44
How are pinnipeds tagged?
- ALL individuals receive a plastic tag on hind left flipper for males and right flipper for females - One side has number the other side has NYMRC information
45
Are there PIT tags for marine mammals?
No!
46
What are satellite tags used for?
Post-release movement tracking
47
What are some cases that are deemed non-releasable?
- Missing flippers - Eye impairment - Inability to forage on their own
48
Who makes the final decision on non-releasable animals?
- NOAA - Senior veterinarians - Organization (ex:N NYMRC) *NOAA determines where the animal will be placed*

MAR 375 (16 decks)

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