Download Rehabilitation of Insectivorous Bats

Rehabilitation of Insectivorous
Bats: The Basics and Beyond
Deborah Kemmerer Cottrell DVM
West End Animal Hospital
westendanimal.com
Must-Have References
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Lollar/French Book
Barnard Book
Best reference available
Step-by-step
Color illustrations
Order at
www.batworld.org
• Good basic reference
• New edition due out
2006
• Old edition available
free of charge online at
www.basicallybats.org
Common Insectivorous Bat Species
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Mexican Freetail (Tadarida braziliensis)
Evening Bat (Nicticeus humeralis)
Southeastern Bat (Myotis austrorparius)
Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus)
Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus)
Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis)
Seminole Bat (Lasiurius seminolus)
Mexican Freetail
10-12 grams
Most common bat in the U.S.
• Unique ears and nose
• Note long tail
Evening Bat
7-9 grams
• Note hairless face
• Rich, dark fur
Southeastern Bat
5-7 grams
• Note haired face
• Note light color
ventral surface
Evening vs Southeastern
Big Brown Bat
15-18 grams
• Face like giant
Evening Bat
• Haircoat thick and
dark
Little Brown Bat
7-10 grams
• Note long ears and
narrow snout
• Note pinkish skin over
bones of wing
Eastern Pipistrelle Bat
4-7 grams
• Note long, thin ears
and small eyes
• Note straw-like fur
Red Bats
13-15 grams
• Note wide nose and
• Fur is bright red to
small ears
mahogany
Seminole Bat
13-5 grams
• Note slightly darker
face than Red Bat
• Body fur very similar
to Red Bat
Capture Nets
Large Tomahawk net lengthens to 18 feet and small
butterfly net makes easy grabbing
Capture
• Any rehabber working with bats needs to be
protected against rabies. Not doing so is simply
not acceptable
• Emphasize caller is never to touch bat barehanded
• Caller to put box or towel over bat if on horizontal
surface
• If on vertical surface, cover bat with net, then use
hand to enclose
• Bats are usually less scared of bare hand than of
glove.
Using Nets
• When using net, be very careful of wings. If
bat is flying, try to anticipate direction and
come from behind it if possible. Less speed
differential less likely to cause damage if
edge of net hits wing.
• Butterfly net easy to use and very gentle
• Can simply place net over most hanging
bats very slowly, then slide hand under rim
Transport
Consider safety, comfort, ease of use
• Plastic critter carrier
• Port-A-Bug carriers
• Camera Bags
Plastic Critter Carriers
Sturdy. Can break, but won’t easily smash down; my
favorite for overnighters or bed & breakfast bats.
Cloth should be flannel, baby blanket, denim or other
non-looped fabric to avoid trapping nails
Port-A-Bug
Comfortable for bats, but delicate and easy to squash
Camera Bags
Work well for larger species; small ones can slip out
unless bag has mesh inside
Intake Forms
• Name, address,phone number/email of person who
found bat
• Date and location bat found
• Circumstances of injury or illness
• Any treatment administered
• Describe any contact with unvaccinated persons
Weighing In
Gram scale essential to weigh in 0.1 gram
increments
Fairly good quality available cheap online at
www.greenkingdom.com
Intake Evaluation
Physical exam includes:
• Hydration status
• Wounds
• Nutritional status
• Mental status
• Parasite Control
Hydration Status
Difficult to assess; safe to administer subcutaneous
fluids in almost any situation
Rules of Thumb for SQ Fluids
• Give 1 ml for each 10 grams body weight
• Lactated Ringer’s, Normosol, 0.9% Saline all safe in
almost any instance if giving fluids for fewer than three
days.
• If giving fluids daily for more than three days, use ½
strength saline (0.45%) to avoid sodium overload.
• If animal is dehydrated, always give fluids before
attempting to feed. Wait at least two hours after SQ fluids
before giving food.
Wounds
Most often wing injuries; most torso injuries won’t
survive to see you
Nutritional Status
Fairly easy to assess using chest-to-waist ratio
Mental Status
• Don’t assume Rabies because bat is biting
furiously. Many bite anything when in pain.
• Don’t assume rabies because bat is
comatose or unresponsive. Dehydration,
starvation, infection, pain can cause those
also.
Parasite Control
• Deworm with Ivermectin/propylene glycol
• Deworm with albendazole? Can’t make solid
recommendation right now
• Kill bat mites with Revolution. Dilute to ½
strength with water, then use one drop from 25
gauge needle on bat topically
• Parasites more of an issue than originally thought
in captive bats. Stay tuned for more info soon.
Parasite Study
• Trying to determine significance of intestinal
parasites in wild and captive bats
• Send fresh fecal samples. Wrap in aluminum foil
with a wet cotton ball, then mail to me in a bubble
envelope.
• Need samples from both healthy and sick bats
• Contact info on website at
www.westendanimal.com
Mealworm Glop
• Complete hand-feeding formula for overnighters,
debilitated bats, and weanling pups.
Glop Formula
My formula not exactly same as Lollar/French, but
has worked well for me.
Mix until very smooth in blender:
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5 small jars turkey baby food
1 jar banana baby food
1 cup mealworms
2 tbsp Vionate Powder
2 tbsp Missing Link Feline Formula
4 inches Nutrical or High Cal
Feeding Adults For Short-Term Care
• “Overnighters” or “Bed & Breakfast” bats do well
on glop
• Not usually worth time to teach “mealworm
theory”
Feeding Adults for Long-Term Care
• Must teach mealworm theory
• Glop at least once weekly to help prevent hepatic
lipidosis (fatty liver syndrome)
• Use of captured bugs not recommended due to
parasites. Crickets can carry liver flukes, etc.
• Mealworm substrate highly varied; lots of
opinions
Mealworms
• I use Harrison’s Baby Bird Mash as primary
substrate. Expensive, but worth it.
• Sliced sweet potatoes in substrate provide
hydration and a few extra nutrients
• Prior to serving worms in bowl, spray with
Carnivore Care Vitamin Spray and dust with
Missing Link Feline Formula
Mealworm Theory
Difficulty varies by species
FreeTails most difficult. Start by cutting heads off
worms, then annoying bat until it bites worm
Glop as Nutritional Supplement
• Large body of evidence for hepatic lipidosis in longterm captives. Unknown whether primarily
nutritional; other factors such as stress/cortisol
probably play a part.
• Evening Bats seem most susceptible; Southeasterns
very resistant
• Symptoms include abdominal enlargement, obesity,
hair loss, then loss of appetite
• Weekly supplement of even 0.5 ml glop appears
effective preventively for most
Feeding Infants/Orphans:
FreeTails
Use a Cup Warmer
FreeTails like milk very hot
Use shot glass or other thick-bottom container to
prevent scalding of milk
Feeding Technique
Force sponge with hot milk into mouth. Pup will
start nursing. Keep sponge wet with hot milk.
Keep Up!
Keep sponges wet so they don’t suck air
Feed Optimal Amount
This bat is a little too full
The Batsicle
This is a publicity shot for newspaper.
Most attention ever for us for bat public relations,
but don’t do it for real; you’ll have to bathe them
each time
Feeding Non-Freetail Infants
Note that syringe is positioned so milk does not run
down front of bat
Housing for Long-Term Captives
Must consider:
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Comfort and safety
Ease of cleaning
Environmental enrichment
Educational value/accessibility
Reptarium Screen Cages
These are pushed against backing with a heating pad
attached. Several layers of baby blankets allow
different cliques to hang out together
Environmental Enrichment
Education/Access
Population Control in Captive
Colonies
Neutering males a viable option
Flight Testing
Large cage ideal, especially for Freetails. This 40 X 10
X 8 ft cage at our hospital was built with a grant. Rule
is 10 min of flight for every week in captivity prior to
release.
Small cage works well for most
This 8 X 8 X 8 can be built in one afternoon with
little expense using 2 X 4 lumber, hardware cloth,
and a screen door.
The Rehabber’s Medical Kit
Being prepared to make dilute solutions is critical
Drug Formulary
Batworld has extensive formulary online. Mine is a
very basic list of fairly inexpensive drugs that are also
fairly easy to obtain if you have good relationship
with your vet.
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www.westendanimal.com
Bat information page
Click on link to Microbat Drug Formulary
Lists name of drug, dose per kg, dose per 10
grams body weight
• Instructions for dilution included
Importance of Bacterial
Culture/Sensitivity in Wounds
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Growing global resistance to antibiotics
Can get sensitivities in 48 hours
May be difference between life and death
TALK to your vet or labs in your area; most will
be willing to set up account. Dairies and fish farms
use inexpensive microbiology labs and often are
willing to share. You can get basic C & S for
around $18.00.
Quick List of Drugs and Their
Uses
The following is an alphabetical list of
drugs currently in my online formulary
Acepromazine
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Sedative and anti-anxiety
Been around long time
High safety margin
Not much pain control alone
Acts 6-8 hours
May be given as oral or injectable
Albendazole
• Parasiticide usually reserved for liver flukes and
tapeworms
• Can be toxic to liver
• Exact dose still unknown in bats
• Routine deworming not recommended at this time
until further info available on prevalence of flukes
• Send fecal sample if you want to check your bats
Amikacin
• Good antibiotic against gram-negative bacteria
• Injectable only; not absorbed orally
• Can put heavy workload on kidneys, so use only if
indicated by C & S
• Every 8 hour dosing 5-7 days
Amoxicillin
• Good broad-spectrum antibiotic (meaning both
gram neg and gram pos organisms)
• High safety margin
• Use as a first-line antibiotic without C & S
• Twice daily dosing 7-10 days
Atropine
• Antidote for many types of insecticide poisoning,
which is well-documented in bats
• Dosed “to effect”, meaning until symptoms
subside
Azithromycin
• Third-generation, heavy-duty antibiotic for grampositive bacteria
• Try to reserve for indication by C & S
• Once-daily dosing 5 days
Beuthanasia
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Extremely humane method of euthanasia
Overdose of pentobarbital
Very smooth, no excitability phase
Very little discomfort
Can be given orally, subcutaneously,
intravenously, or intra-peritoneally
Buprenorphine
• Opioid analgesic with low addiction factor, so
relatively easy to get
• Very effective for 8-12 hours
• Can be used with acepromazine or other
painkillers
• Combo with meloxicam for long-term pain relief
Butorphanol
• More effective analgesia than morphine
• Only lasts 3-4 hours if used alone
• Combo with acepromazine for good pre-surgical
relaxation
• Combo with meloxicam for long-term pain relief
Cefadroxil or Cephalexin
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Good broad-spectrum antibiotic
Slightly wider spectrum than amoxicillin
Once daily dosing for 7 to 10 days
High safety margin
Clindamycin
• Currently best recommendation for bone
infections or dental infections
• Best against anaerobic, gram positive bacteria
• Can cause GI upset
• Dose two or three times daily for 7 to 10 days.
Dexamethasone
• Rapid-acting corticosteroid
• Traditionally used for shock or brain swelling as
in insecticide poisoning or trauma
• Use being questioned; increased susceptibility to
infection may outweigh benefit
• Experience still says: “Let no animal die without
benefit of steroids”
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
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Anti-histamine
Used for anaphylaxis, allergic reactions
Somewhat useful for swelling and edema
Benefit for relaxation doubtful; does not cause
drowsiness in most animal species
Enrofloxacin (Baytril)
• Excellent broad-spectrum antibiotic
• Useful if pseudomonas is suspected
• Bone growth plate problems seen in dogs; not in
my experience or Lollar/French experience in bats
• Once daily dosing for 7 to 10 days
Epinephrine
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Emergency drug only
Used for anaphylaxis, severe allergic reactions
Used as CPR drug to attempt to re-start heart
Not very effective without defibrillation paddles
Furosemide (Lasix)
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Very safe diuretic
Been around long time
Very little effect on electrolyte balance in animals
Most species can tolerate very high doses as long
as fluids are available
• Used to treat edema of limbs and lungs
Ivermectin
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Very safe parasiticide
Routine deworming on intake recommended
Use orally for intestinal worms
Use topically for skin mites
Not effective against liver flukes
Meloxicam
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Relatively new, very potent NSAID
Very high safety margin
Only NSAID used regularly in virtually all species
Easy oral dosing
Better pain relief than morphine for
musculoskeletal pain
• Do not use with prednisone; can cause stomach
ulcers
• Once daily dosing for as long as necessary
Prednisolone
• Corticosteroid produced by body in small doses
• Potent anti-inflammatory, but high incidence of
side effects in humans
• Risk of side effects commonly exaggerated in
animals
• Used to treat allergies or autoimmune disease
• Once daily dosing
Tiletamine (Telazol)
• Second-generation combination of ketamine and
diazepam
• Effects extremely variable in bats; can cause
severe hyperexcitability if under-dosed
• Current investigation as injectable anesthetic
combined with acepromazine and butorphanol
shows promise
Trimethoprim/Sulfa (Bactrim, Ditrim)
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Broad-spectrum antibiotic
High safety margin in most species
Good against many anaerobic bacteria
Once daily dosing for 7-10 days
Drug reactions can cause skin sloughing whether
given as injection or orally
Common Problems and Treatments
• Trauma: wing fractures, burns, soft tissue injuries,
bite wounds
• Trapped in building
• Insecticide poisoning
• Obstetrical problems
• Hepatic lipidosis (captives)
Trauma
Infected wing fracture
Trauma
Burn from firecracker
Trauma Treatment Protocol
• Acepromazine/butorphanol/meloxicam combo if
available
• SQ fluids
• Leave alone 30 minutes
• Lavage wound with sterile saline
• Start antibiotics. Amoxicillin, Cephalexin or
Enrofloxacin good choices
• If deep wound or puncture, send C&S
Trapped in Building
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Overnighters or Bed & Breakfast bats
Give SQ fluids upon intake
Feed glop twice daily for a couple of days
Release within 15 miles of original location if
possible
Insecticide Poisoning
• Well-documented in literature
• Congenital defects/mutations in low levels
• Acute problem seen in moist weather with lots of
mosquitoes: spraying
• Long-term problem seen in areas that don’t use
newer mosquito sprays
• Newer sprays are water-based and don’t hang in
air as long
• Still a problem for lizards, birds, and other wildlife
• Mostly human convenience rather than safety
Acute Insecticide Poisoning
• Generally large numbers of bats affected
• Two cases involved about 100 bats each case
• Treatment: subcutaneous fluids, dexamethasone,
atropine combined in one dose, followed by
several hours in the incubator, then glop and place
in safe area.
• Eighty percent survival
Obstetrical Problems
Dystocia: Obviously pregnant bats hanging rightside up for unusual periods of time. Caesarian may
be necessary.
Miscellaneous Stuff
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Bat talk dvd
Bats in the Pantry
WEAH bat house
www.batworld.org
www.basicallybats.org
www.batcon.org
Chat groups
Bat Talk DVD
www.batworld.org
Fascinating insight into bat communication
Bats in the Pantry
www.batworld.org
Wonderful recipes and fascinating food facts
West End Bat House
Triple-wide nursery house in hospital parking lot. Will
hold 1800 bats; currently has about 800.
Batworld
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www.batworld.org
Run by Amanda Lollar
Extensive website with lots of rehab info
Largest bat rehab operation in the world
Training seminars available
Basically Bats
• www.basicallybats.org
• Primarily education and research
• Run by Sue Barnard of Zoo Atlanta
Bat Conservation International
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www.batcon.org
Extensive website
Strongest pro-bat political organization
Works at national and international levels
Chat Groups
• [email protected]
• Oriented more toward biologists and researchers
than rehabbers
• Often can answer technical questions
• [email protected]
• Oriented more toward rehabbers
• Practical help and information
A Disturbing Image
The BatRamSquirrel
Good-Bye
Equipment & Product List
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Bats In Captivity: free online at basicallybats.org
Captive Care and Medical Reference: $45.00 at batworld.org
Carnivore Care Vitamin Spray: $6.00 for 8 oz at reptilesupply.com
Cup warmer: $4.95 at Bed, Bath & Beyond
Enrichment items: Petsmart, Petco
Feeding tips: Softpaws glue applicators from smartpractice.com
Formulary Drugs: Veterinary only. Talk to your vet.
Gram Scale: Inexpensive variety $40.00 at greenkingdom.com
Harrison’s Baby Bird Mash: $44.00 for five pounds at
harrisonsbirdfoods.com
• Ivermectin 1 % Injectable: Any feed store
• Make-up sponges: Any pharmacy—I prefer CVS brand
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Missing Link Feline Formula: $16.00 for one pound at Petsmart/Petco
Net, Large Extension type: $69.00 Tomahawk at livetrap.com
Net, Butterfly type: $15.00 at amazingbutterflies.com
Nutrical, High Cal or equivalent: $6.50 at Petsmart/Petco
Plastic Critter Carrier: $4.95 to $15.95 at Petsmart/Petco
Port-A-Bug: $8.00 at amazingbutterflies.com
Reptarium screen cages: bigappleherp.com
Vionate Powder: $4.95 for 8 ounces at jefferspet.com
Photo Credits
(other than Deb or Iaon Cottrell)
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Barbara French
Carol Bunyard
Merlin Tuttle
Don Pfritzer