A Day Helping at the Zoo

 

On Wednesdays We Wear Scales  A midweek check-in from your favorite pink-haired reptile nurse. Hey! This week’s newsletter is arriving a day late, but I promise I have a good excuse. I spent the day helping my friend Dr. Ariel at the zoo, which meant a long day surrounded by incredible animals and the kind of veterinary work that reminds me why I fell in love with this field in the first place. Because of confidentiality, I can’t share photos from the day, but it did get me thinking about some of the wildlife cases I’ve been lucky enough to help with over the years. Feature: An Eastern Box Turtle Patient This photo is from a time I assisted with anesthesia monitoring for an Eastern box turtle. In this case, the turtle was under anesthesia while we monitored vital signs, including blood flow using a Doppler flow detector (the device you see in the photo). Reptile anesthesia can be a delicate balance, since their physiology responds very differently than mammals, so careful monitoring is everything. Moments like this are a reminder that reptile and wildlife medicine requires patience, precision, and a deep respect for the animals we’re caring for. Keeper Note: Reptiles metabolize drugs differently than mammals, which means anesthesia and recovery require careful monitoring and species-specific protocols. Even years later, cases like this stick with me. There’s something incredibly meaningful about helping an animal that will eventually go right back into the wild. ************************************************* Monitoring anesthesia for an Eastern box turtle patient. Running for Nursing Council This week’s spotlight is a little different, it’s not a product, but something personal I’m really excited about. I’m currently running for Nursing Council at work, and it’s something that means a lot to me professionally. One of the things I care deeply about is making sure that exotics and wildlife medicine have a seat at the table when it comes to veterinary nursing conversations. Emergency medicine, anesthesia, and patient care look different when your patient might have scales, feathers, or a shell. Bringing that perspective into the council feels important, not just for me, but for the future of veterinary nursing as a whole. Why it matters: Fresh perspectives make better medicine, and exotics nurses bring a unique skill set that deserves representation. If I’m lucky enough to serve, I’m hoping to help amplify that voice. MY WEBSITE Visit Our Socials

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