Worming Rock Hyrax

We had to catch up our group of Rock Hyrax to give them a treatment for internal parasites which was identified on our most recent set of faecal samples. 

Rock Hyrax are small tailless mammals and although they resemble a guinea pig, are more closely related to elephants and manatee. They are found living in colonies of 2-26 individuals in rocky habitats in Africa. They are extremely agile and excellent climbers with rubber-like pads on their feet to help provide them with good grip.

Whilst we were catching up the Rock Hyrax we had the opportunity to undertake a thorough health check, take weights and check that their microchips were working and correct. The Hyrax were treated with an oral medication called Panacur at a dose rate of 0.2ml per 1kg of body weight.

The Hyrax are only caught up and handled if necessary- they are a fast and ‘flighty’ animal and we want to ensure they exhibit natural behaviours so therefore we wouldn't want them to become domesticated. A safe and easy restraint solution was incorporated into the design of the enclosure which meant restraint can be quick and stress levels reduced.

All individuals can be encouraged into the inside enclosure and secured within there. Once there, a single animal can be coaxed into the bottom exit hatch which is formed by a tunnel. A net is placed at the end of the tunnel and the individual can be caught with relative ease. This not only reduces the stress on the animals but can limit the amount of time we need to be in the enclosure and will reduce the risk of injury to the animal during catch up.   

The group of three have settled in well and can be seen within the Africa Zone on the unit climbing over the custom rock work and branches that make up the enclosure.   

Alpaca Foot Trimming

Alpaca shearing season is nearly upon us, but one management task that happens throughout the year is foot trimming the herd.

Alpaca’s feet grow fairly quickly and continue to do so; therefore they need to be done at regular intervals through the year. Alpaca feet are very different to goats or sheep in terms of trimming as they have a soft pad and a ‘nail’ which grows; and it’s only this part that needs to be trimmed back. Ideally you want this to be to the same length as the pad and to be even on each side. Sometimes this is easier said than done, and the wet soft ground can play havoc with the nail overgrowing and twisting; making it tricky to trim correctly. However, with good management and regular trimming this can be rectified as the nail starts to grow again.

It’s essential to use a good pair of sharp foot trimmers as not only will this give you a better result it will be quicker. So for those alpaca that don’t particularly like the task, it can be done as efficiently as possible!

CHA at Crufts

So it’s been a busy week since Crufts when I was representing the Canine Hydrotherapy Association in my Board Member capacity.

 The canine hydrotherapy industry is unregulated, so this can be carried out by inexperienced and unqualified personnel. What the CHA do is set a criteria of quality standards for those centres that aspire to work to a level that is endorsed by vets and insurance companies. Part of being a member of the CHA is the entitlement to ongoing support, CPD, mentoring schemes, recognition from vets and to gain elite credibility for high standards of operation.  

All CHA member centres hold a minimum level 3 qualification in Small Animal Hydrotherapy and are inspected to ensure that they meet the highest possible standards.

We had fantastic interest at the stand with so many people looking to get into the industry and set up their own centres. It was also great to see many of the regular faces that use the hydrotherapy centres and listen to the positive stories of improvement whilst using hydrotherapy.

Work for us!.....

An exciting opportunity for an Animal Welfare Technician post has come up at our main site. If you have relevant experience in a similar role or even better have an aquatic and herpetology background this could be the perfect job for you!

To find out how to join a fun team, working with a variety of species and educating students at the same time just follow the link below. 

Animal Welfare Technician

Pig Grooming

It is important to maintain a good bond with some of the animals that we have lots of contact with- it especially makes administering medication easier, health checking and ensures that entering enclosures is safer. 

There are great ways to strengthen this bond and one of those is to carry out grooming sessions. Clearly this will only be possible on certain species- but this is a much enjoyed experience by our Kune Kune pigs. These guys are only just 8 months old, and so being youngsters it means that they enjoy the contact and it gets them used to being in close contact at an early age; far easier than wrestling with a fully grown adult pig!

 I think the team enjoy the contact just as much!..........

Spatex 2016- Keeping up to date with all things water based....

Yesterday I popped along to the Spatex 2016 annual show held at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Spatex is the UK’s largest event for the pool industry which showcases an array of exhibitors as well as designated seminars on topics that are vital when working with domestic and commercial pools and spas. As a manager of a canine hydrotherapy centre it’s really important to stay up to date with the latest industry changes and ensure that the health and safety of everyone using the facilities is at its highest. It was great to talk to different suppliers about modern technology; like robotic pool cleaners and using apps to send water quality results to a database via Bluetooth. Brilliant! Be gone the clipboard and pen….

Now to dissect the mountain of literature I have collected!

Finn the Bichon

Bichon puppy cuddles on a grey Tuesday!  9 month old 'Finn' had fun in for his groom today. Gorgeous!