Sessions and Times

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Lessons Learned Answering Phones in 2020 

We all know that 2020 presented wildlife rehabilitators with many challenges, including significantly increasing the volume of phone calls we received. Crystal will share lessons learned and strategies utilized at the Wisconsin Humane Society this summer. There will also be open conversation time where we can discuss and share other strategies and hopefully laugh a bit as we commiserate what we all got through. Expect to leave this chat with some tips and suggestions to help make the next busy summer season ahead a tad more manageable!

Rehabilitation of Cottontail Rabbits: From Basics to Advanced

At the Colorado Wild Rabbit Foundation, we receive around 450 cottontail rabbits each year, representing three different species. Over the years, our protocols and success in rehabilitating these animals have improved considerably. Topics covered in this talk include natural history, basic husbandry and feeding, weaning, GI diseases/diarrhea, common medical conditions, release and reuniting considerations, and more. I will also discuss specific changes in our protocols that have contributed to our success. Species-specific differences will be highlighted as needed.

Open forum q&a-- topics already asked to cover: 

a. Bans on bat, mustelid, and felid rehab

b. What steps need to be taken to allow skunk and wolf rehab

c. WWRA will send out emails to members and conference attendees for questions also!

Toolkit for Wildlife Rehabilitators and Veterinarians 

An introduction to a ”Tool Kit” of resources that was created to facilitate communication, outline expectations, and provide resources for both wildlife rehabilitators and their veterinarians of record. The Tool Kit, which can be customized, will be shared with all conference participants.

NSAIDS - How do they work?

Pain management is very important in our wildlife patients, and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most common ways to provide pain relief. This talk will show how NSAIDS work in the body, how they prevent pain, and differences between different types of NSAIDS. We discuss common side effects to watch out for and how species react differently to NSAIDS.

Hand-Rearing Orphaned Songbirds, Hatchling to Juveniles:

Learn about caring for these delicate, curious, and complex critters that can eat everything from seed to worms to fruit—and learn how to keep it all straight! This includes housing, feeding techniques, common complications—and get some great stories too!

Lead poisoning in birds of prey

Botulism in waterfowl and case study from summer 2020

Botulism has to have the right conditions to strike waterfowl and waterbirds—and when it does, it can decimate large populations if not caught quickly. Learn how Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary discovered and tracked an outbreak on their site, what they did for treatment, and how they worked to clear the outbreak while dealing with a 2ndoutbreak in the Bay of Green Bay.