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Ben's Zoo
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Did anyone watch this?
I had to keep switching over because I kept getting upset when the keepers got upset. :rolleyes: I'm such a wuss.
Also flicked over at totally the wrong moment to hear the tiger get shot. I had no idea that's how they're dispatched at animal parks, I thought they just gave them a big cat size euthenasia injection particlarly as they're always banging on on Animal Park about how the old animals might not survive the anaesthetic when they have an operation.
Poor Ben looked pretty shocked when he heard it too.
I had to keep switching over because I kept getting upset when the keepers got upset. :rolleyes: I'm such a wuss.
Also flicked over at totally the wrong moment to hear the tiger get shot. I had no idea that's how they're dispatched at animal parks, I thought they just gave them a big cat size euthenasia injection particlarly as they're always banging on on Animal Park about how the old animals might not survive the anaesthetic when they have an operation.
Poor Ben looked pretty shocked when he heard it too.
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I also watched and it was OK. Will probably be watching next week also.
I would suspect an issue of cost; the amount of pentobarbitone potentially required compared to the cost of a bullet, and also if done correctly, euthanasia by gun can be quick and painless. Also, will be without the concern of having prepared correct dosages based on weight guess-timations and ultimately if it's going to work efficiently and effectively without the animal jumping around if not dosed correctly, prolonging the stress.
I am so glad they got their loan as it was getting a bit desperate moneywise.
What a great staff he inherited - they all seem as if they'd work for the love of the animals alone, never mind wages.
Good luck to them all and the animals.
I hope things pick up for them all on next weeks show.
Edit - something I thought of during the doping scenes, where they are always wary of the animals (big cats especially), coming round unexpectedly - is there no restaining device (something that fits on the legs, maybe) they can use to disable the animal whilst it is being checked up? Or even better, a large muzzle? After all, someone could get killed if it all went wrong.
I think that it's a toss-up between safety, being able to manouvere the patient easily and ensuring that there is little restraint of breathing, etc.
Especially with a muzzle, it can affect the breathing of the anaesthetised animal and also prevent effective monitoring of the respiration rate, etc., thus increasing the risk during surgery.
Talking from veterinary experience however, not ever been in such close contact with a tiger or leopard!!!
I missed the programme last night, but maybe I'm missing something here, but how would you get a muzzle on a fully conscious tiger, for instance and then restrain its limbs? And if you did succeed, I certainly wouldn't want to be the one to take the muzzle off a fairly peed off tiger!:eek:
Must set up my Toppy to record it next week.
Caz
I certainly did not suggest muzzling a conscious big cat (where did you get that idea from in my post?).
I merely meant that once the animal is doped that maybe a loose muzzle can be put on it in case it suddenly came round, as the staff mentioned several times that that can happen.
As pointed out, a muzzle would restrict breathing.
But I still think there must be something that can be used. After all, it's not a little tabby cat that's lying there!
Indeed, and little tabby cats can be bad enough. Or in my case a little black cat with a definite psychotic streak.
Sorry, thought you were putting it forward as an alternative to sedating, the animal. After re-reading your post I can see what you meant. My apologies.
Caz
Ben seemed amazingly brave (or mad!) taking on such a project but he has some really devoted staff working with him.
The bit where the tiger had to be put down was so very sad though, but probably a good introductions to the harsh realities he's going to have to face.
Really looking forward to next week's installment
No problem!