Invertebrate medicine (Proceedings)

Invertebrates, amphibians and other unusual pets are kept commonly by clients of the exotic animal practice and they are also brought to the office to veterinarians either as an emergency or for a routine checkup. Often the owners of these animals also have dogs and cats or other pets and this is a good opportunity to build new bridges and acquire new clientele.

In the public opinion, the good vet should be willing and be able to help all creatures great or small and give good/adequate advice. The confidence in the veterinarian may drop slightly when a dog or cat owner has a few questions about a spider and the question is answered with a grimace or shake of the head.

With some basic knowledge about the anatomy and physiology of these animals the most problems are often easily solved or even avoided. In the English literature, there are many references available about invertebrates and other lower animals. Some useful references are listed at the end of this text.

The invertebrate as a patient:

Often, the invertebrates will be presented as an individual patient, in this case) the thought process and the treatment should be carried out as in a normal domesticated patient (e.g., dog and cat).

Less often the invertebrates are presented as a "herd animal", but this can happen (e.g. breeder who experiences increased losses, pet store, etc.) In this case, I suggest to sent a few freshly dead or euthanized animals directly to the pathologist for a post-mortem investigation.

Before the examination, the examiner should be clear about what type of patient it is. Special attention should be paid to the "arms" of the animal. Invertebrates can defend themselves with their stinger (scorpion, bee, etc.), their fangs (Tarantulas) or secretions (millipedes) to name a few. Many of the invertebrate poisons cause a similar reaction to a bee sting. In case of an emergency it is good to be well prepared and I always advise the owner of the invertebrate pet to have an "Epipen" in stock. (available with 0.3 and 0.15 mg epinephrine, epipen.com).

Before the patient is handled it is often advisable to observe the patient in the container or tank. Often the patient is presented in a clear plastic container, which are very suitable to inspect the animal from all sides without the risk of injury to the animal or the examiner. With a systematic approach abnormal findings can be distinguished from normal findings. If certain questions arise during the presentation, one should not hesitate to ask the owner of the patient for their opinion. Often the owners are very attentive, educated about the species and helpful. This is a good chance to improve the doctor-client relationship.

With some skill, preparation and imagination even serious problems can be solved with the invertebrate patient.

      Common problems with invertbrate patients include:

          • Abscess

          • Acropora infection (coral)

          • Alopecia

          • Anorexia

          • Bacterial infections

          • Dehydration

          • Dysecdysis

          • Ectoparasites (Mites)

          • Endoparasites (Nematodes)

          • Fungal infections

          • Intoxication

          • Trauma

          • Viral infection

Good references on the subject of invertebrates in the clinic are:

Exotic DVM Magazin; www.exoticdvm.com

The Clinics of North America, Exotic Clinic Practice; http://www.vetexotic.theclinics.com/

Invetebrate Medicine ; www.amazon.de (ca. $ 120)

American Tarantula Society; http://atshq.or