Annual Report- 2007 - Zoo Negara

VETERINARYHOSPITALVETERINARY HOSPITALThis year saw some changes in the overall staffing of the Zoo Veterinary Hospital. The department isheaded by Dr Mat Naim Ramli assisted by two other veterinarians; Dr Muhammad Danial Felix Abdullahand Dr Mohamed Reza Mohamed Tarmizi (who is also the assistant Curator of the Reptile section) andMohammad Khairul Na’im Norzahidi as the laboratory technician. Arulmani a/p Savarimuthu fill in as thenew hospital keeper after Mohammad Nur Azman resigned and left the zoo. Christopher Caine Xaviermoved to the Show section while Ahmad Azwan Muhammad Ali and Noor Arita Mohd Daud left the zooin mid 2007.INPATIENTSA total of 67 patients were admitted during the year. Of these 32 were discharged to their varioussections within the Zoo after treatment and 35 died.Routine preventive physical examinations and curative treatment were carried out. The animals weretreated either as inpatient or outpatient depending on size and manageability. There is a regulardecrease of inpatients throughout 2004-2007 due to effective preventive medicine.OUTPATIENTSAs has been the standard practice within Zoo Negara, the treatment of large animals took place in thefield. Most were hoofed animals and other large mammals such as carnivores (tiger ,lion and leopard).ANIMAL TRANQUILIZED19A total of 103 animals were tranquilized in the year 2007. Tranquilization for annual physical checkupand sample collection were the popular reasons for sedation. Other reasons for tranquillization were forwound treatment, animal transfer within and outside the zoo. Physical restraint is limited to small sizeand ‘tamed’ animals.INTERNAL LABORATORY WORKA total of 2148 samples were screened and only 439 (20.4%) were found to be of significant parasiticburden. Previously the method used to assess the parasitic burden was the simple floatation technique. Inthe year 2007, the MacMaster’s technique of screening was introduced to effectively quantify and qualifythe results of parasitic burden as recommended by SIRIM for the Zoo Hospital laboratory analysis. Usingthe MacMaster’s technique we were able to quantify the worm burden however the results indicated thatthere was no significant impact on the numbers of specimen to be dewormed.2004 2005 2006 2007Samples collected 1677 2845 2115 2148Numbers dewormed 318 550 441 439Percentage dewormed(%) 19 19 20 20