Mouse deer (chevrotain) case method: 50 questions

At 5 p.m., 30 minutes after the evening feed, the keeper checks on a 4-year-old male Javan mouse deer kept in an indoor enclosure. The animal keeps standing up and lying down, and its left flank is clearly swollen. It is breathing fast, its mouth is slightly open and it is drooling. Today it had been given about three times the usual amount of bananas and apples left over from a visitor event.

What is the most appropriate first action for the keeper?

1. Remove the remaining food, keep it standing without stimulation, and have a vet examine it within 1 hour
2. Massage the belly firmly to release gas and lay it on its side to make it comfortable
3. Dissolve an over-the-counter human digestive remedy in water and give it to relieve gas
4. Watch until morning, since the gas will clear naturally overnight

AnswerA. Remove the remaining food, keep it standing without stimulation, and have a vet examine it within 1 hour

ExplanationLeft flank distension, restlessness, open-mouth breathing and drooling are classic signs of bloat in a ruminant, triggered here by a sudden increase in fruit. First stop feeding, do not chase it, keep it standing quietly, and see a vet within 1 hour. Do not lay it down: on its side, rumen gas presses on the diaphragm and makes breathing even harder. Massaging the belly or giving human medicine does nothing and the restraint stress risks capture myopathy. Bloat can suffocate the animal within hours, so waiting is contraindicated. If it is lying on its side and breathing fast, treat it as an immediate emergency.

IssuesThe direct cause was feeding large amounts of event leftovers outside the feeding plan. The basic rule that fruit is a side item in small amounts was not enforced on site, and there was no record or upper limit for feed quantities.

ImprovementState daily upper limits for fruit and vegetables on the feeding chart and ban the use of leftovers. Keep a leaf- and browse-based diet and make any changes gradually over 1–2 weeks. Make a 30-minute post-feeding observation routine and check for flank distension every time.

At 10 a.m., for the annual health exam, a 3-year-old female mouse deer was herded and caught, then restrained bare-handed for about 5 minutes for a blood draw. Twenty minutes after being returned to the enclosure, she is lying down and cannot stand; her limbs are rigid and trembling slightly. The urine she just passed was dark red, like cola. The keeper thinks she is probably just startled.

What is the most appropriate response in this situation?

1. She is just tired, so put her in the hiding place and leave her alone for half a day to recover
2. Hold her legs to help her stand and walk her to loosen the muscles
3. Suspect capture myopathy, place her in a dark, quiet, warmed box and go to an emergency vet immediately
4. Pour a sports drink into her mouth to counter dehydration, then watch

AnswerC. Suspect capture myopathy, place her in a dark, quiet, warmed box and go to an emergency vet immediately

ExplanationInability to stand, rigidity, trembling and dark red urine after chasing and restraint are classic findings of capture myopathy; muscle breakdown products damage the kidneys and sudden death can follow days later. Do not wait for recovery: minimize stimulation, place her in a dark, warmed box and take her straight to a vet. Forcing her to stand or walk spreads the muscle damage. Pouring liquid into the mouth risks aspiration, and human drinks are unnecessary. Waiting half a day is the worst choice, as it forfeits the chance of treatment. Tell the vet it is an even-toed ungulate, how long and how it was restrained, and the urine color.

IssuesThe capture method itself, herding and prolonged bare-handed restraint, caused the condition. There was no plan to use a blackout curtain or capture box, and the knowledge that mouse deer are extremely vulnerable to restraint stress had not been shared.

ImprovementHabituate animals beforehand to enter a capture box on their own, and write a procedure that blocks their view with a blackout curtain and cloth and finishes quickly. Always observe for 1 hour after restraint and set a rule to see a vet immediately if the animal cannot stand or the urine is dark. Discuss the need for sedation with the vet in advance.

On a February morning, while collecting droppings in the enclosure, the keeper notices that the usual small pellets have been shapeless soft stool for 3 days, and this morning it is watery. The fur around the anus of a 6-year-old female mouse deer is soiled and her coat has lost its shine. Since last week, a newly delivered batch of vegetables had been fed unwashed. She still has an appetite.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Stop fruit and vegetables, give leaves only, collect a stool sample and see a vet the same day
2. Crush a small amount of human anti-diarrheal into the food and continue until it stops
3. Decide there is no problem because she is eating, and watch for a week
4. Fast her for a full day with water only to rest the gut

AnswerA. Stop fruit and vegetables, give leaves only, collect a stool sample and see a vet the same day

ExplanationProgression from soft to watery stool and a dull coat are signs of enteritis or parasites, and the new unwashed vegetables are the likely trigger. As the manual says, stop fruit, give leaves only, collect a stool sample and see a vet the same day for a fecal exam. Human anti-diarrheals harm ruminant digestion and worsen things if the cause is parasites or bacteria. Fasting a ruminant disrupts the rumen microbes and invites bloat and weakness. Watching for a week is dangerous in a 1.5–2.5 kg animal, where dehydration progresses fast. See a vet immediately if she becomes lethargic or passes bloody stool.

IssuesThe cause was feeding unwashed new vegetables and changing the diet abruptly. The habit of recording stool condition was weak, so 3 days of soft stool were overlooked. Regular fecal exams were not being done.

ImprovementAlways wash raw vegetables and introduce new foods in small amounts over a week. Record stool shape and amount daily and set a rule to see a vet after 2 consecutive days of soft stool. Run fecal exams several times a year and remove droppings from the floor daily.

At 8 a.m. in January, staff discover the heating timer had switched off overnight; the thermometer reads 16°C. An 8-year-old male mouse deer is curled up motionless at the back of his hiding place and only moves his ears when approached. His ears and legs feel cold and his body is trembling slightly. There is clear discharge on his nose and his breathing is somewhat fast and shallow.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Warm him up quickly by blowing a hair dryer directly on his body
2. Raise the room temperature to around 28°C, place a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle against one side of his body, and observe for 1 hour
3. Drive him to walk around the enclosure so exercise raises his body temperature
4. Warm him from the extremities by dipping his legs in hot water

AnswerB. Raise the room temperature to around 28°C, place a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle against one side of his body, and observe for 1 hour

ExplanationBelow 20°C a mouse deer is prone to hypothermia and pneumonia; cold ears and legs, trembling, nasal discharge and shallow rapid breathing are the signs. First raise the room temperature to around 28°C and place a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle against one side of the body, leaving him room to move away. If there is no improvement in 1 hour, see a vet; if breathing stays fast, suspect pneumonia and get him examined the same day. A hair dryer or hot water causes burns and shock from sudden vasodilation. Driving him to move can trigger capture myopathy, which is fatal in a weakened animal.

IssuesThe heating timer was set wrongly and there was no system to alert staff to an overnight temperature drop. The importance of keeping 25°C or above year-round had not been shared with night staff, and the temperature log was not checked until the next morning.

ImprovementRun heating continuously, install a temperature logger with an alarm set to notify at a 20°C lower limit. Keep a spare heat lamp on hand and record the room temperature before and after shifts in winter. Post the warming and vet-visit procedure for when trembling or nasal discharge is found.

In April, a 5-year-old male mouse deer picks up his evening browse and drops it; drool and a little blood are visible at his mouth. On closer inspection, his left upper canine (tusk) is broken near the base. The day before, staff had seen him startle and crash into the wire mesh when a visiting child banged on the fence. He is eating about half his usual amount.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Trim the broken tusk with pliers and apply antiseptic inside the mouth
2. Switch to soft fruit only and watch for a week
3. Record the bleeding and dropped food and have a vet examine the teeth the same day
4. Mix a human painkiller into the food to relieve pain

AnswerC. Record the bleeding and dropped food and have a vet examine the teeth the same day

ExplanationA broken tusk, bleeding from the mouth and dropping food are signs of dental trouble; if the broken pulp is exposed it causes severe pain and infection. Observe without restraint, record the findings and have a vet examine him the same day, requesting treatment under sedation. Trimming the tusk yourself causes restraint stress and further damage. Many human painkillers are toxic to ruminants and the dose is unknown, so never give them. A fruit-based diet causes bloat and diarrhea and only postpones the problem. Since he hit his head, also check for staggering and nosebleed.

IssuesThe inside of the wire mesh was not covered with cloth or planting, and the layout let visitors bang on the fence. The facility lacked measures against the mouse deer's startle-and-crash behavior and warnings to visitors.

ImprovementCover the inside of the mesh with cloth or planting and put distance between the fence and the visitor path. Enforce no running, banging or peering in with signs and staff reminders. Add a tusk check to health exams and offer tough browse to encourage natural wear.

In September, in an enclosure housing two animals, a 1-year-old female mouse deer has grown thin over several weeks and her coat has dulled. This morning she passed soft stool and spends less time out of the hiding place. When she yawned, her gums looked pale. The bedding has stayed wet all summer and no fecal exam has been done in over a year. Her mother, housed with her, looks well.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Sharply increase high-calorie grain pellets because she is thin
2. Collect stool from both animals, see a vet the same day, and replace all the bedding with dry material
3. Young animals are just prone to thinness, so watch until winter
4. Give an over-the-counter dog or cat dewormer dosed by weight and leave it at that

AnswerB. Collect stool from both animals, see a vet the same day, and replace all the bedding with dry material

ExplanationWeight loss, pale gums from anemia, diarrhea, a dull coat and poor growth in a young animal are classic signs of parasites, with wet bedding and missed fecal exams as the background. The cagemate is likely infected too, so collect stool from both, see a vet the same day, and deworm and recheck as the vet directs. At the same time replace the bedding with dry soil and leaf litter and remove droppings daily to break reinfection. Dog and cat dewormers can be toxic to other species; do not use them. A sudden increase in grain causes bloat. Watching an animal with advancing anemia can end in sudden death.

IssuesFecal exams, needed several times a year, had not been done for over a year, and overly wet bedding had been left alone. In a multi-animal enclosure there was no awareness of checking cagemates when one animal falls ill.

ImprovementSchedule fecal exams 3–4 times a year and record results in each animal's chart. Keep bedding humid but well drained and replace wet areas weekly. Record monthly weight and gum color and see a vet when weight trends down.

At 2 p.m., as the keeper closed the service door, the foreleg of a 2-year-old female mouse deer standing at their feet was caught in the gap between the door and frame. She pulled her leg free at once and fled, but she held up her right foreleg, bounded away on three legs and dove into the hiding place. From a distance the middle of the leg looks unnaturally bent. No bleeding is visible.

What is the most appropriate first action for the keeper?

1. Pull her out of the hiding place, straighten the leg and splint it with chopsticks and bandage
2. Do not chase; guide her into a darkened capture box on her own and see a vet immediately
3. Leave her alone in the enclosure until the pain subsides and check the next day whether she can walk
4. Pick her up, put her in the car and drive to the animal hospital with her on your lap

AnswerB. Do not chase; guide her into a darkened capture box on her own and see a vet immediately

ExplanationA leg bent at an unnatural angle suggests a fracture and calls for an emergency vet visit. Pencil-thin legs break further when the animal is chased or restrained, and splinting it yourself displaces bone fragments and damages nerves and vessels. Do not chase; place a darkened capture box near the hiding place, guide her in on her own, line it with cloth to prevent rolling, and transport quietly. Carrying her on your lap risks her bolting, causing further injury and escape. Waiting until the next day lets the bone shift and narrows the treatment options. Tell the vet it is an even-toed ungulate and describe how and when the leg was caught.

IssuesThe door was closed without holding it by hand and without checking underfoot. The gap between door and frame was over 2 cm, a structure thin legs can slip into, and had been left as it was. The work procedure did not warn about the animal's habit of being at your feet.

ImprovementModify door and fence gaps to under 2 cm and set a rule to always hold the door and close it slowly. Confirm the animal's location before work and enter when it is in the hiding place. Keep a capture box permanently in place and habituate the animal to it daily.

At 9:30 a.m., just after opening, a test of the park's PA system blared loudly into the enclosure. A 3-year-old male mouse deer leapt and crashed headfirst into the wooden wall; after falling he got up but walks unsteadily, shaking his head from side to side. Blood is dripping from his nose and there is a small bleeding laceration on his forehead.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Press the bleeding site with clean gauze to stop it, and see a vet immediately because of the staggering and nosebleed
2. Judge it a minor bump and watch for a day until he settles in the hiding place
3. Keep talking to him to keep him conscious and walk him while standing
4. Pack his nose with cotton and scrub the forehead wound with antiseptic

AnswerA. Press the bleeding site with clean gauze to stop it, and see a vet immediately because of the staggering and nosebleed

ExplanationStaggering and a nosebleed after a head crash suggest intracranial injury or a fractured nasal bone and meet the criteria for an immediate vet visit. Press the forehead bleeding with clean gauze and layer more on top rather than peeling it off. Transport quietly in a dark capture box without chasing. Talking to him or walking him causes excitement and secondary injury and worsens any brain damage. Packing the nose obstructs breathing, and scrubbing the wound damages tissue. Head trauma can progress hours later, so watching for a day is dangerous.

IssuesManagement did not realize the PA test would affect the mouse deer enclosure. It had not been shared across departments that this is an animal in which sudden loud noise causes fatal panic.

ImprovementSet up a system to notify keepers in advance of PA tests, construction and event audio, and reschedule if needed. Cover walls with soft material or planting and move speakers away from the enclosure. Post the observation items after a head crash (staggering, nosebleed, pupils).

During facility renovation, a 7-year-old female mouse deer has been kept for 2 weeks in a temporary pen with a bare concrete floor. Since this morning she drags her left hind leg; on inspection the tip of the hoof is split lengthwise and the area is slightly red. The floor is always wet and there is no dry soil or rock. Her appetite is normal but she walks less.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Clip off the split part with nippers and seal it with superglue
2. Move her to a floor with thick dry bedding and see a vet the same day for hoof trimming under sedation
3. Hooves heal on their own, so leave it until the renovation is finished
4. Give daily antiseptic foot baths and see a vet if it has not healed in 2 weeks

AnswerB. Move her to a floor with thick dry bedding and see a vet the same day for hoof trimming under sedation

ExplanationA hard, constantly wet concrete floor causes cracked and overgrown hooves, and limping calls for a same-day vet visit. First move her to dry soil or thick bedding to reduce strain and infection, then ask the vet to trim and treat the hoof under sedation. Trimming it yourself causes restraint stress and capture myopathy, plus bleeding and deep infection. Left alone, the crack deepens and infection reaches the joint. Antiseptic foot baths require daily restraint, which is unrealistic and harmful for a mouse deer.

IssuesThe basic rule that a temporary pen must never have a bare mesh or concrete floor was not reflected in the renovation plan. No dry soil and rock were provided, and hooves were not checked during the temporary period.

ImprovementEven in temporary pens, lay thick soil and leaf litter or bark chips and provide both dry soil and rock. Add a step where keepers check flooring at the renovation planning stage. Include limping and hoof condition in the daily observation record.

In November, during breeding season, two young males were placed in the same enclosure for display reasons. The next morning the keeper finds the younger male crouched in the corner of the hiding place with two deep wounds, apparently slashed by tusks, running from the flank to the belly, and blood seeping onto the floor. The other male is restless and stamping his hooves.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Apply ointment to the wounds, keep them together and watch until the hierarchy is settled
2. Separate the two immediately, press the injured animal's wounds with a clean cloth and see a vet immediately
3. Rinse the injured animal with water, return him to the enclosure and wait for the next day's routine exam
4. Scold the attacking male, chase him and move him to another cage

AnswerB. Separate the two immediately, press the injured animal's wounds with a clean cloth and see a vet immediately

ExplanationA male's tusks are elongated upper canines, and lacerations can be deep enough to reach the abdominal cavity. Abdominal wounds call for an immediate vet visit: first separate the two to stop further attacks, then press the wounds with a clean cloth for 5 minutes or more while transporting in a dark box. If kept together he will be attacked repeatedly and die. Ointment alone misses peritonitis or internal organ damage. Chasing the attacker causes capture myopathy and creates a second emergency patient. Separate them quietly by opening and closing a gate.

IssuesThe basic rule never to house males together was ignored for display reasons. The aggression of breeding-season males and the danger of tusks were not assessed, and there was no monitoring on the first night together.

ImprovementDocument a husbandry policy banning cohousing of males and require keeper approval for display plans. Work through the fence with breeding-season males and never touch them bare-handed. When moving or introducing animals, monitor the first night by camera or patrols.

On a December afternoon, the keeper crouched inside the enclosure to replace a feeder when a male mouse deer, agitated in breeding season, suddenly approached and bit the back of the right hand with his tusks. The tusks are deeply embedded and the animal has frozen, not letting go. The pain makes the keeper want to yank the hand free by reflex. No other staff are nearby.

What is the most appropriate response immediately after the bite?

1. Yank the hand out and kick the animal away to gain distance
2. Shout for help and pin the animal's neck with the free hand
3. Stop moving and look away, drape a cloth over the animal's face, and slowly withdraw the hand the moment the jaw loosens
4. Walk out of the enclosure with the animal still attached and pry him off on the door

AnswerC. Stop moving and look away, drape a cloth over the animal's face, and slowly withdraw the hand the moment the jaw loosens

ExplanationPulling or shaking free with tusks embedded tears the skin badly on the sharp tusks and breaks the animal's teeth. Shouting or pinning him worsens the panic and he bites again. First stop moving, stay silent, look away, drape a cloth or jacket over his face to darken it, wait for the jaw to loosen, and slowly withdraw the hand the moment it does. Then return him to the hiding place and stay away for 30 minutes. Rinse your own wound under running water and apply pressure; for a deep puncture see a doctor the same day for infection prevention. Also observe the animal's legs and mouth for abnormalities.

IssuesThe keeper broke the rule of working through the fence and never handling breeding-season males bare-handed, and entered the enclosure alone. The check before crouching was insufficient and no cloth or other bite-response equipment was carried.

ImprovementLimit work in breeding-season male areas to two-person or through-the-fence work, and always carry a thick cloth. Replace feeders when the animal is in its hiding place. Post the bite-release procedure and review it with all staff.

The day after a new 70 cm-high fallen log was installed as enrichment, a 1-year-old male mouse deer, startled by a patrolling staff member, jumped down from the top of the log. On landing he held up his right hind leg and bounded to the hiding place on three legs. No bleeding or exposed bone is visible, but an hour later he still will not put the leg down.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Pull him out of the hiding place and feel the leg to check for yourself whether it is broken
2. Assume a sprain and watch for a few days until he can walk
3. Remove the log, transport him quietly in a capture box and see a vet the same day
4. If it hurt he would not move, so lure him with food and make him walk

AnswerC. Remove the log, transport him quietly in a capture box and see a vet the same day

ExplanationJumping from a tall structure is a classic cause of fractures in thin legs, and persistently holding a leg up meets the same-day vet criteria. A hairline crack in a thin leg cannot be seen, and feeling it yourself causes restraint stress and displaces fragments. Remove the log to prevent recurrence, guide him into a capture box on his own and transport quietly. Watching for days turns an incomplete fracture into a complete one, and forcing him to walk is equally dangerous. If the leg is at an unnatural angle, see a vet immediately.

IssuesThe husbandry rule not to build tall structures was overlooked in the enrichment plan. The goal was gentle terrain to walk, not climb, yet no one considered that 70 cm was dangerous for such thin legs.

ImprovementLimit new structures to gentle terrain of about 20 cm or less and have keepers and the vet review drawings before installation. Set a one-week settling period after installation with no startling, and change the patrol route to the side away from the hiding place.

At 4 p.m., a new staff member carried food in with both the inner and outer doors open at once, and a 2-year-old female mouse deer slipped past their feet into the corridor. She has crawled under a shelf in the back-of-house storage area and frozen. Other staff are gathering and someone suggests herding her out.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Reduce the number of people, keep quiet, place a dark capture box and food nearby, and wait for her to enter on her own
2. Have all staff surround the shelf and catch her in one go with a net
3. Reach under the shelf, grab a leg and pull her out
4. Spray her with a hose to flush her out from under the shelf

AnswerA. Reduce the number of people, keep quiet, place a dark capture box and food nearby, and wait for her to enter on her own

ExplanationThe rule for an escaped mouse deer is never to chase; chasing can kill through crash injuries or capture myopathy. First reduce the people, keep quiet and close the exits, then place a dark capture box and favorite browse near the shelf and wait for her to enter on her own. A frozen animal stays put if not stimulated. Surrounding her, grabbing a leg or spraying water all provoke panic and break pencil-thin legs. After recovery, rest her in the dark box for 30 minutes or more, and see a vet if she cannot stand or the urine is dark red.

IssuesThe double-door rule was not enforced and both doors were opened at once. Training of new staff was inadequate and did not cover the animal's habit of being underfoot. There was no escape procedure and no fixed place for the capture box.

ImprovementPost the rule that one door must be closed before the other is opened and fit the inner door with a self-closer. Write an escape procedure (keep quiet, do not chase, set out the capture box) and include it in new-staff training. Keep a capture box and blackout cloth in the back-of-house area at all times.

At 11 a.m. on a Sunday, a dog brought by a visitor kept barking in front of the enclosure glass. A 4-year-old female mouse deer bolted around and crashed into the wall three times, then collapsed on her side in a corner, breathing hard with her mouth open. She tries to get up but falls. Staff have removed the dog, but visitors are pressing their faces to the window to peer in.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Cover the window with a blackout curtain, move visitors away, do not force her up, and contact the vet immediately
2. Pick her up at once and run to the clinic
3. Watch until she calms down and resume normal display once she can stand
4. Splash water on her face to bring her to her senses

AnswerA. Cover the window with a blackout curtain, move visitors away, do not force her up, and contact the vet immediately

ExplanationThe sight or sound of a dog is a cause of fatal panic in mouse deer; repeated crash injuries and lying on her side unable to rise meet the criteria for an immediate vet visit. First cut off the stimulus by covering the window with a blackout curtain and moving visitors away, then, without chasing or stimulating her, contact the vet immediately to come on site or transport her in a dark capture box. Picking her up and running invites further crashes and capture myopathy. Splashing water only adds stimulation. Even if she stands, sudden death from capture myopathy can occur days later, so do not resume display; keep observing and have her examined.

IssuesThe pet policy for visitors was not enforced near the enclosure and there was no structure to block dogs or barking. Staffing was insufficient to stop visitors from peering in.

ImprovementMake the area around the enclosure a no-pets zone and enforce it with signs and patrols. Add screening plants or a height limit at the viewing window and keep a blackout curtain ready to cover it instantly during panic. Also consider relocating out of earshot of dogs.

During morning cleaning, a staff member crouched to gather leaf litter and put a knee on the back of a 3-year-old female mouse deer hidden in the planting at their feet. She gave a scream-like cry, leapt away and fled into the hiding place. A few minutes later she walks with her hindquarters lowered, dragging her hind legs, and although she adopts a urination posture no urine comes out.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Decide she was only startled, finish the usual cleaning and then watch
2. Suspect spinal or pelvic injury, avoid stimulation, transport quietly in a capture box and see a vet immediately
3. Massage and move her hindquarters to get her walking before deciding on a vet visit
4. Apply a human pain-relief patch to her back and return her to the hiding place

AnswerB. Suspect spinal or pelvic injury, avoid stimulation, transport quietly in a capture box and see a vet immediately

ExplanationA human knee on an animal of about 2 kg can cause spinal or pelvic injury. Dragging the hind legs and straining without passing urine strongly suggest nerve damage and call for an immediate vet visit. Massage or moving her worsens spinal cord injury. Human pain patches contain harmful ingredients and require restraint. Guide her into a capture box on her own, line it with cloth to prevent rolling, transport quietly, and tell the vet how she was trodden on and whether she has urinated. Inability to urinate damages the bladder and kidneys within hours, so finishing the cleaning first is not acceptable.

IssuesThere was no procedure to check surroundings before crouching, despite the animal's habit of being small and quiet underfoot. The cleaning route did not assume an animal could be in the planting.

ImprovementAlways confirm the animal's location before work and start only after seeing it enter the hiding place. State in the procedure that staff check visually before crouching. During work, temporarily partition off the side where the animal is and separate the routes.

In the evening, staff notice that blue plastic twine and bag scraps used to bundle browse had been left in the enclosure. On collecting them, part is missing, and a single blue thread hangs from the mouth of a 5-year-old male mouse deer. He is not seen ruminating and eats only a little of his evening feed. His belly is not distended but he is restless.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Pull the thread out of his mouth
2. Do not cut or pull the thread; photograph the debris, record how much is missing, and see a vet the same day
3. Give extra fruit so the fiber pushes it through
4. It will pass in the stool in a few days, so watch the droppings and wait

AnswerB. Do not cut or pull the thread; photograph the debris, record how much is missing, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationTwine and plastic lodge in a ruminant's rumen or intestine and cause obstruction or intestinal necrosis. Pulling a visible thread saws through the gut and the bunched intestine dies, so never pull it. Photograph the debris, record the missing amount and the state of the thread, and see a vet the same day. Stopped rumination and reduced appetite lasting half a day or more are themselves same-day criteria. Extra fruit causes bloat. Waiting days risks a worsening obstruction that needs surgery. If the belly distends, he drools or lies on his side, see a vet immediately.

IssuesThe basic rules of inspecting the floor before placing browse and removing debris daily were not followed, and bundling material was brought into the enclosure. There was no procedure for removing ties in the feed-prep area.

ImprovementRemove ties from browse in the prep room and post a rule that no plastic or twine enters the enclosure. Run a checklist inspection for foreign objects twice daily, before setup and after closing. Add rumination to the daily observation items.

On a Sunday afternoon, staff find a 6-year-old female mouse deer eating sweet bread and chocolate snacks that visitors threw over the enclosure fence. Wrappers and chocolate fragments are scattered on the floor. She looks lively for now but has brown smears around her mouth. The amount eaten is unclear.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Decide there is no problem since she is lively, collect the rest and carry on as usual
2. Give salt water to make her vomit up the stomach contents
3. Collect the rest, record what was eaten and the estimated amount, contact the vet, and watch for flank distension and stool changes
4. Give milk to neutralize it and watch

AnswerC. Collect the rest, record what was eaten and the estimated amount, contact the vet, and watch for flank distension and stool changes

ExplanationBread and sweet snacks ferment rapidly in the rumen and cause bloat and acidosis with diarrhea. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is harmful, and even a small amount is dangerous in an animal of about 2 kg. Ruminants cannot be made to vomit, and salt water causes salt poisoning. Milk does nothing and promotes diarrhea. Collect the rest, record the type and estimated amount, contact the vet and follow instructions. Watch for several hours for flank distension, drooling, restlessness and stool changes, and see a vet immediately if distension or open-mouth breathing appears. Complacency while she still looks well is the greatest danger.

IssuesThe fence was within throwing distance of visitors, and no-feeding signs and supervision were inadequate. Visitors had not been told that bread, grain and sweets cause bloat and poisoning.

ImprovementInstall a double barrier and planting between the fence and the visitor path to physically prevent throwing. Post no-feeding signs with the reason and increase patrols on holidays. Post the observation items for accidental ingestion and the vet's contact details in the keeper room.

On a June morning, 2 hours after being fed mulberry browse donated by a nearby farm, a 3-year-old male mouse deer is drooling heavily and his body is trembling finely. He is unsteady on his feet and his pupils look small. On checking, the farm had sprayed pesticide in its orchard the day before, and the browse was cut nearby. The same browse has already been fed to the other animals.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Remove the browse from all animals at once, confirm the pesticide name, see a vet immediately and observe the other animals
2. Give plenty of water to dilute it and watch
3. Take only the one symptomatic animal to the vet and leave the other animals' browse in place
4. Pour activated charcoal into his mouth as an antidote before deciding on a vet visit

AnswerA. Remove the browse from all animals at once, confirm the pesticide name, see a vet immediately and observe the other animals

ExplanationHeavy drooling, trembling, unsteadiness and constricted pupils suggest pesticide poisoning such as organophosphates and require an immediate vet visit. At the same time, the other animals that ate the same browse may develop signs, so remove it from all enclosures at once, confirm the product name and spray date with the farm, and tell the vet; the pesticide name matters for choosing treatment. Water does not detoxify, and self-administered activated charcoal risks aspiration, has uncertain effect in ruminants and involves restraint stress. Treating only the one sick animal leaves the rest at risk.

IssuesThere was no system to check where donated browse was collected or its spray history, so the principle of never feeding pesticide-treated leaves was not ensured at the sourcing stage.

ImprovementRequire browse donors to declare collection site and spray history, and set a rule not to accept browse within a set period after spraying. Grow pesticide-free mulberry and loquat on site to raise self-sufficiency. Trial browse from new sources in small amounts and record post-feeding observations.

At 1 p.m. in August, the enclosure's air conditioning has failed; the thermometer reads 34°C and humidity 90%. Direct sunlight through the glass falls on the floor, and a 7-year-old female mouse deer is lying in a spot with no shade, breathing shallow and fast with her mouth open. There is only one water container, the water is low and has gone lukewarm. The repair technician is 2 hours away.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Pour ice water over her body to cool her fast and wait for the repair
2. Block the direct sun, set out several containers of cold water, lower the environment with misting and fans, and see a vet if she does not improve
3. Up to 30°C is within the proper range, so do nothing until the repair
4. Catch her and carry her to the air-conditioned office

AnswerB. Block the direct sun, set out several containers of cold water, lower the environment with misting and fans, and see a vet if she does not improve

ExplanationThe proper range is 25–30°C; at 34°C with high humidity and direct sun there is a risk of heatstroke. Open-mouth breathing and lying down are already signs of heat stress. First block the direct sun with shade cloth, set out cold fresh water in several low, heavy containers, lower the felt temperature with misting and fans, and place cloth-wrapped frozen bottles nearby. Rapid cooling with ice water constricts peripheral vessels so body temperature drops less, and the shock may make her bolt and crash. Catching and moving her invites capture myopathy. If breathing has not settled in 30 minutes or she cannot stand, see a vet immediately.

IssuesNo backup (spare fans, shade cloth, misting) was prepared for an air-conditioning failure, and there was only one water container despite the season. The layout that let direct sun hit the floor had also been left alone.

ImprovementKeep permanent shading and shade in summer, set out several water containers and record intake. Stock spare fans, a misting unit and frozen cold packs. Set a 30°C upper-limit alarm on the temperature and humidity logger and service the air conditioning before summer.

At 9 p.m. on a January night, a local power outage shuts down all heating and heat lamps in the animal room, and the room temperature drops to 22°C within an hour. There is no estimate for restoration. The two mouse deer are in their hiding places, but it is below freezing outside and cold is rising from the floor. There is no generator, but a cartridge gas heater, hot-water bottles and blankets are in storage.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Place the gas heater right in front of the hiding place to warm the animals directly
2. Catch the animals and move them to a cage in the warm staff room
3. Cover the hiding places with blankets, place cloth-wrapped hot-water bottles on one side of each, and keep replacing them while logging the room temperature
4. Do nothing until morning and raise the temperature once power is restored

AnswerC. Cover the hiding places with blankets, place cloth-wrapped hot-water bottles on one side of each, and keep replacing them while logging the room temperature

ExplanationMouse deer fall ill below 20°C, developing hypothermia and pneumonia. In an outage, first cover the hiding places with blankets to retain heat, place cloth-wrapped hot-water bottles on one side so the animals can move away, and replace them every 2–3 hours. Log the room temperature and contact the vet if it drops below 20°C. A gas heater placed close risks burns and carbon monoxide and may startle them into crashing. Catching and moving them invites capture myopathy from restraint stress, so warming in place takes priority over moving. Left until morning, they will be trembling with nasal discharge by dawn.

IssuesThere was no emergency power or warming plan for a winter outage. The requirement of a heated indoor room was met, but bedding depth to block cold from the floor and an outage procedure had not been decided.

ImprovementInstall a small generator or battery to power at least one heat lamp. Write an outage procedure (blankets, hot-water bottles, temperature log, contacts) and drill it before winter. Lay thick bark chips to block floor cold and use insulated wooden boxes as hiding places.

At 6 a.m. an earthquake of seismic intensity upper 5 strikes; part of the enclosure's resin-board wall has tilted and a ceiling light fixture has fallen, scattering fragments on the floor. A 5-year-old male mouse deer is in his hiding place and will not come out. Aftershocks continue and the keeper must check the animal and inspect the facility alone. There may be gaps through which he could escape outside.

What is the most appropriate first action for the keeper?

1. Pull him out of the hiding place and check for injuries by hand
2. Without speaking, first block the exits and gaps, quietly collect the fragments, and observe his breathing and posture from a distance
3. For safety, catch him, load him into the car and take him to an evacuation shelter
4. Stay away from the enclosure for half a day until the aftershocks subside

AnswerB. Without speaking, first block the exits and gaps, quietly collect the fragments, and observe his breathing and posture from a distance

ExplanationAfter an earthquake a mouse deer is extremely on edge, and chasing or restraint leads to capture myopathy and escape. First quietly block the gaps and exits that could serve as escape routes, collect floor fragments to prevent injury, and without speaking watch from a distance for ear and eye movement, chest movement and posture. Treat an animal in its hiding place as being in a safe spot and do not force it out. If you see him lying on his side, limping or bleeding, contact the vet. Loading him into a car to evacuate is a last resort, only if he can be guided into a capture box on his own. Leaving him for half a day risks escape through a gap and missed bleeding.

IssuesThere was no earthquake inspection procedure or priority order, so first actions like sealing gaps and collecting fragments were left to the individual keeper's judgment. Fall protection for light fixtures and wall anchoring were also inadequate.

ImprovementState the order in the disaster procedure: seal gaps, collect fragments, observe from a distance, contact the vet. Anchor lights and walls for earthquakes and keep an evacuation capture box, blackout cloth and hot-water bottles in the animal room. Practice guiding into the capture box in an annual disaster drill.

Early on an April morning, a female mouse deer has given birth in the enclosure and the placenta and fluids remain on the floor. Mother and young are in the hiding place. The staff member on cleaning duty is pregnant and is about to sweep the floor with a dry broom as usual and then pick up the placenta bare-handed. The room is poorly ventilated and dried droppings easily become airborne.

What is the most appropriate instruction from the supervisor?

1. Take the pregnant staff member off the task; another staff member wets the floor, collects the placenta wearing gloves and a mask, and incinerates it
2. Birth is natural, so leave the placenta in place to let mother and young settle
3. Gloves make it safe even when pregnant, so let her continue as is
4. The placenta is nutritious, so let the mother eat it before cleaning up the rest

AnswerA. Take the pregnant staff member off the task; another staff member wets the floor, collects the placenta wearing gloves and a mask, and incinerates it

ExplanationPlacenta and birth fluids of even-toed ungulates and dust from dried droppings are sources of Q fever. Q fever can cause miscarriage and other serious harm in pregnant women, so pregnant staff must be excluded from handling birth materials and dried droppings. Another staff member wears gloves and a mask, wets the floor to suppress dust, collects the placenta and incinerates it. Sweeping with a dry broom raises dust and increases inhalation risk. Leaving the placenta keeps the infection source in the enclosure, and letting the mother eat it is not recommended on hygiene grounds. Work quietly and quickly so as not to disturb mother and young.

IssuesAlthough the birth was expected, the procedure for handling birth materials and the assignment of pregnant staff had not been considered in advance. Dry cleaning was habitual and knowledge of the Q fever route had not reached the floor.

ImprovementLimit who works around the due date and do not assign pregnant or immunocompromised staff. Post the procedure: collect birth materials promptly with gloves and mask and incinerate. Always wet down before cleaning and improve ventilation.

The facility has three enclosures; in one, a 3-month-old mouse deer fawn has ongoing watery diarrhea. For efficiency, a new staff member starts the morning work in the fawn's enclosure, then refills the water containers in the other two areas in the same boots and gloves, and eats a rice ball in the keeper corridor between tasks.

What is the most appropriate guidance?

1. Tell them the order does not matter and washing hands afterwards is enough
2. Care for the diarrheic animal last, use separate boots and gloves for each area, and do not eat or drink in the animal area
3. Only the fawn's enclosure needs disinfecting; the same gear is fine elsewhere
4. Tell them fawn diarrhea clears on its own and no special measures are needed

AnswerB. Care for the diarrheic animal last, use separate boots and gloves for each area, and do not eat or drink in the animal area

ExplanationFeces of young or diarrheic animals may contain Cryptosporidium or Salmonella, which spread orally to people and other animals. Start with healthy adults and leave young or diarrheic animals until last, with dedicated boots and gloves per area to prevent cross-infection. Wash and dry water containers daily. Eating in the animal area is the classic route of oral infection from feces-contaminated hands and must be banned. Wash hands with soap after work. Collect a stool sample from the fawn and see a vet the same day; see a vet immediately if there is bloody stool or lethargy.

IssuesThe basics of zoonosis control, work order, separate gear and no eating in animal areas, had not been taught to the new staff member. Efficiency was being put ahead of hygiene.

ImprovementState the work order (healthy first, young and diarrheic last) in the procedure and provide color-coded boots and gloves per area. Restrict eating to the break room and post the rule. Explain zoonosis routes in new-staff training and install handwashing stations at each area exit.

At 6 p.m. after closing, a patrol finds a 9-year-old male mouse deer lying on his side in a corner of the enclosure. Approaching without speaking, the keeper sees no response from ears or eyes and no chest movement. Foam is coming from his mouth. No pulse can be felt inside the hind leg. The vet is 15 minutes away by car and has answered the phone.

What is the most appropriate action for the keeper?

1. Extend the airway, wipe the foam, compress the chest just behind the elbow with one hand at 100–120 per minute, give 2 breaths through the nose every 30 compressions, and transport to the vet
2. Judge him dead, do nothing, and wait for the vet to arrive the next morning
3. Shake his body hard and call his name loudly to get the heart going
4. Turn him on his back and press the belly hard until foam stops coming from the mouth

AnswerA. Extend the airway, wipe the foam, compress the chest just behind the elbow with one hand at 100–120 per minute, give 2 breaths through the nose every 30 compressions, and transport to the vet

ExplanationWith no response, breathing or pulse, treat it as cardiac arrest and start resuscitation at once. Lay him on his side, extend the neck to open the airway, wipe the foam, and compress the chest just behind the elbow with one hand at 100–120 per minute. Give 2 breaths through the nose every 30 compressions, check for a response every 2 minutes, and continue during transport in a dark box. Shaking and shouting do not resuscitate, and pressing the belly on his back regurgitates rumen contents and causes aspiration. Judging him dead by appearance and doing nothing throws away the chance of revival. Tell the vet it is an even-toed ungulate, when he was found and when CPR began.

IssuesChanges in the elderly animal's condition were not picked up during daytime observation, and time passed before he was found after closing. Staff had not been trained in CPR and were left hesitating on site.

ImprovementRecord food intake, rumination and respiratory rate daily for elderly animals and see a vet early if anything changes. Post the CPR procedure (compression site, rate, rescue breaths) in the animal room and practice yearly on a stuffed toy. Make a final patrol before closing mandatory.

At 3 p.m., during an enclosure check, the keeper finds a 2-year-old female mouse deer bleeding from the inside of her left hind leg, with a trail of blood drops across the floor. A cut-off piece of wire mesh is lying in the planting. She stands at the entrance of the hiding place holding the leg up, blood still dripping. She tries to flee when approached. The vet's clinic is 20 minutes away by car.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Lift the leg above the heart, wait 5 minutes, and see a vet if it has not stopped
2. Tie a tourniquet tightly around the thigh, then pick her up and drive her
3. Guide her into a capture box, press with a clean cloth for 5 minutes or more, layer rather than remove the cloth, and transport in a warmed dark box
4. Pour antiseptic into the wound to flush it and wait for it to stop on its own

AnswerC. Guide her into a capture box, press with a clean cloth for 5 minutes or more, layer rather than remove the cloth, and transport in a warmed dark box

ExplanationFor leg bleeding, press firmly with a clean cloth for 5 minutes or more and, if blood soaks through, layer more on top rather than peeling it off. Lifting a thin leg above the heart risks fracture or dislocation; keeping the leg still comes first. A tourniquet causes tissue necrosis and is unsuitable for such a small leg. Pouring antiseptic does not stop bleeding and damages tissue. To avoid chasing, guide her into a capture box on her own, use cloth to prevent rolling, keep her at 25°C or above with a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle, and transport quietly. In an animal of about 2 kg even a small blood loss is large relative to blood volume, so see a vet immediately if it does not stop.

IssuesA cut-off piece of wire mesh was left in the planting; floor inspection before setup and debris removal were inadequate. Bleeding-control supplies and a capture box were not kept ready for immediate use in the animal room.

ImprovementAfter installing or removing materials, check for scraps and nails with a metal detector or by eye. Keep a kit of clean gauze, cloth, hot-water bottle and capture box in the animal room at all times. Post and drill the bleeding procedure (press, layer, do not move the leg).

On a November evening, reviewing the records, the keeper notes that a 6-year-old female mouse deer barely touched her morning browse and at midday lay at the back of the hiding place with no sign of ruminating. Her belly is not distended and she passed only a small amount of stool in the morning. Her ears move and she responds, but she usually comes out first at the evening feed and today she has not. The room temperature is an unchanged 27°C.

What is the most appropriate judgment for the keeper?

1. Wait until morning and consider a vet visit if she still does not eat the next day
2. Give extra favorite fruit to stimulate her appetite
3. Replace the browse with fresh for a change and watch for 2–3 days
4. Reduced appetite and no rumination have lasted over half a day, so have a vet examine her the same day

AnswerD. Reduced appetite and no rumination have lasted over half a day, so have a vet examine her the same day

ExplanationIn a ruminant, stopped rumination signals rumen dysfunction, and combined with reduced appetite for half a day or more it meets the same-day vet criteria. Causes range widely, from bloat, enteritis and foreign bodies to infection and dental pain, and a small animal of about 2 kg has little reserve, so waiting until morning risks rapid deterioration. Extra fruit disturbs rumen fermentation and triggers bloat. Merely swapping browse and watching for 2–3 days loses time. Give the vet the weight, diet, stool photos, whether she was restrained or moved, and the room temperature.

IssuesObservation records existed, but although reduced appetite was noticed in the morning there was no action threshold. Rumination was not clearly in the observation items, so the decision was delayed until evening.

ImprovementAdd rumination and leftover feed to the morning and evening records, and recheck at midday after a poor morning appetite. Write a same-day vet rule for reduced appetite and no rumination over half a day, so keepers can contact the vet without hesitation.

At 8 p.m., a 4-year-old male mouse deer developed bloat and the vet instructed transport. A new staff member placed him in the capture box, but inside the box he has rolled onto his side, his breathing has suddenly become fast and labored, and he has started open-mouth breathing. The clinic is still 15 minutes away. When the box is opened in the car he cannot get up.

What is the most appropriate response in the car?

1. Leave him on his side, speed up, and leave treatment to the clinic on arrival
2. Open the box, lift him out and carry him on your lap while rubbing his belly
3. Use cloth to gently return him to a chest-down resting position, support both sides with cloth to prevent rolling, and phone the vet with his condition
4. Pour cold water over the box to sharpen his consciousness

AnswerC. Use cloth to gently return him to a chest-down resting position, support both sides with cloth to prevent rolling, and phone the vet with his condition

ExplanationWhen a bloated animal lies on its side, the distended rumen presses on the diaphragm, breathing deteriorates rapidly and it can suffocate. During transport the top priority is keeping a chest-down resting posture: pack cloth on both sides to prevent rolling and return him to position gently without grabbing him directly. Phone the vet before arrival about the open-mouth breathing and inability to stand so treatment can begin immediately. Speeding on with him on his side worsens things through the jolting. Lifting him out and rubbing the belly causes restraint stress and escape risk and does nothing. Cold water only adds stimulation. The basics of a transport box are dark, well ventilated and lined with cloth to prevent rolling.

IssuesThe new staff member had not been taught how to pack cloth to prevent rolling when preparing the box, and it had not been shared that posture is critically important for a bloated animal. No one was assigned to monitor during transport.

ImprovementAlways keep side-support cloth set in the capture box and label the box with the note to keep bloated or dyspneic animals chest-down. Transport with two people, a driver and an observer, and make advance notice to the vet part of the procedure. Practice transport in new-staff training.

In February, in an enclosure where the heating works but a draft comes in by the window, a 1-year-old male mouse deer has been sneezing for several days and has whitish discharge on his nose. This morning he has not come out of the hiding place; counted from a distance, his breathing is over 60 per minute and shallow. He is eating less. The thermometer near the floor reads 19°C while near the ceiling it is 26°C.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Block the draft to bring floor level to 25°C or above, record the discharge and respiratory rate, and see a vet the same day
2. It is just sneezing, so watch until it warms up in spring
3. Mix a small amount of human cold medicine into his food for several days
4. Mist water directly onto his body to humidify him

AnswerA. Block the draft to bring floor level to 25°C or above, record the discharge and respiratory rate, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationWhen a draft drops floor-level temperature below 20°C, signs of pneumonia appear: nasal discharge, sneezing, shallow rapid breathing and reduced appetite. Mouse deer live near the floor, so floor temperature matters, not ceiling temperature. First block the draft, keep floor level at 25°C or above, record the respiratory rate and the nature of the discharge, and see a vet the same day. Pneumonia in a young animal progresses fast and waiting until spring can be fatal. Human cold medicine is harmful to ruminants and the dose is unknown. Spraying water directly on the body robs heat through evaporation and may startle him into crashing. Keep humidity at 60–80% with a humidifier.

IssuesThe thermometer was near the ceiling, so the floor-level temperature where the animal lives was unknown. The draft was left alone and winter warming was only nominal. No vet visit was considered when sneezing had continued for days.

ImprovementMount the thermometer within 20 cm of the floor and record floor-level temperature. Inspect and seal window and door gaps before winter and use a heat lamp to block cold from the floor. Set a rule to see a vet after 2 days of sneezing or nasal discharge and post normal respiratory rates.

A 3-year-old female mouse deer transferred from another facility arrived and was released from her shipping crate into the enclosure. Transport took 8 hours and at one point the crate tipped over. The next morning she lies in a corner of the enclosure and collapses each time she tries to stand; she passed a small amount of dark red urine. Because she ate right after arrival the day before, the receiving staff say it is probably just travel fatigue.

What is the most appropriate judgment for the keeper?

1. It is new-environment stress, so leave her completely alone for 3 days
2. Assume dehydration and pour a sports drink into her mouth
3. Push her from behind to get her up and walking
4. Inability to stand and dark red urine after transport suggest capture myopathy; avoid stimulation and have a vet examine her immediately

AnswerD. Inability to stand and dark red urine after transport suggest capture myopathy; avoid stimulation and have a vet examine her immediately

ExplanationLong transport and a tipped crate amount to restraint and handling stress, and inability to stand with dark red urine from the next day on is classic capture myopathy. Even if she ate the day before, muscle breakdown progresses and leads to kidney failure and sudden death. This meets the immediate-vet criteria: carry her in a dark, warmed box avoiding stimulation, or have the vet come on site. Leaving her forfeits the chance of recovery. Pushing her to walk spreads the muscle damage. Pouring liquid into the mouth risks aspiration; leave fluids to the vet's IV. Report the transport conditions and urine color in detail.

IssuesThe critical information that the crate tipped during transport was not passed correctly to the receiving side, and the risk of post-transport capture myopathy was not assessed. There was no 24-hour post-arrival observation plan or urine-color check item.

ImprovementOn arrival, record and hand over transport time, any tipping and temperature. For 72 hours after arrival record standing, urine color and appetite morning and evening and see a vet immediately if anything is abnormal. Use crates designed not to tip and have a vet present at intake.

In October, in an enclosure housing three females, a 2-year-old female has lost 300 g in a month. There is a single feeding station, which a dominant female occupies; when the young female approaches, the dominant one stamps her hooves and the young one flees. The young female is eating less, her coat has dulled and she passes little stool. A fecal exam last month was negative. There is only one hiding place.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Sharply increase grain pellets for the thin animal to restore her weight
2. Add feeding stations and hiding places spread in several directions, weigh her weekly, and see a vet if the loss continues
3. Lock the dominant female in a separate cage for a few days as punishment
4. It is a natural hierarchy, so do not intervene and raise it at next month's health exam

AnswerB. Add feeding stations and hiding places spread in several directions, weigh her weekly, and see a vet if the loss continues

ExplanationMouse deer live solitarily or in pairs on small territories, so with a single feeding station or hiding place the dominant animal monopolizes it and the subordinate loses weight from chronic stress and underfeeding. In a 1.5–2.5 kg animal, 300 g is around 15% of body weight, which is serious. Spread feeding and water stations in several directions away from human traffic and provide several hiding places as escape routes. Record weight weekly and, if there is no improvement, see a vet to rule out other disease. A sudden increase in grain causes bloat. Isolating and reintroducing the dominant animal reignites conflict. Leaving it until next month lets her weaken further.

IssuesThe husbandry requirement of multiple hiding places and feeding stations in several directions was not met, and social stress in group housing was not assessed. The weight loss was only discovered after a full month because there were no weekly records.

ImprovementProvide more hiding places and feeding stations than animals, spread in several directions, and record whether each animal eats at feeding time. Check weight visually weekly and measure monthly, with a rule to see a vet at a 10% loss. Separate enclosures if animals are incompatible.

In July, several circular bald patches about 2 cm across have appeared on the neck and back of a 5-year-old male mouse deer, with noticeable dandruff. Around the same time, the keeper developed an itchy red ring-shaped rash on the forearm. The keeper sometimes touches the animal bare-handed, and brushes and cloths are shared with other animals. The animal's appetite is normal and he looks well.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Apply a human antifungal cream to the bald patches and watch
2. Assume the itch is summer heat rash and watch both animal and keeper
3. Handle the animal with gloves and separate tools, have a vet examine him within a few days, and the keeper sees a dermatologist
4. Wipe the bald patches with alcohol to disinfect and expose them to sunlight

AnswerC. Handle the animal with gloves and separate tools, have a vet examine him within a few days, and the keeper sees a dermatologist

ExplanationCircular hair loss with dandruff and a ring-shaped rash on a person in contact strongly suggest dermatophytosis (ringworm), which spreads by contact through hands or tools that touched the bald patches. Handle the animal with gloves and dedicate tools to him to stop spread to other animals, and have a vet examine, test and treat him within a few days. The keeper should see a dermatologist. A human antifungal cream requires restraint at every application and its safety in this species is unknown. Wiping with alcohol damages the skin and involves restraint stress. Even if he looks well, left alone it will spread through the facility.

IssuesBare-handed contact and sharing brushes and cloths between animals had continued, with no measures against contact transmission. Hair loss and dandruff were on the observation list, but the link to the keeper's symptoms was noticed late.

ImprovementDedicate tools to each animal and wear gloves for work. Include hair loss and circular bald patches in the monthly observation record and apply gloves and tool separation immediately on detection. Set up a system for staff to report skin symptoms and post a list of zoonoses.

At 1 p.m. on patrol, the keeper finds a 3-year-old male mouse deer with his right foreleg pushed up to the knee through a gap between fence bars and unable to pull it out. He is thrashing violently, trying to yank the leg free and slamming his body against the fence. The gap is about 3 cm and the leg joint is caught. No other staff are nearby; the keeper has a cloth and tools at hand.

What is the most appropriate first action for the keeper?

1. Grab the leg and pull it out by force
2. Keep away while he is thrashing and wait for him to free himself
3. Shout for backup while kicking the fence to widen it
4. Approach quietly, cover his head with the cloth to darken it, and once the thrashing stops widen the gap with tools, free the leg and see a vet

AnswerD. Approach quietly, cover his head with the cloth to darken it, and once the thrashing stops widen the gap with tools, free the leg and see a vet

ExplanationThrashing with a thin leg trapped twists it into a fracture or dislocation, and slamming into the fence adds other injuries. First approach silently and cover his head with the cloth to block his vision and calm the panic. Once he settles, widen the gap with tools and free the leg along its natural line without force. Pulling by force guarantees a fracture, and pulling with the joint caught also tears ligaments. Just waiting lets the thrashing continue, adding damage and progressing to capture myopathy. Shouting and kicking the fence worsen the panic. After release, watch for limping and swelling: see a vet the same day if he holds the leg up, immediately if it is at an unnatural angle.

IssuesA 3 cm fence gap exceeding the 2 cm standard had been left unaddressed. There was no procedure for a trapped-leg incident during a solo patrol, and carrying a cloth and tools was not established.

ImprovementMeasure all fence and door gaps and modify them to 2 cm or less. Carry a blackout cloth on patrols and post the trapped-leg procedure (darken, calm, widen the gap). Until modified, cover gaps from the inside with netting or boards.

At 10 a.m., a tour group gathered at the viewing window and the moment a child banged on the glass, a 2-year-old female mouse deer leapt and crashed into it. The skin of her forehead is split about 2 cm and blood runs down her face. She fled straight into the hiding place; on observation she is not staggering and has no nosebleed. The bleeding continues slowly.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Cover the viewing window with a blackout curtain, press the wound with clean gauze once she has settled in the hiding place, and see a vet the same day
2. Chase and catch her until the bleeding stops and wash the wound with antiseptic
3. It is a small wound, so do nothing and continue the display while watching
4. Spray an over-the-counter human styptic powder on the wound and return her to the enclosure

AnswerA. Cover the viewing window with a blackout curtain, press the wound with clean gauze once she has settled in the hiding place, and see a vet the same day

ExplanationFirst cut off the visitor-side stimulus that caused the crash: cover the window with a blackout curtain and move visitors away. With no staggering or nosebleed, intracranial injury is less urgent, but a laceration needs suturing and infection prevention, so see a vet the same day. Once she settles, do not chase; guide her into a capture box or press the wound quietly with clean gauze in the hiding place. Chasing and catching her invites another crash and capture myopathy. Human styptic powder acts as a foreign body that hinders healing and requires restraint. Continuing the display keeps the stimulus going and she will crash again. After a crash, watch for staggering, nosebleed and unequal pupils for several hours and switch to an immediate vet visit if they appear.

IssuesThe layout let a tour group gather within banging distance of the viewing window, and staff guidance and warnings were lacking. There was no buffer of soft material or planting at the glass to counter the startle-and-crash behavior.

ImprovementInstall a railing in front of the viewing window to keep hands out of reach and create a buffer of planting or cloth on the inside. Brief tour groups to view quietly before entry and station staff. Keep a blackout curtain by the window and post the post-crash observation items.

In July, after weeks of rain, the entire enclosure floor is soft, constantly wet bark chips. The hooves of an 8-year-old female mouse deer have clearly grown forward and curled up, and she now swings her legs outward as she walks. She is not limping, but since yesterday she occasionally holds up a hind leg. The keeper is thinking of trimming them with nail clippers.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Trim the overgrowth yourself with nail clippers and apply styptic if it bleeds
2. Create an area of dry soil and rock to encourage wear, and ask a vet the same day for hoof trimming under sedation
3. They will wear down naturally eventually, so wait for the dry season
4. Give daily warm-water foot baths to soften the hooves

AnswerB. Create an area of dry soil and rock to encourage wear, and ask a vet the same day for hoof trimming under sedation

ExplanationOn a constantly wet, soft floor hooves do not wear and overgrow, changing the gait and leading to the beginnings of lameness with a leg held up. The rule is to let hooves wear naturally on hard ground and have a vet trim them under sedation when overgrown. Holding a leg up is a same-day vet criterion. Trimming yourself causes restraint stress and capture myopathy, and cutting into the blood vessel causes bleeding and infection. Waiting for the dry season lets the deformity progress and strains the joints. Foot baths require daily restraint, which is unrealistic, and wetting is counterproductive. Always provide a dry soil and rock area on the floor.

IssuesThe floor was entirely bark chips, so the requirement for both dry soil and rock was not met. Humidity could not be controlled during the long rains and there was no regular hoof check item.

ImprovementCreate a well-drained area of dry soil and flat rock in the enclosure and replace wet bedding weekly. Record hoof length and gait at a monthly check and consult the vet early when overgrowth is noticed. Combine hoof trimming with the health exam under sedation.

One week after a birth, the keeper reached into the hiding place to weigh the fawn and was bitten on the hand by the mother. Following procedure, the keeper darkened her with a cloth to release the bite, then washed the wound and saw a doctor. That afternoon the mother walks holding up her right foreleg and has a little blood at her mouth. The fawn is nursing.

What is the most appropriate response regarding the mother?

1. Defending the fawn is normal, so stay away from mother and fawn for a few days
2. Record the limping and the blood at the mouth, observe from a distance, and consult a vet the same day
3. Take the mother out of the hiding place and walk her to check the limp
4. Reach in again and open her mouth to inspect it

AnswerB. Record the limping and the blood at the mouth, observe from a distance, and consult a vet the same day

ExplanationAfter a bite incident, the animal's legs and mouth need observation as well as the person's treatment. Thrashing at the moment of the bite may have injured a leg or broken a tooth. Holding a leg up is a same-day vet criterion, and blood at the mouth suggests tooth damage. Observe from a distance so as not to disturb mother and fawn, and send photos and records to the vet to discuss how to examine her. Reaching in again invites another bite, stresses the mother and risks her abandoning the fawn. Taking her out to walk is equally dangerous. Leaving it for days lets a fracture or dental infection progress and affects nursing.

IssuesThe mother's defensive behavior right after birth was not anticipated, and the fawn was weighed by reaching into the hiding place. There was no procedure for work during the nursing period, and the animal-side check after a bite was nearly forgotten.

ImprovementDo not reach into the hiding place for 2 weeks after birth; weigh the fawn with a remote camera or a scale placed on the floor while the mother is away feeding. After a bite incident, require completing checklists for both person and animal and share the records with the vet.

At 3 p.m., a 4-year-old male mouse deer, startled, jumped onto a 60 cm-high work platform brought into the enclosure and fell off the other side. He landed on his side, got up after a few seconds but drags his left hind leg, and bone is visible protruding through the skin mid-leg. Bleeding is moderate and he is heading for the hiding place.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Push the bone back into place and then bandage it
2. Chase and catch him, then lift the leg to stop the bleeding
3. Do not chase; guide him into a dark capture box, cover the exposed bone with a clean cloth with light pressure, keep the leg still and see a vet immediately
4. He will settle once in the hiding place, so wait for the next day's routine exam

AnswerC. Do not chase; guide him into a dark capture box, cover the exposed bone with a clean cloth with light pressure, keep the leg still and see a vet immediately

ExplanationAn open fracture with exposed bone calls for an immediate vet visit; infection and nerve and vessel damage worsen with time. Pushing the bone back drives contamination deep and injures nerves and vessels. Chasing, catching and lifting the leg moves the fragments and spreads the damage, and also triggers capture myopathy. Do not chase; guide him into a dark capture box on his own, then cover the exposed area with a clean cloth with light pressure, keep the leg still, prevent rolling and transport quietly. Waiting until the next day lets infection establish and makes saving the leg difficult. Tell the vet the height and time of the fall and the amount of bleeding.

IssuesA tall work platform was brought into the enclosure and work was done at a time when the animal was not in its hiding place. The rule against steps and tall structures was not being applied to brought-in equipment.

ImprovementLimit equipment brought into the enclosure to 20 cm high or less, and work only when the animal is in its hiding place or after partitioning temporarily. Create a checklist for brought-in equipment and enforce checking the surroundings before work.

At midday in August, the wiring of the enclosure's misting pump is submerged in a puddle, and a 3-year-old female mouse deer is found collapsed near the water station. Her legs are twitching and the floor around her is wet. The circuit breaker is in another room. The keeper is about to pick her up bare-handed to help her.

What is the most appropriate first action for the keeper?

1. Pick her up at once and move her away from the wet area
2. Pour water on her to cool her while calling the vet
3. Prod her with a stick to check for a response
4. Cut the power at the breaker in the other room, then check response, breathing and heartbeat and contact the vet

AnswerD. Cut the power at the breaker in the other room, then check response, breathing and heartbeat and contact the vet

ExplanationIn an electrocution where wet floor and wiring are in contact, the rescuer is also electrocuted as long as the current flows. First cut the power at the breaker and make the area safe before approaching the animal. Picking her up bare-handed electrocutes you and creates a second casualty. Pouring water spreads the current and is the worst possible act. Prodding with a stick is pointless and a stimulus. Once the power is off, approach without speaking, check ear and eye response, chest movement and the pulse inside the hind leg; start CPR if there is no response or breathing, and see a vet immediately if the twitching continues. Electrocution can cause arrhythmia and pulmonary edema hours later, so always see a vet even if she looks well.

IssuesMisting pump wiring ran near the water station with no residual-current breaker or waterproofing. For a facility using electrical equipment in a hot, humid environment, the electrocution procedure and breaker location had not been communicated to keepers.

ImprovementRun all electrical equipment in the enclosure through residual-current breakers and protect wiring in waterproof conduit off the floor. Post the breaker location at the animal room entrance and drill the electrocution procedure (cut power, check response, CPR and vet). Inspect equipment monthly.

A 30 cm-deep bucket filled with water had been placed temporarily in the enclosure during renovation, and a 2-month-old mouse deer fawn fell into it headfirst. When the keeper finds him, the fawn is limp and motionless in the water. On being lifted out, water comes from his mouth and nose; his breathing is weak and irregular but his chest moves slightly. His body is cold.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Hold him head-down to gently drain the water, wipe his mouth, watch his breathing while warming him with cloth and a hot-water bottle, and see a vet immediately
2. He has started breathing again, so return him to the hiding place and leave him to his mother
3. Shake his body hard to expel the water and slap his back to make him cough
4. Dry him with a hair dryer and wait for his breathing to settle before deciding on a vet visit

AnswerA. Hold him head-down to gently drain the water, wipe his mouth, watch his breathing while warming him with cloth and a hot-water bottle, and see a vet immediately

ExplanationA fawn after near-drowning has water in the airway compounded by hypothermia and needs emergency care. Hold him with the head slightly down to drain water gently, wipe water and foam from the mouth and nose, and start CPR if breathing stops. Shaking him hard or slapping his back injures the spine and internal organs. For hypothermia, place a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle on one side to keep him at 25°C or above and see a vet immediately in a dark box. A hair dryer causes burns and stress and delays the vet visit. Even after breathing returns, pulmonary edema or pneumonia can develop hours later, so leaving him with his mother is dangerous.

IssuesEven as a temporary measure during renovation, a deep container was placed in an enclosure with a fawn. The basic rule of offering water in a low, heavy container was not kept during the temporary setup, and the risk of a fawn falling in was not anticipated.

ImprovementLimit water containers to low, heavy ones about 5 cm deep and never bring buckets or other deep containers into the enclosure, even during renovation. While a fawn is present, have two staff check any equipment brought in. Post the near-drowning procedure and keep a hot-water bottle and cloth on hand.

A 3-week renovation has begun in the adjacent area, and the noise and vibration of heavy machinery carry into the enclosure from morning on. On day one, a 6-year-old male mouse deer bolted and crashed into the wall at every burst of noise, scraping his forehead. On day two he does not leave his hiding place and his food intake has halved. The work is scheduled to continue for 3 more weeks, and the site manager says animals get used to it.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Wait for him to get used to it and only keep observing until the work ends
2. Keep him in a small transport cage in the office for the duration of the work
3. Negotiate with the site manager to limit working hours and noise; if that fails, move him carefully by capture box to a quiet area. Record food intake and see a vet if he does not eat for over half a day
4. Place a radio at high volume in the enclosure to accustom him to noise

AnswerC. Negotiate with the site manager to limit working hours and noise; if that fails, move him carefully by capture box to a quiet area. Record food intake and see a vet if he does not eat for over half a day

ExplanationSudden loud noise and vibration are a fatal stressor for mouse deer, causing crashes and capture myopathy; over 3 weeks chronic stress leads to loss of appetite, weakened immunity and digestive disease. First negotiate with the construction side to shorten machinery hours and request sound barriers and vibration control. If that fails, guide him into a capture box on his own and move him to a quiet area. Long-term housing in a small transport cage offers no hiding place or walking space and leads to fractures and hoof damage. Accustoming him with a radio only adds stimulation. Record food intake and rumination daily, and see a vet the same day if he does not eat for over half a day.

IssuesKeepers were not consulted at the construction planning stage and the impact of noise and vibration was not assessed. The requirement of a quiet location out of reach of foot traffic and dog noise had not been shared with facility management.

ImprovementRequire keeper approval in advance for construction and event plans and set standards for noise levels and hours. Prepare a spare quiet enclosure and habituate animals to the capture box ahead of any move. Record stress indicators (food intake, rumination, time in the hiding place).

At 2 p.m. on a Sunday, a 5-year-old child climbed over the viewing-area fence into the enclosure and began chasing a 4-year-old female mouse deer. She bolted, crashed into the wall twice and is now frozen in a corner of the floor. The parent is shouting to the child from outside the fence and other visitors are gathering and making noise. The keeper has just arrived on the scene.

What is the most appropriate first action for the keeper?

1. Scold the child loudly and go into the enclosure with the parent to bring the child out
2. Catch the animal first and push her into the hiding place before dealing with the child
3. Record the situation on video before deciding what to do
4. Quiet the crowd, calmly tell the child not to move, quietly bring the child out, then observe the animal from a distance for the effects of the crashes

AnswerD. Quiet the crowd, calmly tell the child not to move, quietly bring the child out, then observe the animal from a distance for the effects of the crashes

ExplanationThe top priority is stopping the stimulus; as long as shouting and chasing continue, the animal keeps crashing. First quiet the visitors, tell the child in a calm voice not to move, and have the keeper approach quietly and bring the child out. Scolding, shouting or several adults entering worsens the panic. Catching the animal first amounts to chasing and invites capture myopathy. Video recording can wait. Once the child is out, cover the viewing window with a blackout curtain and observe from a distance for staggering, nosebleed, limping and breathing; see a vet immediately if anything is abnormal, and even if not, watch for several days for signs of capture myopathy (inability to stand, dark red urine).

IssuesThe viewing fence was of a height and design a child could climb, and physical barriers and supervision against intrusion were lacking. No staff were stationed at the enclosure during the busy holiday and there was no intrusion procedure.

ImprovementRaise the viewing fence to an unclimbable height and add distance with a double barrier or planting. Station staff in the viewing area on holidays and post the intrusion procedure (quiet the crowd, remove the child, blackout curtain, observe the animal). Continue post-crash observation records for several days.

The day after the enclosure's wall boards were replaced, three nails were found in the leaf litter on the floor, but the packet had four missing. A 5-year-old female mouse deer has not eaten since last night, stands with her back arched and is reluctant to walk. She will not let her belly be touched and has not been seen ruminating. Her temperature appears normal and her breathing is slightly fast.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Give salt water to make her vomit up the nail
2. Increase high-fiber browse and wait for it to pass in the stool
3. Suspect nail ingestion, take the records of reduced appetite and stopped rumination, see a vet the same day and request an X-ray
4. Mix a magnet into her food to retrieve the nail

AnswerC. Suspect nail ingestion, take the records of reduced appetite and stopped rumination, see a vet the same day and request an X-ray

ExplanationWhen a ruminant swallows metal such as a nail, it sinks into the reticulum and can pierce the wall, causing peritonitis or pericarditis. Reduced appetite, stopped rumination, an arched back and refusing to have the belly touched are classic signs of abdominal pain, and over half a day of reduced appetite and no rumination meets the same-day vet criteria. Take the nail records and photos and ask the vet for an X-ray. Ruminants cannot be made to vomit, and salt water causes salt poisoning. While waiting with more browse, the nail may pierce the stomach wall. Magnets are used in cattle, but their safety and size for mouse deer are unknown, so leave that to the vet. If the belly distends or she lies on her side, switch to an immediate vet visit.

IssuesThere was no procedure to count nails after the wall board replacement, and the basic rules of removing debris daily and inspecting the floor before setup were not applied after the work. The handover between workers and keepers was also inadequate.

ImprovementFor construction and materials work, count and record nails and screws before and after, and sweep the floor with a metal detector or magnet afterwards. Move animals to another area during work and have a keeper check the floor before returning them. Record rumination daily.

In September, among the pots the gardening staff brought in to add planting to the enclosure was a young avocado tree. The next morning a 3-year-old female mouse deer has eaten about half its leaves, and by midday she is breathing fast and standing listlessly with little movement. She breathes with her mouth open and holds her neck extended. The other animals have not eaten any.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. Remove the avocado pots from all enclosures, and without stimulating the animal in respiratory distress, see a vet immediately and name the plant eaten
2. Leaves digest naturally, so give extra water and watch
3. Give olive oil to make her vomit
4. Fast breathing is from the heat, so cool her with a fan and wait until the next day

AnswerA. Remove the avocado pots from all enclosures, and without stimulating the animal in respiratory distress, see a vet immediately and name the plant eaten

ExplanationPersin in avocado leaves and fruit causes myocardial damage, mastitis and pulmonary edema in ruminants; rapid breathing and an extended neck are signs of heart failure or pulmonary edema. This calls for an immediate vet visit: transport in a dark box without stimulation and tell the vet the plant, the amount and the time eaten. At the same time remove the avocado pots from all enclosures so no other animal eats them. Ruminants cannot be made to vomit, and oil given by mouth causes aspiration. Blaming the heat and waiting a day lets the heart failure progress. Water alone does not change the toxicity.

IssuesThere was no procedure for keepers to check the species of plants brought in by the gardening staff. The gardening department had not been told avocado is a banned food, and no list of plants in the enclosure was maintained.

ImprovementHave keepers and the vet check every plant species before it enters the enclosure, against a toxic-plant list. Inform the gardening department of banned plants (avocado, onion family, etc.). Record feeding behavior for 24 hours after introducing new planting.

A large typhoon is approaching and a flood warning is expected tomorrow night for the low-lying area where the animal building stands. A power outage is also likely. The building houses two mouse deer, and the backup animal room on high ground is 10 minutes away by car. Both animals are habituated to their capture boxes and enter on their own. It is now the afternoon before the typhoon and wind and rain are still light.

What is the most appropriate judgment for the keeper?

1. Decide after the flooding starts, and if water comes in, catch them quickly and move them
2. Move them now, while wind and rain are light, quietly by capture box to the backup room on high ground, set up warmth, hiding places, food and water, and observe
3. Leave them in the building and lay boards on the floor to make a high platform they can climb
4. Take them home to a staff member's house and keep them overnight in a cardboard box

AnswerB. Move them now, while wind and rain are light, quietly by capture box to the backup room on high ground, set up warmth, hiding places, food and water, and observe

ExplanationThe greatest risk in evacuating mouse deer is chasing or hurried capture; emergency capture after flooding begins causes capture myopathy and escape. While wind and rain are light and the animals are calm, the day before, move them quietly in their habituated capture boxes and set up the backup room with hiding places, a heat lamp, hot-water bottles, food and water. After the move, observe standing, urine color and appetite for 24 hours. A high platform causes fractures from jumping down, and warmth is lost in an outage. A staff member's home or a cardboard box has no temperature control or hiding place, and panic in an unfamiliar setting is fatal.

IssuesEvacuation criteria (when, who, where) had not been decided in advance and were left to the individual keeper. The readiness of the backup room and the transfer procedure had not been inspected.

ImprovementState evacuation criteria (warning level, timing) in the disaster procedure, with a principle of moving the day before. Keep heating, hiding places and bedding stocked in the backup room and inspect it twice a year. Practice capture-box guidance monthly and define post-move observation items.

In December, the animal room with the heating turned up is at 27°C but the hygrometer reads 30%. A 7-year-old male mouse deer has more dandruff on his back, his skin is flaky, his nose tip is cracked with dried discharge on it. He occasionally makes a dry cough-like sound and his breathing is somewhat rough. He is drinking water. The keeper thinks there is no problem since the temperature is right.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. The temperature is right, so ignore humidity and brush off the dandruff
2. Mist water directly onto the animal's body to moisten him
3. Turn off the heating to raise the humidity
4. Restore humidity to 60–80% with a humidifier and by wetting the floor, record the discharge and breathing, and see a vet within a few days if there is no improvement

AnswerD. Restore humidity to 60–80% with a humidifier and by wetting the floor, record the discharge and breathing, and see a vet within a few days if there is no improvement

ExplanationThe proper humidity for mouse deer is 60–80%, and dry air strains the skin and respiratory tract. Even at the right temperature, 30% humidity produces dandruff, flaky skin, a cracked nose and a dry cough. Restore humidity with a humidifier, wetting the floor and extra water containers, and record the nature of the discharge and the respiratory rate. If there is no improvement in a few days, see a vet to rule out skin disease or respiratory infection. Turning off the heating drops the temperature below 20°C and invites hypothermia and pneumonia. Spraying water directly on the body startles him into crashing and robs heat through evaporation. Brushing is unnecessary and causes restraint stress.

IssuesOnly temperature was managed; there was no humidity standard or record. The drop in humidity from winter heating was not anticipated, and although a hygrometer existed it was not tied to any action threshold.

ImprovementMount a thermo-hygrometer near the floor and record humidity against 60–80% limits. Run a humidifier permanently in winter and keep bedding lightly moistened. Add skin, nose and breathing to the daily observation items and check humidity first when signs of dryness appear.

A routine fecal exam has detected Salmonella in a 4-year-old male mouse deer. He has no symptoms, and his enclosure is on the weekend back-of-house tour route for elementary school students, where visitors sometimes touch the enclosure fence or eat snacks in the corridor. The keeper is unsure whether to tell the tour staff about the result.

What is the most appropriate response for the keeper?

1. He has no symptoms, so continue the tours with no special measures
2. Share the result at once with the tour staff and the vet, remove the enclosure from the tour route, disinfect the fence and corridor, and have workers use dedicated boots and gloves and wash hands thoroughly
3. Euthanize the animal to eliminate the infection
4. Hand out gloves to visitors so touching the fence is fine, and continue

AnswerB. Share the result at once with the tour staff and the vet, remove the enclosure from the tour route, disinfect the fence and corridor, and have workers use dedicated boots and gloves and wash hands thoroughly

ExplanationSalmonella spreads to people orally via hands that touched feces and can be severe in children and the elderly. Even without symptoms he sheds bacteria, so first share the result with the tour staff and the vet and remove the enclosure from the tour route. Disinfect the fence and corridor, have workers use dedicated boots and gloves per area, and enforce handwashing after work and no eating in animal areas. Treat and retest the animal as the vet directs and keep him off public view until he tests negative. Handing out gloves does not prevent eating in the corridor or fence contamination. Euthanasia is unnecessary for a treatable infection and inappropriate on welfare grounds.

IssuesThe back-of-house tour allowed touching the fence and eating in the corridor, with no zoonosis perspective built into the program. The system for sharing test results between departments was also vague.

ImprovementWrite tour rules of no touching the fence and no eating in the corridor, and install a handwashing station at the exit. Set a procedure to share fecal exam results the same day among the vet, keepers and tour staff, and define criteria for suspending public access on a positive result. Dedicate worker gear to each area.

On a midsummer afternoon, the droppings on the enclosure floor have dried to powder, and a part-time staff member is sweeping them with a dry broom and no mask. Dust is flying and the staff member is coughing. There was a birth in the enclosure last month and the post-birth cleanup is still incomplete. The exhaust fan is broken, and the staff member says it is fine because it is dry and does not smell.

What is the most appropriate guidance?

1. Tell them dry droppings are hygienic and no problem, and let them continue
2. Tell them sweeping with a broom is fine as long as they wear a mask
3. Stop the work, change the procedure to wearing a mask and gloves and wetting the floor before collecting, and get the ventilation repaired
4. Tell them cleaning droppings once a week in a batch rather than daily produces less dust

AnswerC. Stop the work, change the procedure to wearing a mask and gloves and wetting the floor before collecting, and get the ventilation repaired

ExplanationInhaling dust from dried droppings and post-birth residue is a route of Q fever infection, and smell has nothing to do with safety. Stop the work and change the procedure: wear a mask and gloves, wet the floor with water, then collect quietly. Hurry the exhaust fan repair. Sweeping with a broom even with a mask spreads dust through the enclosure and onto the animals. Batching droppings weekly raises the reinfection risk from parasites and Salmonella and breaks the rule of daily removal. Collect post-birth residue with gloves and incinerate it. Exclude pregnant and immunocompromised staff from this work.

IssuesHygiene training for part-time staff was lacking and the basic rule of wetting before cleaning had not been passed on. The broken exhaust fan was left alone, post-birth cleanup was incomplete, and the facility was not managing the Q fever risk.

ImprovementPost the cleaning procedure (mask and gloves, wet down, collect, wash hands) and teach it to new and part-time staff on their first day. Set up a system to prioritize repair of ventilation failures. After a birth, have the keeper confirm residue collection and keep a record.

At 7 a.m., an 8-year-old female mouse deer is found lying on her side in a corner of the enclosure. When approached, her ears move slightly but her eyes barely move and she cannot get up. She was eating normally until the night before. The keeper wants to check whether her heart is beating but hesitates, worried that touching her will startle her. The vet has answered the phone.

What is the most appropriate action for the keeper?

1. Approach without speaking, count the chest movements, check the heartbeat inside the hind leg or by hand on the chest, and report the results to the vet for instructions
2. Do not touch her so as not to startle her; watch from a distance and wait for the vet to arrive
3. Call her name loudly and shake her body to check for a response
4. Pick her up and stand her to get her up, and check whether she can walk

AnswerA. Approach without speaking, count the chest movements, check the heartbeat inside the hind leg or by hand on the chest, and report the results to the vet for instructions

ExplanationLying on her side unable to get up meets the immediate-vet criteria, and establishing breathing and heartbeat before the vet arrives is the key to saving her. Approach quietly without speaking, check ear and eye movement for a response, count the rise and fall of the chest, and check the heartbeat at the pulse inside the hind leg or by hand on the chest. With this information the vet can prepare before arrival. If there is no breathing or heartbeat, start CPR. Only watching without touching means cardiac arrest goes unnoticed. Shouting and shaking are stimuli and do not resuscitate. Picking her up to stand her risks fractures and capture myopathy and is harmful to a barely responsive animal.

IssuesAfter finding the elderly animal on her side, the keeper had not been trained in how to check breathing and heartbeat and lost time hesitating over touching her. Warning signs may also have been missed in the previous night's observation.

ImprovementPost the response, breathing and heartbeat check procedure in the animal room and practice yearly on a stuffed toy. Record respiratory rate and posture for elderly animals on the final night patrol. Write a procedure for finding an animal on its side: check, report to the vet, follow instructions.

After closing, a 6-year-old male mouse deer was found in respiratory arrest and the keeper started CPR. At the 2-minute check a weak heartbeat has returned but there is almost no spontaneous breathing. The vet is preparing to receive him at the clinic, 10 minutes away by car. There are two staff members, and a dark transport box, cloth and a hot-water bottle are at hand. The outside temperature is 8°C.

What is the most appropriate method of transport?

1. Stop CPR, put him in the box, and drive fast doing nothing until arrival
2. One person drives while the other keeps the airway open with him lying on his side in the box, continuing compressions and breaths as needed, and maintains 25°C or above with a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle
3. Hold him on your lap on his back and warm his belly until arrival
4. Road vibration can restart breathing, so drive with the box lid open and air blowing on him

AnswerB. One person drives while the other keeps the airway open with him lying on his side in the box, continuing compressions and breaths as needed, and maintains 25°C or above with a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle

ExplanationThe rule is to continue resuscitation during transport, checking for a response every 2 minutes and repeating 30 compressions and 2 breaths if there is no spontaneous breathing. Work as a pair, driver and responder: lay him on his side in the dark box with the neck extended to keep the airway open, and line it with cloth to stop him rolling. At 8°C outside, hypothermia sets in fast, so maintain 25°C or above with a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle. Stopping CPR to drive risks the heart stopping again. On his back on a lap the airway closes easily and rumen contents regurgitate. Opening the lid and blowing air on him robs heat and adds stimulation.

IssuesAlthough staff knew the rule of continuing CPR during transport, the two-person division of roles and warming supplies had not been decided in advance. Hypothermia precautions for winter transport had not been written into a procedure.

ImprovementMake two-person emergency transport, driver and responder, the standard, and keep a transport box set up with cloth and a hot-water bottle in the animal room. Label the box with the CPR-in-transit procedure (30 compressions, 2 breaths, check every 2 minutes). Drill phoning the vet with departure time and condition.

At 10 p.m. on a public holiday, the staff member on night duty finds on patrol that the left foreleg of a 3-year-old female mouse deer is bent outward at an unnatural angle. She lies trembling in her hiding place. The regular vet's phone goes unanswered, and a nearby dog-and-cat clinic says it cannot treat even-toed ungulates. The night staff member is alone and cannot find anywhere to take her.

What is the most appropriate response for the night staff member?

1. Wait until morning for the regular vet to come on duty
2. Apply a splint and bandage yourself and keep her warm until morning
3. Use the emergency contact list to reach the manager and the cooperating vet, call emergency (after-hours) animal hospitals and university hospitals describing an even-toed ungulate with a fracture to find somewhere to take her, while guiding her without stimulation into a warmed capture box
4. Dissolve a human painkiller in water and give it to calm her

AnswerC. Use the emergency contact list to reach the manager and the cooperating vet, call emergency (after-hours) animal hospitals and university hospitals describing an even-toed ungulate with a fracture to find somewhere to take her, while guiding her without stimulation into a warmed capture box

ExplanationA leg at an unnatural angle is a fracture and calls for an immediate vet visit. Do not give up after a refusal: use the facility's emergency contact list to reach the manager and the cooperating vet, and call emergency (after-hours) animal hospitals and university veterinary hospitals describing a mouse deer, an even-toed ungulate of about 2 kg with a leg fracture, to find somewhere that will take her. In parallel, without stimulating her, guide her into a dark, warmed capture box on her own and prepare for transport. Splinting yourself causes restraint stress and displaces the fragments and is contraindicated. Human painkillers are harmful to ruminants and the dose is unknown. Waiting until morning lets pain, shock and secondary damage progress.

IssuesNo place that could treat even-toed ungulates at night or on holidays had been secured in advance, and the emergency contact list had not been shared with night staff. The night staff member was alone and responsible for both decisions and transport.

ImprovementCreate an emergency referral list including the regular vet's backup, after-hours emergency hospitals and university hospitals, and confirm in advance which will accept even-toed ungulates. Post the emergency contact list in the animal room and ensure night staff can reach the manager at once. Set up a procedure to call in backup staff for night transport.

At 6 p.m., a 5-year-old male mouse deer has a distended left flank and has started open-mouth breathing. The keeper phones the vet and says the mouse deer seems to be in distress, but the vet fires off questions and the keeper is too flustered to answer. At hand are today's feeding record, yesterday's stool photos and the room temperature log. A colleague has started preparing the transport box.

What is the most appropriate way to inform the vet?

1. The vet will understand once they see him, so keep the call short and hurry over
2. Keep filming the symptoms and show the video all at once on arrival
3. Report in order that he is an even-toed ungulate, his weight, today's diet, the stool photos, whether he was restrained or moved, the room temperature, and when the signs began
4. Relay a bloat treatment found online and ask the vet to prepare the drugs

AnswerC. Report in order that he is an even-toed ungulate, his weight, today's diet, the stool photos, whether he was restrained or moved, the room temperature, and when the signs began

ExplanationIn an emergency call, concisely giving the vet the information they need to prepare treatment before arrival saves lives. As the manual says, report in order that he is an even-toed ungulate, his weight, his diet (changes in fruit or grain amounts), the stool photos, whether he was restrained or moved, the room temperature, when the signs began and his current breathing. In bloat, diet and time of onset directly determine treatment decisions. Hanging up and rushing over leaves the clinic unprepared. Filming while the bloat progresses conveys nothing. Relaying an online treatment hinders diagnosis, and drug choice is the vet's decision.

IssuesThe items to report in an emergency call had not been organized, so even with records at hand the keeper could not use them under pressure. The roles of caller and transport preparer had not been assigned in advance.

ImprovementPut the items to tell the vet (species, weight, diet, stool, restraint, room temperature, time of onset) on a card next to the phone. Organize feeding records and stool photos daily so they can be sent at once. Create a role chart separating the contact person from the transport person in emergencies, and drill it.