Training 1.2 red river hogs for physical exam and blood draw
R. Wentz(1), D. Urbanski(2), J. Peck(1), W. Parker(2) Keeper I(1) Keeper II(2) North Carolina Zoological Park North Carolina , USA
As in any zoological setting, caring for the health and well being of the animals in a manner that is least stressful for both the animals and humans is often a challenge. Whenever simple veterinary procedures can be done without the use of chemical immobilization it is most beneficial to the animals and staff. In fall of 2006 we received 1.2 red river hogs to be exhibited in the previous warthog enclosure. As red river hogs are often much more tractable than warthogs we began a hands-on training approach to get the hogs accustomed to various elements of a physical exam and eventually to accept a needle stick and lay still for a blood draw We started out by using the basic principles of operant conditioning and desensitization. We first identified a “reward” for the hogs. Rather than a food item, which is often used in training, we used a tactile reward of a “belly rub”. This reward better achieved our goal of making the hogs calm and relaxed for the exam. After the reward was identified we then began working on pairing it with a bridge, in this case we used a whistle. The hogs quickly learned the cue to “lie down” and were eager to do so for their reward. After the bridge was established keepers began desensitizing them to a medical box and various medical implements such as a stethoscope, gauze, swabs, tongue depressors, pen lights, hoof trimmers and finally a syringe. We began intensive training with all three hogs on September 14, 2007 and were able to do a thorough exam on two and a cursory exam on the third hog by October 29, 2007 . At that time, we were able to perform the needle stick on our male hog as he was the most desensitized, but veterinary staff had difficulty finding a vein and when they did the blood immediately clotted so we were unable to actually get a sample. Upon speaking to other institutions, it was decided that warmer weather may be more conducive to hog blood collection so we had several months to work with further desensitization of the hogs. Within ten months of initiating training we were able to complete physical exams on all three of our hogs and so far have gotten successful voluntary blood draws from two of the three. Both keeper and veterinary staff have been very pleased with the results of the red river hog training. The training has allowed us to deal with some unexpected medical issues as well as routine check ups with limited or no sedation of the hogs. It has also allowed the keepers to get a close up look at the animals on a regular basis and is also enriching to both the keepers and hogs.
|