General Assessment of Wildlife Patients
Dr Luke Gregory explains the initial steps to assess the health of small to medium wildlife species when they are brought into the clinic.
Perhaps the most important step, and the one that gives us the most information, is to check what they can do while conscious.
Some of the things to watch for while the animal is conscious include:
Birds:
Can they fly, if so how well?
Can they fly up or just horizontally?
Can they perch?
Are there any signs of lameness?
Are the wings droopy?
Are they vocal?
Are the eyes normal?
Are the pupillary light reflexes normal and pupil size even?
Mammals:
Can they move well?
Is any lameness noted?
Is the tail functional?
Are the eyes normal?
Can they see where they are going?
Is any fur missing?
Are there any wounds visible?
Are the droppings normal?
Most of the time these observations can be done safely in a small room, away from other animals, with locked doors, closed windows and blinds shut.
Once that is done and if the animal is stable, a general anaesthetic can be performed so that a more detailed examination can take place.
Auscultating the lungs and heart, palpating the abdomen/coelom for any abnormalities, limbs for any swellings or asymmetries, a more detailed exam of the eyes, ears and inside the mouth, are all examples of things to look for when the patient is anaesthetised.
From there, imaging and laboratory diagnostics can be done to finish the assessment. This whole process should take no more than 15-20 minutes for uncomplicated cases.