Last update: Tuesday 5^th November , 2002

8^th Marine Mammal Medical Workshop

January 30^th - February 2^nd, 2003

Nausicaa - Boulogne-sur-mer - France

SATURDAY 1 FEBRUARY: MEDICAL TRAINING IN PINNIPEDS : PRELIMINARY OUTLINES

Dr. Géraldine Lacave
Marine Mammal Veterinary Services

"Medical training" has nearly become a common language, a common fact. It has been developped at the beginning to ease the contention of animals, to diminish the stress during handling as well as the risks of being hurt for people involved. It has become integrated in the training program of many institutions

The idea of this presentation is to review the medical behaviours used in pinnipeds (routinely used or the more exceptionnal ones) - how to train them and to explain, in common terms, what is the medical advantage gained from it.

Team work

• Trainers
• Veterinarians
• Direction
• Communication
• Time

Body check-up

Being able to approach and check the whole body of your animal is a very important base and the one that will be necessary for all the medical behaviors. If you cannot have a close look at a wound, a skin problem, an inflammed articulation etc., it might take some time before one realizes it is not evolving properly or towards healing whereas a direct access might help the control or local tending of the problem.

• In-front-of-trainer position
• Stand-up position
• Down position
• Turn position
• Auscultation
• Checking of the flippers and articulations
• Checking of genital and anal openings
• Cleaning of wounds
• Desensitization to other people

Eye check -up

Particulary important in pinnipeds as they tend to be quite sensitive to eye problems.

• Eye drops
• Work in the dark
• Focal light
• Flash
• Camera

Mouth check-up

• Opening of mouth
• Retrieving of objects
• Cleaning of wounds/Abscesses
• Gum control
• Teeth control
• Brushing of teeth
• Tonsils swabs
• Saliva sampling
• Administration of oral medication

Nails trimming

• Flippers presentation and clipping of the nails

The weight

• Weight scale
• Measurements

Squeeze cage

• Working in protected contact environment
• Sizes
• Doors

Blood sampling

Probably one of the first trained behaviour in an institution practising good medical training. Not the easiest one to train, but one of major importance since a blood sample is kind of the mirror of the body.

• Butterfly versus serynge and needle
• Superficial veins of the hind flippers
• Interdigital veins
• Gluteal veins
• Intervertebral sinuses
• Protected and un-protected contact
• Possible positions of the animal
• Clean and aseptic environment
• Preparation of the site

Upper respiratory tract sample

• Forced expiration
• Nostril swabs

Gastric sample

• Intubation
• Rehydration
• Endoscopy

Fecal sample

• Anal swabs

Intra-muscular injection

Ultrasound

Ultrasound check-up, which is now used for more than gestation control and foetus growth, is a very useful tool and has nowadays been incorporated by many institutions as a routine control.

• "Gimmick" machines
• Chair position
• Down position
• Turn position
• The probe
• Shaving
• Gel
• Scanning of the lungs, liver, kidneys, bladder, heart, foetus

Radiography

• "Gimmick" machines
• Work in the dark
• Protection clothes and gloves
• Head X-ray
• Teeth X-ray
• Thorax and Abdomen X-ray
• Flippers X-ray

Anesthesia

• Masks
• Breathing on command
• Scented air flows

Unusual/goal-specific desensitizations

For more information, contact the workshop manager.   

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