Lecture Notes: Beaver Health in Captivity

Introduction

• Speaker: Kristin Mansfield, State Wildlife Veterinarian at the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
• Topic: Beaver health while in captivity.
• Presentation by Katie Heyman, part-time veterinarian.

Health Considerations

Individual Beaver Health Indicators

• Eating, drinking, behavior (scared/anxious), environmental interest, weight, eye condition.
• Signs of illness: lethargy, stress, hiding illness to avoid predators.

Stress in Captivity

• Stress can worsen health issues, cause illness, or mask signs of illness.
• Human observation can increase stress.
• Minimize stress through less human contact and better environmental conditions.

Observations and Monitoring

• Minimum daily observation required.
• Check for lethargy, appetite, drinking, diarrhea, unusual behavior.
• Consider frequency of observation based on behavior.

Pathogen and Disease Concerns

Pathogen Transmission

• Pathogens like kitchen fungus, rhona viruses, and aquatic invasive species.
• Risk of transferring pathogens or invasive species to new ecosystems through relocation.

Zoonotic Diseases

• Diseases such as tularemia, giardia, leptospirosis, ursiniosis, rabies.
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) recommended when handling beavers.

Aquatic Invasive Species

• New Zealand mud snail as a major concern.
• Avoid moving beavers from positive to negative watersheds.

Quarantine and Biosecurity

• Quarantine may be required for cross-watershed relocations.
• Biosecurity practices to avoid pathogen spread: disinfecting facilities, using PPE.

Handling Mortalities

• Submit dead beavers for testing to understand cause of death.
• Preserve carcass through chilling or freezing for lab analysis.

Euthanasia

• Should be humane, stress-free, and ideally performed by a veterinarian.
• Necessary in cases of severe illness or injury.

Capture Myopathy

• Potential issue noted in studies but unclear if it affects beavers.
• Capture conditions should be monitored to prevent possible myopathy.

Recommendations and Conclusion

• Assume all beavers carry some risk of disease transmission.
• Employ preventive measures and report findings to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
• Contact information for Kristin Mansfield and Katie Heyman provided for further assistance.