Zoo Animal Health and Welfare

Zoo Animal Health and Welfare

There are hundreds of diseases out there which affect all different types of animals. In this assignment the health and diseases of a zebra will be discussed. The three diseases that will be talked about are ringworm, equine influenza and strangles. It can sometimes be difficult to tell whether a zebra is in good condition or not as they always have round bellies as a result of gases bloating their stomachs. One of the clearest signs of bad health in a zebra is when the hair of the mane flops down rather than staying upright and this is caused by a loss of fat around the neck. This is because when a zebra begins to lose wait this is the first area of the body that it will lose weight on. Other signs of poor health in a zebra include things such as lying down, not socialising with the herd, not eating or drinking, not passing faeces or urine, not being alert, showing any signs of weakness when moving around, not moving around a lot, and having any kind of discharge or pus secreting from anywhere. Signs of a healthy zebra include being alert and active, eating and drinking regularly and passing urine and faeces regularly.

Ringworm is a parasitic fungal infection caused by dermatophytes which affects the skin of many animals including zebras. It is zoonotic and can be passed onto humans. There are many signs and symptoms of this disease which include itching which can result in frequent scratching and excessive grooming and this is the most commonly spotted and one of the first signs that people see, this is followed by skins rashes and scaly or thickened skin in these areas where the skin may peel off, hair loss is also seen and thickening of the hooves which can cause the hooves to become brittle, discoloured and flaky. If the infection becomes widespread all over the body it can cause intense discomfort and unusual behaviour changes in zebra. The diagnosis of this condition is made by a veterinarian who examines the animal using an ultraviolet light. In some cases ringworm can resolve on its own, but treatment varies depending on the severity of the infection. In mild cases, anti-fungal shampoos or lime-sulphur dip is used. Shaving the affected areas can also be helpful, but these kinds of treatment are likely to stress zebra so they aren’t usually advised. In severe cases vets may prescribe oral anti-fungal medications such as Griseofulvin in addition to topical treatments and for zebras this is thought to be a better route of treatment to avoid stressing the animal so this may be used earlier on in the infection. The health and safety implications of these treatments can be quite serious when using the first methods such as shaving the animal and the only way to complete these treatments safely would be to put the zebra to sleep whereas with the anti-fungal medication there are less implications as you can just place the medicine in the animals food, the main implication is to the animal and this is that it may suffer from an allergic reaction. The main ways to prevent this infection from affecting zebras is to ensure good husbandry practices, isolation of animals that are suspected to be affected by this infection, quarantine of new zebras and animals and regular health checks on all zebras in order to catch the disease early to limit the chances of it spreading to others. Without this zebras are a lot more susceptible to not only this disease but any other disease because this could mean that the five animal freedoms are not being met which are essential when keeping any animal, to ensure their safety and welfare.

Equine Influenza is a highly infectious viral disease which can affect most equine animals including zebras. It is caused by orthromyxovirus equine influenza A type 2. The main symptoms include things such as a high temperature, dry harsh sounding cough, clear nasal discharge which may turn yellow or green as secondary infections kick in, swollen lymph nodes under the jaw, a clear eye discharge, depression, lethargy, loss of appetite, swelling in the lower limbs and the zebra may become stiff and become reluctant to move around much if at all. This disease can be predicted but for a definite diagnosis blood tests and nasal swabs are necessary. Very young and very old zebras are the most susceptible to this disease and it can lead to fatalities. Treatment boils down to rest and good husbandry practises, an anti-inflammatory drug or antibiotics can be prescribed by a vet to help with the fever but other than that there is no medical treatment available. Affected zebras should be rested for a minimum of three weeks and kept separate from other zebras, fresh air is vital and they should not be exposed to dust from bedding, hay etc as this could worsen their cough and affect their respiratory system. They should be kept out of bad weather and in the shade and should be confined but made to move regularly so circulation and muscle strength is maintained. The way to prevent this disease from affecting zebras is through a vaccine also used for horses, it requires regular boosters every 3-6 months and the vaccine virus is shed for up to ten days after the vaccination so therefore the zebras should not be allowed to come into contact with any zebras who have not received the vaccine as it may be passed onto them. Also, meeting the five animal freedoms will help to prevent this disease as it will mean that you are providing the zebras with everything they require to live a happy and healthy life.

Strangles, which is also known as Equine Distemper, is a contagious upper respiratory tract infection which is caused by a certain type of bacterium, streptococcus equi. It is spread when the nasal discharge or material from draining abscesses contaminates feed and water troughs, bedding etc. This can affect zebras of any age but as with the other illnesses the young and the elderly are most susceptible.  The most common signs and symptoms of this illness are at first the animals will begin to appear dull and depressed and lose their appetite, they will then get a fever and swollen or enlarged lymph nodes around the throat, finally abscesses start to form in the throat and nasal passages and the animals will then begin to have difficulty breathing and a nasal discharge will start to appear. Clinical diagnosis is quite straightforward due to the obvious symptoms but for a definite diagnosis veterinarians take swabs from the nasal passage and abscesses to confirm the cause of the symptoms. The most effective treatments for this disease is thought to be antibiotics but once abscesses have started to form antibiotics are sometimes contradicted and cause the abscesses to spread to other parts of the body which is a condition that is almost always fatal in equine animals including zebras and so the condition must be caught early. Once abscesses have formed they must be kept clean and the animal must be isolated from other zebras to stop the spread of the infection. There are complications that can occur as this disease takes hold of zebras and the most common is secondary infections which are why wounds and open abscesses must be kept clean. There is a vaccine available to prevent this disease from occurring in zebras but it takes six weeks for it to become effective so is not suitable if there is already an outbreak of strangles within a collection. New zebras should always be placed in quarantine for  4-6 weeks at least to ensure they do not have disease and also to ensure they aren’t carriers of the diseases (blood tests will inform you of this). Immediate isolation of zebras suffering from the illness and disinfecting entire enclosures is also a very effective tool in preventing the disease as well as washing your hands between contacts with the zebras; this is part of the 5 animal needs.

So as you can see, many diseases are known to affect zebras all of different origins, but the main prevention of all of them is common for any disease, proper husbandry. The five freedoms are a very important factor to take into account especially when it comes to diseases, because if not all five are met then animals are much more likely to suffer from diseases and contract them and pass them onto other zebras. All of the five freedoms are relevant to the prevention of disease in different ways. 4) Animals are allowed to express normal behaviour and 3) Animals are provided with protection from and treatment of disease or injury. These are the most relevant because without them this could mean that animals are living in conditions in which diseases and infections will thrive in so therefore they will spread a lot more rapidly and it could also mean that prevention procedures are never used to prevent the diseases in zebras or that once a zebra has contracted a disease it has not been dealt with quick enough and so overall these things massively affect the zebras welfare needs and cause outbreaks of very dangerous illnesses. 1) Freedom from hunger and thirst is also important when it comes to preventing diseases because things such as dirty drinking water causes diseases to spread much quicker and also if an animal is not provided with the right food and the right nutrients then it will make it weak and a lot more susceptible to diseases and infections. 2) Freedom from discomfort is relevant when it comes to disease and especially when it comes to the prevention of them because it implies that you should do everything you can to prevent an animal from getting any type of disease or illness because it will avoid them from being in any kind of discomfort. This is also applies for if an animal has already contracted a disease because it implies that the disease should be treated promptly to avoid any more discomfort that is avoidable. Lastly, 5) Freedom from fear and distress is relevant when it comes to illnesses in animals because diseases weaken animals and therefore cause them to become distressed and so therefore it is important that they are treated as soon as possible or preferably the disease is prevented before this can be a problem. So overall the five animal needs are the most important things to consider when looking after and owning zebras and they are the main way to prevent animals including zebras from becoming ill and to successfully treat any zebras that have already contracted a disease. One of the most effective ways to meet these five freedoms is to prevent and control diseases, and this can be very effective if carried out correctly. In order to prevent diseases the most common way is through vaccinations and these are used to prevent many diseases but vaccinations cannot be made to stop infections in animals such as ringworm. Vaccinations stop an animal from contracting certain diseases completely and so therefore are very affective. Methods of control include things such as quarantine and regular health checks to catch diseases early are also proven to be very affective because they stop the spread of the diseases to other animals and also to people which is very important. Control methods are most important when it comes to infections as this and good hygienic living conditions are the only way to prevent animals including zebras from contracting them.