Treating patients @Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital

Age: Adult           Sex: Male       Weight: 930gms

Found: Caught amongst wire in a backyard pool under construction in Pomona, QLD.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital by a concerned member of the public.

Veterinary Assessment: Dr Claude was on duty to assess Snitch when he arrived. Immediately she could see that he was not in good condition as he was noticeably quiet in his character and had a severe rash on both hips.

Treatment: Fortunately the rash wasn't too deep and Dr Claude was able to clean and apply a cream to the wounds. Snitch was also given fluids, antibiotics and pain medication to assist his recovery.

Future: Once Snitch was in a stable condition he was sent to a registered wildlife carer to continue nursing him back to good health. He will remain in care until his wounds have completely healed before being released back into the wild.

AZWH Fact:   The northern brown bandicoot has the shortest gestation period of any mammal - it only lasts approximately twelve days! Two to four young are usually born into each litter and are independent after only two months.

Links:

• Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital

Age: Juvenile    Sex: Female       Weight: 180gms

Found: Behind a restaurant in Mooloolaba, QLD. Unfortunately Pippy's mother and two siblings had already passed away.

Transported to: The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

Veterinary Assessment: Dr Claude was on duty to assess Pippy when she arrived. Pippy's nose and paws were observed to be very pale in appearance. A blood sample was taken under anesthetic and severe anaemia was observed, confirming the suspicion of rodenticide poisoning.

Treatment: Dr Claude administered a blood transfusion and vitamin K to assist with coagulation to counteract the effects of poison in Pippy's system. She was then transferred to the small mammals ICU and is currently being kept inside a specialised humidicrib under close observation.

Future: Pippy will remain at the hospital until she reaches a stable condition. Once she is ready, Pippy will be transferred to a registered wildlife carer to raise her to independence before releasing her back into the wild.

AZWH Fact: It is important to consider our native wildlife before using a poison in the environment. To deter pests, some other options can include removing food sources and shelter areas for rodents or using live traps. Every poison is dangerous and doesn't discriminate against which species it kills.

Links:

• Patient of the Week