Caring for an injured animal
The following information is for those with a sanctuary permit. Keeping a wild animal in captivity without a permit issued by the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (formerly the Ministère de la Faune, des Forêts et des Parcs) is illegal and punishable by fine. A native animal living in a citizen’s home without a permit could be seized and euthanized.
The information provided and the uses of the medications listed in this section are based on our personal experience of what works best for us at this time or have been recommended by veterinarians or other shelters or sanctuaries with experience with wildlife. We strongly recommend that you consult with your veterinarian when making decisions about medications, dosages and techniques used to treat a wild animal. The authors assume no responsibility and give no guarantee for the results obtained by following these dosages, information or uses. We cannot be held responsible for damages resulting from misinterpretation or error on the part of the publication or the user.
If you wish to open your own shelter, please consult our page on how to open your own wildlife rehabilitation shelter in Quebec.
Abscess
Many microorganisms can cause abscesses, but the most common is
Microorganisms can enter the tissues by
- Direct inoculation into the tissue (e.g., penetrating wound with a contaminated object)
- By propagation from a neighboring infection
- By lymphatic or hematogenous dissemination from a distant site
- Migration from a site with resident flora to an adjacent, normally sterile area when natural barriers are destroyed (e.g., perforation of an abdominal cavity resulting in an intra-abdominal abscess)
Abscesses can occur in cellulitis or in infected tissue where leukocytes accumulate. The abscess then spreads by progressive dissection of the tissue by pus or necrosis of the surrounding cells. A richly vascularized connective tissue can then surround the necrotic tissue, WBCs and debris, limiting the extension of suppuration.
Factors that predispose to abscess formation include the following:
- Weakened host defense mechanisms (e.g., weakened leukocyte defenses)
- Presence of foreign bodies
- Obstruction to normal drainage (e.g., urinary, biliary, or respiratory tract)
- Ischemia or tissue necrosis
- Hematoma or fluid accumulation in the tissues
- Trauma
Symptoms
The symptomatology of cutaneous or subcutaneous abscesses includes increased local heat, swelling, pain and erythema.
When superficial abscesses are ready to rupture spontaneously, the skin in the center of the abscess may thin, sometimes centered by a white or yellow area due to underlying pus. A fever may appear, especially in case of associated cellulitis.
In the case of deep abscesses, the main findings are local pain and general signs, in particular fever, anorexia, weight loss and asthenia.
In some locations, a functional abnormality of the injured organ is the primary manifestation (e.g., hemiplegia in brain abscess).
Complications from abscesses include
- Bacterial spread
- Rupture in the adjacent tissue
- Hemorrhage in vessels eroded by inflammation
- Alteration of the function of a vital organ.
- Starvation due to anorexia and increased metabolic needs.
Treatment of abscesses
***Organize a visit to the veterinarian
- Cut the fur around the wound
- Drain, clean and disinfect the abscess
- Sometimes antibiotics
- Keep the wound dry and clean
Superficial abscesses may resolve with heat and oral antibiotics. However, healing usually requires drainage and cleaning of the area.
Antimicrobial drugs are generally ineffective without drainage.
Have the animal checked by a veterinarian.
The main symptoms of anemia are:
- Pallor of the oral and ocular mucous membranes (in some cases of severe anemia, these mucous membranes become white).
- Palpitations and difficulty breathing
- Fatigue and loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Depressed: the animal is depressed and is no longer in the mood to play or exercise.
Possible causes of anemia:
Anemia is most often caused by:
- A hemorrhage, which can be due to shock, injury, blood clotting defect, bloody tumor, etc. ;
- The presence of parasites that feed on blood (fleas, lice, ticks, certain worms…) or that destroy red blood cells (piroplasmosis and leptospirosis in particular);
- Bowel ulcer;
- Inflammation of the urinary system, such as prostatitis;
- An autoimmune disease, that is to say a dysfunction of the immune system which starts to attack the red blood cells as if they were microbes;
Treatment of anemia:
-
- The treatment of anemia depends of course on the cause. In the case of certain severe anemias, the prognosis is vital, a blood transfusion and oxygen administration can be considered.
In cases of production defects in the bone marrow, the treatment can be heavy and very restrictive. - Antiparasitic drugs are prescribed when the anemia is of parasitic origin.
- The treatment of anemia depends of course on the cause. In the case of certain severe anemias, the prognosis is vital, a blood transfusion and oxygen administration can be considered.
Blood poisoning:
is defined as a bacterium in the blood. Sepsis often results from bacteremia when the body’s systems are overwhelmed. Sepsis is characterized by fever, resulting from microorganisms or their toxic by-products in the blood. It is a system-wide (systemic) infection that can affect cardiac, circulatory, respiratory, Gl and liver functions. There is a high mortality rate with gram-negative sepsis or sepsis that progresses to septic shock. The terms bacteremia and sepsis are often used interchangeably; however, they are not synonymous.
Symptoms:
- Fever
- Discomfort
- Loss of appetite
- Eruption
- Cold ends
- Lethargy
- Coma
- Death
Common Causes:
Bacteria such as E coli, Salmonella, Staph, Strep, Pasturella
Prolonged infections of the skin, upper urinary tract, oral abscesses
Tularemia
Possible treatment:
- Fluids
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics (Cephalosporins such as Cephalexin, etc.)
- Very sick animals benefit greatly from an initial IV dose of antibiotics
- Do not use NSAIDs or steroids
Diagnostic tests:
A blood culture to determine the type of bacteria and the sensitivity of the bacteria to drugs is important. This will help you determine the best medication for the infection.
Poisoning:
Wild animals are subject to accidental and intentional poisoning. The types of poisons are often impossible to determine. When admitting an animal, try to find out what might be going on in the area where the animal was found. There may have been chemical treatments of the lawn, a homeowner or exterminator may have put poisons outside to eliminate pests, there may be a supply of moldy food or grain in the area or some fertilizer or insecticide. The key is to get all the information you can.
Symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Bleeding from any orifice
- Neurological signs
- Drooling, excessive urination, tearing, noisy breathing
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Epileptic seizures
- Coma
Common Causes:
- Ingestion of poison
- Ingestion of drugs
- Poisonous plants
Possible treatment for ingested poisons/drugs:
If the animal ingested the poison a few hours ago, vomiting can be induced with 3% hydrogen peroxide, Epsom salts dissolved in water or
Charcoal feeding such as Toxiban ™M or Acta Char can help mitigate the effects of poisons. Supportive care may be all you can offer animals in other cases.
Ingestion of a bromethalin rodenticide will require veterinary treatment.
There are several poison control hotlines. We have listed some of them below. There may be a fee for using these services.
Animal Poison Control Centre (English) ASPCA 888-426-4435
Supportive Care:
- Maintain body temperature
- Pain management
Contact a veterinarian!
Burns
A burn is classified and treated according to its depth of penetration and the extent of the burned surface. First degree, second degree and third degree refer to the severity of the burn. Burns can be further defined by cause; thermal, chemical and electrical. There may be additional treatment depending on the cause of the burn.
First degree
- First degree burns are characterized by superficial, reddened skin.
- The area may be slightly swollen and tender.
Treatment:
Apply Aloe Vera or a triple antibiotic ointment. Butter is not an appropriate choice for the treatment of burns.
Provide an analgesic, anti-inflammatory drug such as meloxicam for pain management.
Second degree
- A second-degree burn is characterized by red, swollen skin.
- The burn penetrates deeper into the thickness of the skin.
- Uninfected burns usually heal within three weeks. These burns are very painful.
Treatment:
Do not break the blisters as this opens the skin to possible infection.
Clean the burned area and remove any dead skin. Use antimicrobial agents to clean the area.
Use a water-soluble antibiotic cream. Apply a dressing such as a sterile non-stick dressing if appropriate and possible. It may not be possible to keep a bandage on an older animal. As always, treat the shock.
Provide an analgesic, anti-inflammatory medication such as Meloxicam (Metacam®) for pain management
Third degree
- A third degree burn is characterized by charred skin.
- The burn penetrates the entire thickness of the skin and affects the tissues underneath. Because the nerve endings are affected, these burns are not as painful as second degree burns.
Treatment:
- Clean the wound.
- Debride necrotic tissue.
- Provide supportive therapy and treat shock. Fluid replacement is extremely important.
- Oral antibiotic therapy may be indicated. Apply a water-soluble antibiotic cream such as SSD® Bandage the wounds with a non-stick sterile compress. BioDerm® or BioDress® compresses can be used. Dressings should be changed daily.
- Provide analgesic, anti-inflammatory medication for pain management. The prognosis will depend on the amount of surface area burned. Usually, if more than 30% of the body is covered with third degree burns, the animal will not survive.
External parasites
Parasites such as fleas, lice, mites or ticks live on the external surface of their host.
External parasites, eggs or fecal matter of parasites can usually be seen on the animal during the physical examination.
Maggot eggs, External maggot eggs, usually from flies.
Symptoms:
The eggs are clustered, usually white or light yellow. Some people describe them as looking like clumps of pollen. In warm weather, they can hatch in a few hours.
Common Causes:
Insects will take advantage of a weakened animal with wounds, illnesses or injuries or babies that are not mobile and cannot groom themselves. This presents an opportunity for flies to lay their eggs in moist areas such as the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, open wounds, armpits, groin and anus.
Possible treatments:
Maggot eggs should be removed as soon as possible. They are often easier to remove when they are dry. Some methods to remove them include:
Moisten a cloth with vinegar and wipe the hairy area, making sure not to touch eyes and sores, then shampoo with Dawn®.
Chip combs work well. Soak the comb in a solution of Dawn® and warm water to remove the eggs.
You can also use paper tape, scotch tape or lint remover.
A soft toothbrush can also be used to remove maggot eggs from the fur.
The cornstarch dries out the eggs and makes them easier to remove.
External maggots
Maggots are insect larvae; usually (blowflies, blowflies and common houseflies) fly larvae. Maggots seen on wildlife eat live or dead flesh.
Symptoms:
You will see small worm-like larvae, usually white, squirming in large numbers.
Often, the movement of maggots is the first sign of infestation. They are found around the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, genitals, anus, wounds, folds and creases of the body.
Internal parasites
Internal parasites such as protozoa or worms live in the host’s body.
They occupy the digestive tract, body cavities or live in body organs, blood, tissues and even cells.
Eggs and larvae of internal parasites may appear on fecal examination. A negative sample does not mean that the animal does not have internal parasites. The general rule is that the animal is not considered parasite-free unless three separate fecal samples have tested negative. Animals may have false-negative fecal samples for a variety of reasons:
- Some parasites are not prolific egg producers
- Worms do not produce eggs until they are mature
- The eggs are not permanently lost
- The eggs can remain in the Gl tract
In case of light infestation, where maggots are confined to the surface:
All that may be needed is a good cleaning to remove all maggots and eggs.
- Remove maggots, paying particular attention to the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, anus and superficial wounds.
- Change bedding frequently.
- Keep the animal warm.
With heavy infestations or deep wounds:
***Communicate with your veterinarian
- Administer a dewormer.
- Rinse the wound with normal saline for deep wounds. This will remove maggots that are near the surface.
- Give oral antibiotics.
- Rinse the wound again within 12 to 24 hours to remove dead maggots and other debris.
- Change bedding frequently.
Possible treatments:
Hydrogen peroxide has been recommended in the past; however, it is harsh on sensitive tissue.
- Treat in case of shock.
- Administer a carefully measured dose of ivermectin by mouth or injection. If you use ivermectin, also treat with antibiotics. Antibiotics help the body fight off dead maggots.
- Oral Capstar® or oral or injectable Ivermectin® can kill maggots that cannot be removed manually.
- Wash with Cara-Klenz®* or other appropriate product.
- Rinse the area several times with a saline solution to help remove maggot corpses. An enema with normal saline solution can help remove maggots from the rectum. * Enemas should not be performed unless an oral antiparasitic agent is administered.
- Give an antiparasitic agent to kill maggots remaining in the gut.
- Warm water works well to remove maggots from superficial wounds*.
- Vaseline reduces the oxygen in the maggots, bringing them to the surface for removal. However, you must then remove the petroleum jelly from the wound and the fur.
*Babies may feel cold if not completely dried and warmed after any washing or rinsing procedure.
Ticks, fleas and lice
Treatments against ticks, fleas and lice:
-
Advantage® (imidacloprid) is a topical liquid that is highly effective against fleas when applied to the skin. The solution is dosed by weight and recommended for puppies and kittens over 8 weeks of age. It has been used safely on younger animals. On small babies, one or two drops may be enough. One application lasts one month. Advantage is not an insecticide like many other topical products containing pyrethrins.
-
Revolution® (selamectin) a monthly topical treatment is effective against fleas, ticks and lice.
-
Advantage Multi® is a topical product that will eliminate external parasites as well as deworm many internal parasites.
For very young babies with little fur, it is easier and safer to remove parasites by hand rather than using chemical agents.
Conjunctivitis
Symptoms:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Eyes that can be closed or squinted
- The third eyelid may be visible
- Eye flow
- Other upper respiratory symptoms
- Itching or pain
Common Causes:
- Virus
- Bacteria
- Environmental agents
- Trauma
- Chemical irritation
- Foreign object
- Allergy
Possible treatments:
Clean the eyes with a warm cloth to remove any debris before administering ointment. Apply an ophthalmic antibiotic ointment such as triple antibiotic ophthalmic or tetracycline ointment.