2023 Veterinary Camp Schedules

Herp (Reptile and Amphibian Schedule)

Campers sign in at 8 a.m. at  The Valerie H. Schindler Wildlife Center

Camp Sessions Begin at the Veterinary Hospital at 8:30 a.m.

Morning Sessions

  • All campers will observe a Hot (venomous) snake handling demonstration conducted by the Zoo's Curator of Reptile. During the demonstration, the veterinary staff will draw blood from the snake.
  • Campers will learn the skills involved in performing physical exams on reptiles (a live snake and a live tortoise.)
  • Campers will practice using snake hooks with fake snakes to learn how to safely pick up and move these animals.
  • Campers will learn some special techniques that veterinarians consider when practicing medicine on reptiles and amphibians, including how to administer and monitor anesthesias with herps and how these differ from procedures used with mammals.
  • Campers will be introduced to using imaging techniques—-radiographs, ultrasound and laparoscopy—in diagnosing problems.

Lunch will be served around noon

Afternoon Sessions

  • Campers will participate in a turtle shell repair lab- Perform a fracture repair on a mock turtle shell.
  • Campers will participate in a radio telemetry lab for field work- allowing them to use VIE, pit tags and making frog radiotelemetry belts
  • Campers will participate in a fish anesthesia and water quality lab

Graduation will take place around 4 p.m.

 

Bird Veterinary Camp Schedule

Campers sign in at 8 a.m. at  The Valerie H. Schindler Wildlife Center

Camp Sessions Begin at the Veterinary Hospital at 8:30 a.m.

Morning Sessions

  • Campers will learn about administering and monitoring anesthesia to birds and how to use diagnostic equipment to monitor an animal’s vital signs such as heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygen levels
  • Campers will learn how to conduct a physical exam skills on birds (utilizing stuffed animals) and practice some of the more common handing techniques to use with avian species.
  • Campers will participate in a bandaging lab and will learn several bandaging techniques that are used on avian species.
    Campers will attend an training session with a bird animal ambassador.

Lunch serve around noon

  • Imping lab using cavavers, campers will learn to repair broken or damaged feathers on raptors before releasing them into the wild.
  • Campers will learn about using Imaging (thermal imaging, radiographs, ultrasound laparoscopy) to  diagnose medical problems in avian species and learn some of the anatomical differences between birds and other species.
  • Campers will attend a necropsy lab to learn some bird anatomy but and to practice giving intramuscular and SubQ injections. The anatomy lab with use cadaver birds to reveal some of the special adaptations birds have developed to allow them to fly.

Graduation around 4 p.m.

 

Mammal Veterinary Camp Schedule

Morning Sessions; Begin at 8:30 a.m. in the veterinary hospital

  • Campers will learn about and practice darting wildlife to safely and remotely administer medications to some of our zoo animals.
  • Campers will be introduce to using radio telemetry track free ranging animals in field conservation and wildlife health projects.
  • Campers will learn the basics of giving mammals physical exams using a large animal (donkey or horse) and of using of thermal imaging for diagnostics purposes.
  • (All students) Hospital tour

Lunch served around noon

  • Surgery lab campers will learn basic suturing skills)
  • Campers will learn about small animals' physical exams using a dog and discuss how to combine the information gleaned from the physical exams with imaging techniques to form a diagnosis.   We will discuss radiographs and ultrasound images here, too.
  • Compers will learn about administering and monitoring anesthesias and using equipment to monitor an animal’s vital signs such as heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygen level; campers will also  but will also learn about intubating a CPR dogs)

Graduation will take place around 4 p.m.