Caring for Selected Otter Species (Asian small-clawed, Cape ...

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Parasite treatment: The following table (Table 4) provides a list of anthelmintic products that have been used safely in a variety of mustelids: Table 4: Recommended anthelmintic treatments for otters Treatment Dose Fenbendazole 50mg/kg orally for 3-5 days. In P. brasiliensis there was a complete elimination of a Strongyloides spp. infestation after treatment with 10-20mg/kg over 3 days Pyrantel pamoate Ivermectin 10mg/kg orally 0.1mg/kg orally, once monthly for heartworm prevention 0.2-0.4mg/kg subcutaneously or orally for treatment of intestinal nematodiasis (G.Kollias, personal communication) Praziquantel 5mg/kg SC or orally Medical management of neonates Otter pups can develop health issues suddenly, and they must be carefully watched for any change in behavior. Some problems that have developed in young hand-reared pups are listed below with suggested firststep solutions or treatments, and neonatal examination and monitoring guidelines are also provided. See Table 5. Table 5: Neonatal examination & monitoring guidelines (from Read & Meier 1996) Vital signs Temperature, include activity level Pulse, rate and character Respiration, rate and character Organ systems --- Weight --- Hydration Mucous membranes Vitality Physical condition --- Laboratory values (optional) Skin tone and turgor Color and capillary refill Response to stimulation, activity levels: type, frequency, duration Complete blood count White blood cell count Serum chemistries, including blood glucose & blood urea nitrogen Urinalysis and urine specific gravity (recommended) 38
Urination Defecation Frequency, amount, and character Frequency, amount, and character Condition of umbilicus --- Total fluid intake Housing temperature --- Amount in 24 hours Parenteral fluids, amount, frequency, and type Oral fluids, amount, frequency, type, nipple Dehydration/emaciation: Give subcutaneous or oral (only if sucking well) electrolytes. Lactated Ringers Solution (LRS) with 2.5% dextrose or sodium chloride (0.9% NaCl) are recommended. Oral fluids are given at the dose of 5% body weight per feeding. The dose for subcutaneous fluids is determined by the level of dehydration, and should be determined by a veterinarian. Diarrhea/constipation: Digestive upset is a common issue with hand-reared neonates, and may be associated with several factors (Meier 1985): a) inappropriate milk formula; b) feeding frequency; c) overfilling the stomach which can cause bloating; and d) rapid changes in the diet. When digestive upset occurs, characterized by diarrhea, bloating, inappetance, and/or extreme disorientation, it is recommended that one factor is analyzed and/or changed at a time. The veterinarian should be consulted immediately in the case of diarrhea, as the condition of very young animals can deteriorate rapidly. Diarrhea related to diet changes may be treated with Kaopectate ® with veterinary approval. It should be noted that Kaopectate ® now contains salicyclic acid (aspirin), as does Pepto-Bismol ® , and gastrointestinal bleeding may result from frequent doses. Persistent diarrhea, or loose stool accompanied with inappetance requires continuous veterinary care. Bacterial infections or parasites, such as Coccidia may be the cause of the problem and require specific medication. Osmann (personal communication) recommends the administration of Lactobacillus spp. into the formula for P. brasiliensis pups with diarrhea, or after antibiotic treatment, this also may be useful with other otter species. Constipation may be treated by diluting the formula to half-strength for 24 hours, and gradually increasing back to full-strength over a period of 48 hours. The pup also can be given oral electrolyte fluids at the rate of 5% body weight in between feedings, and 1-2 times over a 24-hour period. The pup’s back end can be soaked for a few minutes in warm water (make sure to dry off completely) accompanied by gentle stimulation, but care should be exercised that the anal area is not irritated. Upper respiratory infections: Pups that have been eating normally and suddenly start chewing on the bottle or seem uninterested in the bottle may have an upper respiratory infection. They cannot nurse properly when congested. Upper respiratory infections need to be treated immediately. Newborn pups can die within 24 hours of the first symptom. Antibiotics should be started at the first sign of infection. Antibiotics can be given orally or injected. Care should be taken with the location of injections to avoid the sciatic nerve in their rear limbs (in two cases where limb mobility was affected due to injection site, the lameness/paralysis was resolved over time). Pups on antibiotics may also develop GI problems and/or get dehydrated, and this should be treated accordingly. Antibiotics that have been used successfully for upper respiratory infections are listed below. Antibiotics should not be given without consulting a veterinarian first. - Enrofloxacin: injectable at 5mg/kg BID IM - Amoxicillin: 20mg/kg BID PO - Amoxicillin (long-acting): 15mg/kg IM every 48 hours (used for P. brasiliensis) - Penicillin G Procaine: 40,000-44,000 IU/kg q24 hr IM - Chloramphenicol: administered orally at 30-50mg/kg/day (used for P. brasiliensis) - Trimethoprim/sulfonamide combination: given parenteral at 15mg/kg/day (used for P. brasiliensis – C.Osmann, personal communication) 39
Page 1 and 2: Version 3, 9 December 2009 Caring f
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Taxonomy ........
Page 5 and 6: Pup development ...................
Page 7 and 8: * Some recent resources are still u
Page 9 and 10: This semi-aquatic species is found
Page 11 and 12: Facilities that rely on climate con
Page 13 and 14: - Chlorine: Chlorine can be used, i
Page 15 and 16: The minimum exhibit size (including
Page 17 and 18: olfactory, and audio separation to
Page 19 and 20: CHAPTER 3: Transport Preparations T
Page 21 and 22: oth institutions notified as quickl
Page 23 and 24: The only social grouping not recomm
Page 25 and 26: a daily basis, allowing all animals
Page 27 and 28: CHAPTER 5: Nutrition Nutritional Re
Page 29 and 30: Diet formulation should account for
Page 31 and 32: • Grated fruit and vegetables: ca
Page 33 and 34: - Vitamin E: 400 IU/kg dry weight b
Page 35 and 36: Preventive Medicine It is important
Page 37: Parasite control Otters should have
Page 41 and 42: - Ketamine: 12-15mg/kg & midazolam:
Page 43 and 44: Kimber, K. DVM, G.V. Kollias DVM, P
Page 45 and 46: Pair management Group management Si
Page 47 and 48: infections, which frequently cause
Page 49 and 50: Gestation is roughly 60-63 days (R.
Page 51 and 52: L. canadensis: Pups can be removed
Page 53 and 54: and scattered around the enclosure.
Page 55 and 56: formula feeding and 8-10% body wt i
Page 57 and 58: 3:1* 22.90 10.97 8.63 1.54 1.59 1.5
Page 59 and 60: - First spots seen ~6 days, whitish
Page 61 and 62: CHAPTER 8: Behavior Management Anim
Page 63 and 64: Behavior Verbal cue Visual cue Crit
Page 65 and 66: - Can it be used as a weapon - Can
Page 67 and 68: Factors that should be considered w
Page 69 and 70: CHAPTER 9: Education/Conservation M
Page 71 and 72: References AAFCO 1994. Association
Page 73 and 74: Gatz, V. 2002. Protected contact tr
Page 75 and 76: Arbeitstagung der Zootierärzte im
Page 77 and 78: Yerke, R. and A. Burns. 1993. Evalu
Page 79 and 80: APPENDIX A: Photos Included here ar
Page 81 and 82: Squeeze cage design used by several
Page 83 and 84: niacin helps the body to convert en
Page 85 and 86: APPENDIX C: Pup Weights of Captive
Page 87 and 88: APPENDIX D: List of Commonly Traine
Page 89 and 90:
APPENDIX E: Enrichment Items Common
Page 91 and 92:
APPENDIX F: Resources for Enrichmen
Page 93 and 94:
Bloomsmith M, Laule G, Thurston R,
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Age of Game Fish in Ozark Otter Sto
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The husbandry, maintenance, enginee
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o o o o o Microbiology Incubator Fu
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APPENDIX 1: GLOSSARY OF RELEVANT TE
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The use of any filtering substance
Page 105 and 106:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION Project: Otter
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Have you ever failed to complete an
Page 109 and 110:
OTTER EXHIBIT LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM R
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1. Inspection a. Examination: The c
Page 113 and 114:
APPENDIX 3: DISINFECTION Bromine Br
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In its liquid form (sodium hypochlo
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APPENDIX 4: SKIMMER BOXES All skimm
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119
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APPENDIX 5: ALGAE CONTROL Algae in
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APPENDIX I: Female Otter Reintroduc
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Version 3, 9 December 2009 APPENDIX
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____________ live in aquatic ______
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Otter is hungry. Can you help him f
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