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Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventures here on the Zoo’s website!
When your family pet gets sick, you take it to a local veterinarian. When an animal at the San Diego Zoo gets sick, keepers take it to the Jennings Center for Zoological Medicine. Located near the Zoo in Balboa Park, the animal medical center staffs several veterinarians who tend to the many species that call the San Diego Zoo their home. These animal doctors have gone through veterinary school just like the ones who care for our dogs, cats, and bunnies, but instead they treat lemurs, wallabies, and lions.
Matt Marinkovich is one the Zoo animal hospital’s Resident Veterinarians. Residency is similar to an internship; residents are still in training, but they worked alongside and perform many of the same tasks as permanent veterinarians. He assesses the health of animals by examining them and talking to their keepers. When an animal is brought to him, he asks its keeper if there have been any changes in the animal’s diet and eating habits, physical activity level, or mentation (mental acuity and awareness). He will also ask about the animal’s medical history and if there are other sick animals in the exhibit. Once he has a good understanding of all the circumstances, Dr. Marinkovich checks the patient’s breathing, aggression, cleanliness, and whether or not it is showing signs of ataxia, which is a lack of muscle coordination. When the exam is complete, the keeper helps Dr. Marinkovich decide if the animal can be returned to its exhibit for monitoring or if it needs to stay in the hospital.
During a hospital stay, animals receive sedation or anesthesia to keep them calm and still while tests are performed. Anesthesia is administered by using one of three primary tools: a squeeze mechanism, a pole syringe, or a dart. A squeeze mechanism is similar to a crate and is often used on smaller animals. Once the animal is enclosed safely in it, a veterinarian can deliver the anesthesia. A pole syringe can best be described as a needle attached to a long staff. Pole syringes allow veterinarians to sedate larger animals from greater distances. The last method, darting, is the use of tranquilizing darts to anesthetize an animal that is still roaming in its enclosure. Determining which of the three methods is appropriate is based on what is the safest option for both the animal and the veterinarian.
Once the animal is under anesthesia, it is placed on an operating table where the veterinarians can conduct tests and examinations on it. Dr. Marinkovich uses medical instruments such as stethoscopes, rectal thermometers, and heating pads to check the animal’s heart, temperature, and blood pressure. These are important to monitor because they indicate how the animal is doing under anesthesia, if it is having any complications, and if it requires any additional medication to keep it stable. While the animal is sleeping, Dr. Marinkovich can perform tests such as x-rays and ultrasounds. He also analyzes their blood work, fecal cultures, and urinalysis results for indications of disease, illness, or infection. After a diagnosis is made, the animal is usually kept at the hospital where it can be watched by the veterinarians for any change in its condition. The animal can return to its enclosure when it has recovered and blood tests confirm that everything is back to normal.
Dr. Marinkovich is one of the many essential and dedicated zoo employees that work together to ensure the happiness and good health of the animals at the San Diego Zoo. He is a medical problem solver. His job is challenging as he investigates why animals are brought to him, yet also rewarding when he successfully treats them and they can return to their enclosure where they are comfortable and secure.
Kendall, Real World Team
Week Four, Fall Session 2017
When your family pet gets sick, you take it to a local veterinarian. When an animal at the San Diego Zoo gets sick, keepers take it to the Jennings Center for Zoological Medicine. Located near the Zoo in Balboa Park, the animal medical center staffs several veterinarians who tend to the many species that call the San Diego Zoo their home. These animal doctors have gone through veterinary school just like the ones who care for our dogs, cats, and bunnies, but instead they treat lemurs, wallabies, and lions.
Matt Marinkovich is one the Zoo animal hospital’s Resident Veterinarians. Residency is similar to an internship; residents are still in training, but they worked alongside and perform many of the same tasks as permanent veterinarians. He assesses the health of animals by examining them and talking to their keepers. When an animal is brought to him, he asks its keeper if there have been any changes in the animal’s diet and eating habits, physical activity level, or mentation (mental acuity and awareness). He will also ask about the animal’s medical history and if there are other sick animals in the exhibit. Once he has a good understanding of all the circumstances, Dr. Marinkovich checks the patient’s breathing, aggression, cleanliness, and whether or not it is showing signs of ataxia, which is a lack of muscle coordination. When the exam is complete, the keeper helps Dr. Marinkovich decide if the animal can be returned to its exhibit for monitoring or if it needs to stay in the hospital.
During a hospital stay, animals receive sedation or anesthesia to keep them calm and still while tests are performed. Anesthesia is administered by using one of three primary tools: a squeeze mechanism, a pole syringe, or a dart. A squeeze mechanism is similar to a crate and is often used on smaller animals. Once the animal is enclosed safely in it, a veterinarian can deliver the anesthesia. A pole syringe can best be described as a needle attached to a long staff. Pole syringes allow veterinarians to sedate larger animals from greater distances. The last method, darting, is the use of tranquilizing darts to anesthetize an animal that is still roaming in its enclosure. Determining which of the three methods is appropriate is based on what is the safest option for both the animal and the veterinarian.
Once the animal is under anesthesia, it is placed on an operating table where the veterinarians can conduct tests and examinations on it. Dr. Marinkovich uses medical instruments such as stethoscopes, rectal thermometers, and heating pads to check the animal’s heart, temperature, and blood pressure. These are important to monitor because they indicate how the animal is doing under anesthesia, if it is having any complications, and if it requires any additional medication to keep it stable. While the animal is sleeping, Dr. Marinkovich can perform tests such as x-rays and ultrasounds. He also analyzes their blood work, fecal cultures, and urinalysis results for indications of disease, illness, or infection. After a diagnosis is made, the animal is usually kept at the hospital where it can be watched by the veterinarians for any change in its condition. The animal can return to its enclosure when it has recovered and blood tests confirm that everything is back to normal.
Dr. Marinkovich is one of the many essential and dedicated zoo employees that work together to ensure the happiness and good health of the animals at the San Diego Zoo. He is a medical problem solver. His job is challenging as he investigates why animals are brought to him, yet also rewarding when he successfully treats them and they can return to their enclosure where they are comfortable and secure.
Kendall, Real World Team
Week Four, Fall Session 2017
