ACZM Zoological Medicine key terms

An approach recognizing that human, animal, and ecosystem health are linked, so veterinarians working with zoo, wildlife, and aquatic species consider disease transmission across these interfaces.

An infectious disease that can pass from animals to humans. Wildlife and zoo work requires assessing exposure risk to staff, visitors, and handlers.

Barriers such as gloves, masks, gowns, and eye protection worn to prevent pathogen or toxin exposure. Selection depends on species, procedure, and known zoonotic risks.

Separation of newly arrived or exposed animals for a defined period to observe for disease and prevent spread. Duration and testing are based on species and pathogen risks.

Screening animals for specified infectious agents before transfer between institutions. Results guide whether movement proceeds or treatment is required.

Deliberate movement of animals from one location to another, often for conservation. It carries disease introduction, stress, and post-release survival risks requiring veterinary oversight.

Release of captive-bred or relocated animals into the wild to establish or restore a population. Health screening and post-release monitoring are core veterinary contributions.

A modeling method estimating extinction risk for a population over time using birth, death, and environmental data. Veterinary health data can inform such models.

The smallest population size likely to persist long term despite demographic and environmental variation. Health and genetic factors influence these estimates.

A sharp reduction in population size that lowers genetic diversity. In captive and wild populations it raises inbreeding and disease susceptibility concerns.

A cooperative breeding and management program for a species across accredited institutions, aiming to maintain genetic diversity and demographic stability.

A record of individual animals, parentage, and transfers within a managed population. It underpins breeding recommendations and genetic analysis.

Planning of an animal's physical space to meet behavioral, social, and health needs. Features include substrate, refuges, climbing structures, and climate control.

Providing stimuli or choices that promote natural behaviors and mental engagement in captive animals. It can reduce abnormal behavior and improve welfare.

A repetitive, invariant behavior pattern with no apparent function, such as pacing or rocking. It often signals suboptimal housing or welfare in captive animals.

Physical and procedural measures that keep an animal within a defined area and prevent escape. Handlers must plan for species-specific strength, climbing, and flight.

Use of anesthetic or sedative drugs to immobilize an animal for examination or procedures. Drug choice and dose depend on species physiology and procedure duration.

Manual or mechanical limitation of an animal's movement without drugs, using nets, squeeze cages, or handling. It requires knowledge of species behavior and safety limits.

Administering drugs at a distance using darts fired from a projector. It is used for free-ranging or dangerous species where close approach is unsafe.

Temporary loss of movement and coordination, usually drug-induced, allowing safe handling of large or dangerous animals. Monitoring of vital signs is essential throughout.

An animal's control of body temperature. Ectotherms rely on environmental heat sources, so housing, anesthesia, and transport must account for temperature needs.

An animal whose body temperature depends mainly on external heat sources, such as reptiles and most fish. Clinical assessment and care must consider environmental temperature.

The range of environmental temperatures at which an ectotherm's physiology functions best. Providing this zone supports immune function, digestion, and recovery from illness.

Measured chemical and physical properties of aquatic systems, including temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrite, and salinity. Abnormal values are common causes of illness in fish.

Harm from elevated un-ionized ammonia, a waste product accumulating in aquatic systems. It causes gill damage and can be fatal, especially at higher pH and temperature.

Poisoning by nitrite, an intermediate in the nitrogen cycle, which impairs oxygen transport in fish blood. It often follows disruption of biological filtration.

The concentration of oxygen available in water for aquatic animals. Low levels cause respiratory distress and mortality and are influenced by temperature, plants, and circulation.

Insufficient oxygen delivery to tissues. In aquatic animals it may result from low dissolved oxygen, gill disease, or anemia and presents as gasping or lethargy.

The microbial conversion of ammonia to nitrite and then nitrate in aquatic systems. Understanding it guides filtration and water-change practices in aquariums and holding facilities.

Collection of small gill tissue samples for microscopic or histologic examination. It helps diagnose parasitic, bacterial, and toxic gill disease in fish.

The body cavity containing internal organs in many invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Fluid accumulation or masses here are assessed during examination.

Needle drainage of fluid from the coelomic cavity for diagnosis or relief. The sample is analyzed to determine whether fluid is inflammatory, hemorrhagic, or a transudate.

Microscopic examination of cells collected from fluids, aspirates, or swabs. It is a rapid, minimally invasive diagnostic tool widely used in zoological practice.

Removal of a tissue sample for histologic examination. It provides a definitive diagnosis for masses and organ disease when less invasive tests are inconclusive.

Systematic postmortem examination of an animal to determine cause of death and disease patterns. In zoo and wildlife work it also contributes to population health surveillance.

Illness or injury caused by human activity, such as pollution, vehicle collisions, or habitat fragmentation. Recognizing human causes guides wildlife health interventions.

Poisoning from ingested lead, common in scavenging birds and waterfowl. Signs include neurologic and gastrointestinal abnormalities, and diagnosis uses blood lead measurement.

Muscle damage and metabolic derangement following intense exertion or stress during capture. It can cause weakness, organ failure, and death, so handling must be minimized.

Physiologic response to capture and manipulation, including elevated cortisol, heart rate, and body temperature. Minimizing duration and using appropriate technique reduce risk.