Researchers race to head off snake fungal diseaseMay 8, 2017Bats killed by the millions because of white-nose syndrome, amphibians decimated worldwide because of chytrid fungus, honeybees declining across the U.S. and now snakes are the latest animal group besieged by a mysterious pathogen.
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How to include exotics in your vet clinicMarch 29, 2017The thrill of seeing a different species at almost every appointment is a wondrous day for those of us who enjoy treating avian and exotic pets. More and more veterinary students are seeking course work on exotic species, and more graduates are looking for employment opportunities that offer an avian or exotic pet-owning clientele.
Changes urged in tortoise hibernation practicesJanuary 17, 2017The conventional wisdom among hobbyist tortoise-keepers has been to place their shelled wards in a shoebox and store them in a dark place for hibernation.
NC vet college celebrates 20-Year partnership with turtle rescue groupSeptember 19, 2016The North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center recently celebrated 20 years of partnering to preserve and protect sea turtle populations. To mark the occasion, the groups held a special release of five rehabilitated turtles—two loggerheads and three greens—on the coast of North Carolina.
Kansas State searches for disease link in amphibians, peopleSeptember 7, 2016Pigs and chickens are well-known vectors for human influenza, but frogs and salamanders? Kansas State University veterinarians are looking at wild amphibians as possible reservoirs for influenza and other human diseases.
Komodo dragon thriving after surgery, thanks to Denver Zoo vetsJune 30, 2016When Anika, a pregnant 6-year-old Komodo dragon at The Denzer Zoo was lethargic and not gaining any weight, her keeper Tim Trout grew worried. She was taken in for an emergency exam and the news wasn't good: She had peritonitis.
Badly burned tortoise gets new 3-D printed shellMay 25, 2016Freddy, a female tortoise in Brazil, was caught in a brush fire that burned away nearly all of her shell. Her odds of survival were dim, at least until The Animal Avengers, a group in Brazil, stepped in to save her by creating her a custom 3D-printed shell.
Green Sea Turtle Undergoes Surgery at Perth ZooApril 27, 2016 A Green Sea Turtle at the Perth Zoo in Australia is undergoing surgery to remove two Fibropapilloma lesions that are on her neck. “They are a benign growth which is caused by the herpes virus which is specific for sea turtles,” Perth Zoo Veterinarian Katja Geschke told The Western Australian. The turtle was found in March at Rottnest Island, an island off the western coast of Australia. She was in poor condition, so she was eventually taken to Perth Zoo, and then the Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre. There, she was nursed back to health until she could have surgery. After her surgery, the Green Seat Turtle will spend a couple more days at Perth Zoo before going back to the Centre. Once there, she'll undergo rehabiliation until she is fit to return to the wild. While a turtle often seen in Western Australian waters, Green Sea Turtles are endangered.
Sea Turtle Undergoes Hyperbaric TherapyApril 1, 2016A sea turtle is claiming the No. 1 spot as the first nonhuman to be treated in the United States in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. Veterinarians are hoping to compress internal gas bubbles that are keeping the turtle from diving and staying underwater. According to the Seattle Aquarium: “The 70-pound olive ridley sea turtle, named Tucker by aquarium staff who have cared for him since December, is undergoing tests at the Seattle Aquarium this week to determine if ridley sea turtle, named Tucker by aquarium staff who have cared for him since December, is undergoing tests at the Seattle Aquarium this week to determine if hyperbaric therapy—which involved breathing 100 percent oxygen for about 2 ½ hours—corrected his buoyancy problem. The turtle cannot be safely released back into the Pacific Ocean until he is able to dive normally, which is important for him to find food and avoid predators and other threats, such as boats.” Virginia Mason, Seattle Aquarium partner to provide hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help rescued sea turtle recover. It is believed to be the …
Veterinarian Removes Purple Teddy Bear From SnakeMarch 3, 2016 Anything is tasty when you’re really hungry, even a small purple teddy bear. Given that winter is approaching in Australia, the snakes native to that country are feasting. Snake catcher Tony Harrison told 7News Brisbane, “Right now they’re really, really obsessively hunting for food… If it smells right, they’ll eat it.” Apparently the purple teddy bear smelled right to the 6-foot carpet python that gobbled it up. Harrison noticed the bulge and took the snake to The Vet Lounge veterinary clinic in Coomera on Australia’s Gold Coast. Reptile Relocation And Awareness/Facebook Reptile Relocation And Awareness/Facebook Reptile Relocation And Awareness/Facebook Reptile Relocation And Awareness/Facebook Reptile Relocation And Awareness/Facebook Reptile Relocation And Awareness/Facebook After an x-ray, it was determined that the snake had in fact swallowed the toy. A C-section was conducted, leaving the snake with 15 stitches. The surgery marked the first time Matthew Hollindale, BVSc had operated on a snake in his 16 years as a veterinarian. The snake will be on antibiotics for a couple of weeks before being released back into the wild.
