Animal Care

Why is it important to monitor the health of your animals?

To check their welfare.

What are the examples of routine checks?

Weight,

Blood pressure,

Pulse rate,

Temperature,

Blood and urine tests.

Who can preform a visual check?

Anyone.

What should you check for in visual checks?

Changes in behaviour,

Mobility,

Temperament,

Any potential welfare issues.

Who can preform a physical check?

Someone qualified (Vet)

What should you check for in a physical check?

Weight,

Blood pressure,

Pulse rate,

Temperature,

Nail and claw trimming.

What is an observational check?

A check where handling cannot take place.

What types of animals should you not handle?

Very young animals,

Aggressive animals,

Pregnant animals,

Venemous or poisonous animals.

What is health monitoring?

When you need to record changes in an animals health.

Why might you need to monitor health?

Pregnancy,

Identifying illness,

Post operation,

Surgical procedures.

What is weight monitoring?

When you need to find the reasons for an increase or decrease in weight.

What might an increase/decrease of weight indicate?

Health issues,

Feeding intake,

Pregnancy,

Obesity,

Risks of malnutrition.

How would you preform a weight check?

Disinfect the scale,

Set the scale to zero,

Put the animal on top,

Record its weight.

How would you check an animal’s temperature?

Use a digital thermometer,

Lubricate the end,

Gently insert into the anus,

Leave for two minutes so the thermometer can reach the correct temperature to improve accuracy.

How would you check an animal’s respiratory rate?

Wait until your pet is relaxed,

Look for the rise and fall of the chest,

Count each rise and fall as one,

Start a stopwatch for 60 seconds,

Count the number of rise and falls.

How would you check an animal’s pulse rate?

Restrain the animal to prevent any injuries (bites, scratches),

Locate the pulse (the strongest is the femoral artery which is under the leg),

Use two fingers to take the pulse,

Start a timer for 60 seconds,

Count the pulses in 60 seconds,

Compare to normal pulse rates.

Why shouldn’t you check an animal’s pulse rate with your thumb?

Your thumb already has a slight pulse.

What are the signs of healthy eyes?

Bright and clear,

No defects with sight.

What are the signs of healthy ears?

Lack of discomfort,

No discharge,

Ability to hear,

Warm to the touch.

What are the signs of a healthy posture?

Checking balance,

All limbs are used equally,

Standing straight.

What are the signs of a healthy alert system?

Inquisitive,

Responds to sounds,

No evidence of fear.

What are the signs of a healthy coat?

Clean and shiny,

Moves easily over rib cage.

What are the signs of healthy breathing?

Appropriate breathing rate.

What are the signs of healthy urine?

Clear and light straw colour,

Passed frequently.

What are the signs of healthy faeces?

Usual consistency,

Passed frequently,

Well formed (not loose).

What are the signs of healthy food and water uptake?

Eating all food provided,

Consumption suitable for size and age of the animal,

Reasons for unusual weight gain or loss.

What are the signs of unhealthy eyes?

Sunken,

Showing discharge,

Glazed and cloudy pupils,

Bloodshot,

Sight is limited.

What are the signs of unhealthy ears?

Evidence of wax or discharge,

Pain around ear canal,

Loss of hearing.

What are the signs of an unhealthy posture?

Reluctance to use all limbs,

Hunched appearance,

Avoiding eye contant,

Lethargic.

What are the signs of an unhealthy alert system?

Reserved appearance

Lack of interest in surroundings.

What are the signs of an unhealthy coat?

Dull,

Matted,

Fibres stuck together,

Coat clings to rib cage,

Dehydration.

What are the signs of unhealthy breathing?

Rapid or irregular breathing rate,
Shallow breaths.

What are the signs of unhealthy urine?

Dark coloured,

Contains blood or pus,

Strong smell.

What are the signs of unhealthy faeces?

Loose consistency,
Colour change,
Contains blood.

What are the signs of an unhealhty food and water uptake?

Loss of appetite,

Increased thirst,

Rapid weight loss,

Unexplained weight gain.

Why should you check the eyes first?

Reduces the chance of infection.

What is physiological stress?

Signs of stress which involve changes in the body.

What is behavioural stress?

Signs of stress which are actions or reactions to a situation.

What are the signs of physiological stress?

Increased heart rate,

Increased respiratory rate.

What are the signs of behavioural stress?

More vocalizations,

Baring of teeth,

Cowering,

Lip licking,

Avoiding eye contact.

What is a stressor?

Factors which commonly make you stressed.

What is a natural stressor?

An external factor that can induce stress from the natural environment.

What is a captivity stressor?

An external factor that can induce stress due to the environment you keep the animal in.

What are the 5 welfare needs?

The need for a suitable environment,

The need for a suitable diet,

The need to be allowed to exhibit normal behaviour,

The need to be housed alone or with others,

The need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury or disease.

What housing should a newborn have?

Warmth,

Security,

Space for the mother.

What housing should a juvenile have?

Space,

Enrichment materials.

What housing should an adult have?

Welfare needs met.

What housing should a pregnant animal have?

Nesting materials,

No stress.

What housing should a geriatric animal have?

Easy to access,

Non-slip.

What should the construction material be for an animal’s housing?

Warm or insulating,

Waterproof,

Draughtproof,

Safe and secure,

Non-toxic paint.

What enrichment should be included in an animal’s housing?

Mental stimulation,

Exercise wheels,

Toys to gnaw or chew,

Hide tubes or safe spaces.

What substrates and bedding should be included in an animal’s housing?

Wood shavings,

Shredded paper,

Paper pellets,

Chopped straw,

Paper wool.

What is bedding?

Bedding refers to anything that focuses on providing comfort for the animal to sleep.

What is a substrate?

Substrate refers to something which will line the bottom of the enclosure.

Why should all accommodations have set cleaning routines?

Prevent the build up of disease,

Prevent discomfort to the animal,

Prevent infections,

Prevent smell.

What are the different methods of identifying animals?

Microchipping,

Tatto,

Branding,

Ear tags.

How does vaccinations prevent an animal from becoming ill?

Prevents an animal getting a disease and reduces the spread of the disease.

In the UK, what are animals protected against?

Rabies,

Parvovirus,

Leptospirosis,

Canine Hepatitis,

Kennel cough.

How does grooming prevent an animal from becoming ill?

Helps remove dead hair and skin cells which stops coats from becoming greasy.

Nail trimming stops nail curving or becoming too long.

They both prevent discomfort for the animal.

How does worming prevent an animal from becoming ill?

Prevents the spread of worms through animals.

Why should food be measured?

To avoid overweight,

To avoid underweight.

What are the benefits of exercise for animals?

Maintaining the correct weight,

Encourage normal behaviours,

Builds muscle,

Decreases stress,

Improves fitness.

What is enrichment?

Adding material or infastructure to the environment to encourage natural behaviours.

What is neutering?

Neutering is a surgical process where the reproductive organs are removed.

What animal cannot be neutered?

A hamster due to the anesthetic risks.

What is a female’s neutering called?

Spaying.

What is spaying?

Where both ovaries and the uterus are removed.

What is a male’s neutering called?

Castration.

What is castration?

Where both testicles are removed.

What are the reasons for neutering in females?

Stops seasons and associated behaviour changes,

Prevents diseases such as mammary/testicular cancer,

Helps with population control.

What are the reasons for neutering in males?

Helps with population control,

Prevents roaming in males,

Improves behaviour due to reduced aggression, urine marking and mounting behaviours.

What is insurance?

A paid service for animal industries which will protect you financially for unexpected events, serious injuries, illness or death.

What is a holiday arrangment?

Animals should be boarded in approved services with qualified staff.