When diagnostic procedures, such as X-ray imaging, can be performed without removing the animal from its living space, care can be incorporated seamlessly into their lives. Photo courtesy GWC Across 900 acres of open space, visitors to Global Wildlife Center (GWC) in Folsom, La., can have a unique, up-close experience with more than 2,000 animals, including several endangered species and even some that are extinct in the wild. Captive veterinary care is distinct in the animal health field, and the open facility and sheer variety of species hosted at GWC can pose challenges to the veterinary and animal health teams. However, with the right equipment and practices in place, circumstances can also present an opportunity for a collaborative approach to care that makes the animals partners in their own well-being. People love what they know Conservation is at the core of GWC’s mission, and the facility is built around the belief that people protect what they love and love what they know. Most Americans will never see a giraffe or a kangaroo in the wild, and they will not be able to build the same sort of attachment to them as they do to pets. By creating a space where people can be among animals behaving as they would in their natural habitat, GWC aims to bridge that gap, allowing people to build a deeper connection with these creatures and address issues, such as environmental protection and conservation. This openness often expands beyond the visitor experience to professionals in the animal health industry. GWC partners with veterinary schools to allow students to shadow staff and earn practical experience, and the animal health team frequently shares findings and research with other zoological specialists. In addition, this collaborative approach ensures knowledge is passed along, and the standard of care continues to be elevated across the entire industry. Given the facility size and number of animals at GWC, equipment portability is key in the planning and execution of medical care. “With stationary equipment, the patient may need to be sedated and brought into an unfamiliar environment for treatment,” says Jeanne Walter, vice president of Marketing and Sales for MinXray, a manufacturer of complete portable digital X-ray systems. “Complete diagnostic systems that can be transported to the patients directly minimize disruption for the animals and allow veterinarians to efficiently diagnose and treat.” Portability is a key component of care at GWC. Equipment that can be driven anywhere on campus enables the veterinary care team to provide efficient, effective medical treatment. Photo courtesy GWC Global Wildlife Center (GWC)’s open safari experience offers visitors unique, up-close exposure to animals they may never encounter otherwise. Photo courtesy GWC Care out in the open The overall mission of GWC is to expose people to various species and aspects of their daily lives. Veterinary care is an important part of that, which is why the staff prioritize care out in the open. Barring emergency procedures and other practical exceptions for the animals’ safety, nothing happens behind closed doors. Animals at GWC are carefully trained to participate in their own veterinary care through a desensitization to the equipment and processes. Before any step is taken to introduce a new procedure into an animal’s routine, the proposed change must answer one very important question: How will it benefit the animal? While visitor experience is a key consideration for us at GWC, it often takes a back seat in the team’s training strategy. Any training should be developed for the animal’s best interest, not the spectators’. Fitting new behaviors into an animal’s training repertoire requires balancing innate behaviors with desired outcomes. The goal is to keep the animal’s experience as natural as possible while still introducing new activities and stimuli. This is done by incorporating movements, preferences, and environments as consistently as possible with what the animal would encounter in the wild, while ensuring every departure from what’s considered “normal” for their species is intentional and purposeful. No animal is likely to encounter a complete portable digital X-ray system in the wild. However, it is an invaluable resource for diagnosis and care, and the way it is introduced and used can help make the process more natural and fear-free for the patient. Desensitizing helps the animals to associate the equipment and processes involvedin their care with positive outcomes. Photo courtesy GWC The ins and outs of training Once a new outcome has been identified and assessed, the trainers work with the rest of the care team to develop a plan. There is no one-size-fits-all method for training an animal to participate in their medical care. The process will differ from species to species and, often, even on an individual level. However, there is a consistent framework that has proven successful. Getting an animal to hold still while the veterinarian captures an X-ray is never the first step. Rather, it is the result of several trained behaviors building on each other over time. One of the most fundamental steps is training the animal to move to a new location, which can be done by: Introducing a “bridge.” This can be a clicker, a word, a whistle, or anything else that helps associate completed activities with positive results. Choosing a positive reinforcer. This is a reward, usually food, dependent on the individual animal’s preferences. Introducing a target item. Often, to move the animal, the caregiver will use a pole with a ball on the end. Increase proximity with the target item. Continue to increase exposure and proximity while reinforcing the reward associated with the target item. Connect the target item to the “bridge” and reinforcer. Create a connection between behavior, sound cue, and food reward. Connect actions to positive outcomes. Build the animal’s confidence so they feel comfortable going outside their comfort zone. This process combines directing the animal’s behavior with desensitizing them to various tools and procedures. Timing is likely to vary based on the individual creature’s level of understanding and openness to new experiences, but whether it takes a week or a year, consistent, positive reinforcement is key to successful training. Desensitizing is also used with the people, equipment, and practices involved in medical care. For example, when preparing an animal for diagnostic imaging, the portable X-ray case may be brought into the enclosure while the animal is being fed and then removed without being opened. Then, the caretaker may open the box while continuing to interact with the animals. Then another person may enter the enclosure and hold the X-ray plate up to the animal while it is being fed, and so on, until the animal is used to encountering the system and no longer associates it with fear or negative outcomes. This allows the patient to encounter foreign stimuli gradually and non-threateningly, ultimately giving them the information they need to participate willingly in their own care. The ability to provide care at this level of detail and intentionality does not happen by accident. Having the right team in place to deliver a high level of care is critical, and considering equipment features to support the initiatives can also help. For example, using a digital X-ray system, which can send images to a radiologist anywhere for evaluation and diagnosis. Stewards of care While collaborative care benefits the overall well-being of the animals, it also puts care teams in the best possible position. Every animal has something to teach us, whether they are just beginning their life, reaching their end, or even passed on. Working with patients and using the right equipment allows us to learn as much as possible and better prepare us to care for them in the future. Kanyon McLean, DVM, is the director of Animal Programs at Global Wildlife Center. In her role, Dr. Kanyon oversees the veterinary, animal husbandry, horticulture, and education and conservation departments. She completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida and then moved north for veterinary school at The Ohio State University.
