PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE
Preventative medicine programs for managed populations are centred on control of endo- and ectoparasites. In most managed populations, animals are captured and weighed on a monthly basis because the nocturnal nature of bandicoots and bilbies limits direct observations of animal behaviour and appetite.
This schedule of monitoring provides the opportunity for regular simple clinical examinations of animals. Examination should include assessment of body condition, pelage and skin quality, including noting any hair loss and the presence or absence of ectoparasites. The animal’s head can be exteriorised from the handling bag to allow for examination of the eyes, face and mouth, the latter to check for dental disease and tongue ulceration. Limbs should be carefully examined to note any nail trauma, ulcerative lesions or growths. Examination of the cloacal area for growths and the ventral tail base for trauma should also be included. The latter is a common site for trauma in bandicoots that have become stressed and repeatedly jump against enclosure walls, potentially resulting in trauma, including fractures or dislocations to the tail base when they land (Fig. 41.1). Faecal samples should be obtained from individual animals twice yearly and decisions on therapeutics made on the assessment of pathogenicity of the parasitic species detected.4.
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