The towel technique is also better than gloves alone because the towel presents a larger surface area for the bird to try to evade. The bird is then less likely…

4. Pass either a specifically designed air-sac tube (see Figure 16.2) through the body wall or a short length of 2–3.5 gauge endotracheal tubing is grasped with a pair of…

Even if surgery is relatively bloodless, there are inevitable losses via the respiratory route because of the drying nature of the gases used to deliver the anaesthetics commonly used in…

C for cardiovascular The prognosis for respiratory arrest without cardiac arrest in reptiles is good. With intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (IPPV) and 100% oxygen, reversal of any anaesthesia and administration of…

Wooden hutches are the standard and are satisfactory in many cases. Their disadvantage is that they will tend to rot with the absorption of urine and rain unless properly protected….

RABBIT Biological average values for the domestic rabbit Table 1.2 gives the biological parameters for domestic rabbits. Table 1.2 Biological parameters for the domestic rabbit. Biological parameter Domestic rabbit Weight…

When transferred from one room to another the rabbit must be held close to the handler’s chest. Non-fractious individuals may also be supported with their heads pushed into the crook…

cellular and pericellular space into the circulation to support central venous pressure. See Chapter 8 for further details of its use. It must be administered intravenously or intraosseously. Protein amino…

Figure 20.2 Malnutrition and blister disease in a Burmese python, Python molurus bivittatus. For example, vegetables such as lettuce and celery have an energy content of 12.6 kJ/g dry matter…

Fats and essential fatty acids Fats provide high concentrations of energy as well as supplying the bird with essential fatty acids (EFAs). The latter are required for cellular integrity and…