From Our Collections
Caring for Our Collections
Like people, animals need health care. The animals in the Tallahassee Museum’s living collections thrive in the care of veterinarians who truly heed the call of the wild.
One of those vets is Dr. Debbie Justice, who recently took our otters literally in hand to clean their teeth, give them vaccinations and perform physical exams. This included drawing blood for laboratory analysis to monitor the health of their internal organs and to watch for signs of possible disease.
Dr. Justice performed these maintenance and preventative procedures without a hitch, and the otter in the photo was back splashing in the pool the same afternoon.
Meanwhile, Dr. Justice and other veterinarians direct the health care of all our animals, such as older ones being treated for arthritis and a bobcat who gets medication to keep his adrenal gland working properly. Several of the animals receive daily health maintenance medications, and they all are vaccinated for common contagious diseases, such as our mules being vaccinated against mosquito-borne encephalitis. All of the farm animals also are immunized against tetanus. Our animals are checked regularly for signs of any internal and external parasites and are treated accordingly to keep them healthy and comfortable.
Most of the medications for our animals are given in food, but for some procedures it is necessary for the veterinarian to get “up close and personal” with the animal. A complete physical exam requires that animals such as bears, panthers, bobcats and otters be chemically immobilized for the safety of all parties. You can’t convince a Florida panther to lie still while a dental exam and cleaning is being performed on it. Don’t even try!
Many thanks to Dr. Justice and all of the great veterinarians who help ensure the health and well-being of our animals.
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