ZooNooz Article - MARCH 2007

Dr Do-a-lot

Larry Vogelnest examining a newly-arrived Red Kangaroo

In managing the health of the 3000 animals from some 350 species that populate Taronga Zoo, Larry’s first priority is prevention – eliminating as many causes of animal disease and illness as possible. And prevention begins with an effective quarantine program. But even the best quarantine arrangements can’t prevent a few rodents, possums, lizards and birds from finding a way in, let alone fleas, mosquitoes, cockroaches and ticks. All of these intruders are potential carriers of disease, so the veterinary team has a constant battle controlling them, using only eradication methods that don’t endanger the zoo’s population.

Some residents assist with their own protection. The Sun Bears, for example, have been trained to stand close to the side of their holding pen while tick treatment is applied. Vaccination is another tool – although giving an injection isn’t always the straightforward matter it is for a GP or even for a suburban vet dealing with cats and dogs. The zoo vet often has to fire a dart into an animal in order to vaccinate. The alternative may mean having to restrain the animal, which in turn might mean first anaesthetising it. So a simple vaccination could turn into a major operation with its own hazards.

Even the most routine examination is often very difficult to perform. Some time back, Larry received an urgent call from the Gold Coast’s Ocean World asking him to assist with a very sick Polar Bear. In order to simply look at this huge and dangerous animal, a major exercise was required in which the bear was carefully anaesthetised. Only then could Larry look into its mouth where he discovered a large abscess at the back of its throat.

Examining the eye of an anaesthetised Black-winged Stilt

And it isn’t only dangerous animals that can be difficult to examine and treat. A fifty-year-old Aldabra Tortoise at Taronga was off its food and very lethargic (even for a tortoise!). Finding out why presented Larry with quite a problem. It’s very hard to penetrate the tortoise’s hard shell or even its leathery skin to get a blood sample. Finally it was anaesthetised and a scope used to examine its digestive system where it was found that food was not passing from the oesophagus to the stomach. A specialist helped Larry work out a treatment that assisted the animal to eat normally again and it’s still going strong today.

Even relatively small or routine procedures can require an animal to be anaesthetised and restrained, not only for the vet’s safety but also to keep it still long enough for the procedure to take place. There are special difficulties associated with some animals’ response to the anaesthetic. Giraffes, in particular, are prone to collapsing awkwardly and potentially injuring themselves as the drug takes effect.

Some animals, such as birds and frogs, are difficult to anaesthetise, as even judging the amount required can prove tricky. Whilst vets aim never to overdose, an underdose can be quite painful, as Larry discovered when he was bitten by a monkey which recovered ahead of schedule. Larry’s also been kicked by a kangaroo and bitten by a lizard, but considering all the claws and teeth, spikes, hoofs, horns and venom that he regularly comes in contact with, that’s pretty good going.

When invasive and complex surgery is required, Larry sometimes calls upon the assistance of surgeons who are more accustomed to operating on humans. Former Zoo Director Dr John Kelly unfortunately suffered from serious heart disease and was a regular patient of a prominent heart-lung surgeon. When Archie, one of the zoo’s orang-utans, required heart-lung surgery, Dr Kelly’s surgeon accepted the job and helped save Archie’s life.

There are other areas for which zoo vets are responsible. The first is reproductive management. The vets play a key role in many aspects from contraception to artificial insemination. Pregnancy and birth can require a vet's careful attention as zoo births can occur in odd places and at odd times, and areoccasionally long and difficult.

Zoo vets also devote a good deal of effort to ensuring that the animals eat well. This means planning diets that provide first-class nutrition. But it's not just what's presented that is important, it's also how. As well as being interesting, food must also be given in ways that encourage activity and foraging. Diet is also particularly important for the animals’ teeth. The vets also play a role in the design of enclosures, ensuring that there is enough space, that there are no hazards, and that the enclosure is interesting enough to have a positive impact on the animals’ mental health.

Even though the best enclosures, finest diets, and preventative medicine can reduce the chances of an animal getting sick or injured, it can’t stop them growing old. And when animals are very ill or very old the zoo vet also has the difficult task of painless termination.

No doubt it would make Larry Vogelnest’s job a lot easier if he could “talk to the animals” but even then, with a workload like his, he could never be called “Dr Do Little”!

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