session . This can be stressful for the animal and its enclosure-mates , and potentially dangerous for the staff involved ( Rees , 2010 ). Delivery of oral medications can be difficult if unpalatable , and if hidden in palatable food they can be difficult to deliver to the animal if it is low-ranked within a social group ( Rees , 2010 ). Within zoos , animals are often only observed during the keepers ' working hours , so any behaviours detrimental to wound healing are not able to be curtailed overnight . Also , zoos are open to the public and zoo visitors may be distressed by seeing unbandaged wounds and by witnessing the capture , restraint and treatment process .
Treatment
The VS prescribed injectable amoxicillin every 72 hours , oral meloxicam ( Metacam ® , Boehringer Ingelheim ) daily and ozonated oil ( O2 Zap ® , Global Healing Center ) topical application daily , following flushing with chlorhexidine gluconate ( Hibiscrub ® , Regent Medical Ltd ). This treatment required the capture and restraint of the juvenile . Capybaras are known to be protective parents and have very large incisor teeth , which are used as their primary defence ( Lord , 1994 ). This meant two people were needed to capture the juvenile – the first to hold back the mother capybara with a large protective board , shielding the second person who caught the juvenile in a net . The juvenile was then removed from the enclosure to a service area , where it was weighed and treated . This was repeated daily .
The enclosure was kitted out with a 5 cm layer of pine-wood shavings and straw bedding . The capybaras urinated and defecated in one area , so this was relatively easy to keep clean , but straw had to be removed from the wounds using tweezers at every treatment session . It was hoped that the aversive taste of the chlorhexidine gluconate and ozonated oil would prevent further self-harm .
Figure 2 . Day 3 – Following the loss of necrotic skin , the full extent of the wounds can be seen .
Figure 3 . Day 7 – Proliferation phase and reduction in wound size .
The group had to be kept inside to support ease of capture , to allow both juveniles to nurse , to protect against the cold weather and to prevent the injured juvenile from exposing its wounds to the pools of faeces and urine outside . Daily photographs of the wounds were taken and submitted to the VS for monitoring ( Figures 2 – 5 ).
Outcome
After 6 weeks , the VS examined the wounds and considered them sufficiently healed to allow access to the enclosure . The wounds had completely granulated and closed , but the majority of the two middle toes on the left foot had been lost . Gait observations indicated that the juvenile had no issues with walking and no signs of pain when doing so . After release , keepers made daily observations of the health of all four capybaras . The family group was seen to have positive interactions , with both parents affectionate
Figure 4 . Day 13 – Maturation / remodelling phase and loss of the distal phalanx of the third digit .
22 Veterinary Nursing Journal