Title: Lameness and rehabilitation: Part 1 - Early signs, risk factors and management
 
Abstract:
Musculoskeletal issues of varying aetiology are a common form of
pathology in zoo species, and standard protocols are used to treat
this in zoos. Some interventions are purely pharmaceutical and
surgical. Is this enough, and if rehabilitation techniques are used,
can those from humans and domestic species be applied safely
and effectively to exotic species? Further, are our standard
approaches to zoo animal management and keeping causing
some musculoskeletal pathology?
​
This talk will cover the management of musculoskeletal and
neurological health in daily husbandry routines, as well as
rehabilitative approaches for lameness and associated pathology.
Additionally, and using evidence from zoos and from the literature,
it outlines how rehabilitation/physiotherapy modalities could be altered to better fit the management of an exotic species, and how traditional approaches may be to the animal’s detriment.
 
Topics:
	
	
What management changes can be made to maintain health and recovery, in addition to (?) current practices, and how might they predispose animals to MSK pathology (examples of current enclosures for evaluation)?
	
	
	
How current rehabilitation might be altered for use with exotic species (examples from the literature)?
	
 
Run time - 95mins