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Irene is 58 years old and doing well except that she can’t seem to lie down when asked or when trying to sleep at night. Is she painful? Find out more https://drjeffnichol.com/aging-isnt-for-sissy-elephants/
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Third in a series We suspected Irene’s legs were too uncomfortable for her to stay lying down long enough for quality shut eye. But there was more; she’d accumulated additional maladies over her 58 years. And, hey, which AARP member among us hasn’t? The ABQ BioPark’s elephant herd includes Alice, born in 1974, and her daughter Rozie, a 1992 model. And, much as their natural ranging sisters would, they get along fine. Albert, the stud with tusks, was born in 1998 to Calvin and Lilly at African Lion Safari in Ontario, Canada. Albert moved to the BioPark in 2003. Irene and Albert share a rather sordid history. Irene ignited a fracas with this bull over attention from their care staff. She ended up on the ground, injuring her right front leg, which was already stiff. Her limp has improved somewhat but if you look carefully you can see a hitch…
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Second in a series A highly skilled, and tired elephant Will Rogers once said, “I have always felt that the best doctor is the veterinarian. He can’t ask his patients what is the matter…he’s just got to know.” Old Will had a point. When I queried Irene, the Asian elephant, about why she wouldn’t lie down long enough to catch a few Zs, she just smiled. Who knew elephants could be smart alecks? Clearly, we would have to resort to modern medicine. Dr. Carol Bradford, of the ABQ Biopark, had already x-rayed Irene’s feet and found them normal. She would have imaged other joints too if they weren’t too enormous for portable x-ray equipment. Physical exam findings and blood results were also fine. She considered a behavioral cause and contacted me. I had my suspicions; Irene is an old timer, after all. I watched as Callie, the Biopark’s elephant trainer, put…
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Dr Jeff Nichol joins the dog pound to talk ticks, licks & sticks for your pooch.
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First in a series A big, older girl with a gentle soul was having a hard time sleeping. She laid down during the night but popped back up after a few minutes. She was also getting easily startled. There had been a lot of birthdays along the way, accompanied by a thick medical record. Everybody was worried. Her doctor contacted me for behavioral advice. No, not for herself – for her patient. Jeez. Sleep happens in the brain but problems elsewhere in the body can have an impact. Veterinary behavior medicine includes all of it. So I offered to have a look. I’ve consulted for the ABQ Biopark in the past, on a jaguar, a capybara, and a spider monkey. This time it was “Irene” who needed help. The matriarch of the Asian elephant herd is 58 years old and generally doing well for her age. She arrived in Albuquerque…
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When well-meaning dog lovers approach or reach for your dog, does she tremble, growl, or lunge? Early puppy socialization means exposing them to gentle people and pets. It’s a great way of preventing fear-driven, defensive aggressive behavior later. Healthy behavior management should start as early as age 7 weeks.
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Last in a series As Scott slowly recovered from distemper he began to eat on his own and even play. It was a huge relief; my best friend was going to be OK. To my parents, though, he was “a dog.” Actually, they were right. We love our pets like little people in furry suits, so shouldn’t they comport themselves like good children? Canine brains are hard-wired differently. Scott was genetically programmed to point and retrieve birds with mental focus, along with a generous helping of physical stamina. Confined to the kitchen, only allowed outside on-leash to prevent damage to the suburban landscaping, he was a fish out of water. Maybe I should have raised guppies instead. Not! I was clueless and, sadly, so were my parents. Scott’s house soiling and woodwork chewing were “bad behaviors.” I did my best. We tugged on chew toys together and played ball outside…
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During Luna’s first weeks she missed out on gentle social exposures, causing her to be afraid when approached by anyone. Well-meaning human attempts to make friends triggered defensive lunging and snapping. You can side-step fearful encounters for your puppy by providing the kid with choices. Let your puppy choose to interact when she is ready. And NO DOMINANCE moves. Dogs were not put on this earth to challenge us humans for global supremacy.
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Third in a series
It was with gravitas that I began young Scott’s feeding regimen. I knew I was up to the task.