AVA Conference Adelaide 2016

Marsupials are commonly presented as sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. They are held in pretty much all zoos and wildlife parks in Australia for display and conservation breeding programs, are maintained by some research institutions, and in some jurisdictions are kept as pets. Veterinary care of marsupials has many similarities to domestic animals and exotic pets. However, there are notable differences in anatomy, physiology, diet, and biology that influence the common disease presentations, the approach to treatment, and requirements for hospitalisation and supportive care. This presentation will discuss the approach to the marsupial patient, the diagnosis and management of common diseases, preventative medicine, and general considerations of providing veterinary care to marsupials, with emphasis on macropods, possums, koalas and wombats. Specific topics will include restraint and anaesthesia, sample collection, drug therapy, capture myopathy and dental disease in macropods, gastrointestinal and skin disease in possums, infectious diseases and trauma of koalas, dental disease and sarcoptic mange in wombats, management of burned marsupials, and common problems of orphaned joeys