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Going Native
by Amber Ringwood
ATW’s Wildlife Veterinary Technician Amber Ringwood
The transition from being a veterinary technician for domestic animals to one for native wildlife has been an amazing journey. Working at All Things Wild is somewhat of a dream job and a level of difference I was not expecting. I have worked with domestic small and large animals plus random exotics for almost 20 years, and I have been lucky enough to work with some of the best veterinarians around. Animals and animal advocacy have always been a passion of mine, so being able to work with wildlife and help educate the public about them is an unbelievable personal achievement. I couldn’t have been more excited when I was asked to join the All Things Wild staff in August 2019.
Not all things that I did as a veterinary technician for cats and dogs translate over to wildlife quite as smoothly as one would think. Yes, the medications are the same, but dosing and administration are very different. Knowledge of pharmaceuticals has definitely saved me a time or two, having compounded medication down to manageable amounts for dogs and cats. However, I never expected to be working with so many tiny newborn babies where a half drop of antibiotics is a frequent dose. I find myself regularly double and triple checking myself because I am endlessly amazed at how delicate some of our patients are. Giving anesthesia to a hummingbird is not the same as anesthetizing an 80-lb dog. Even though splinting and bandaging are very similar, we often have to get creative as many of our supplies are donated, and our patients cannot manage a bulky or cumbersome wrap.
Being able to empathize with the patient and read their behavior is key to handling an animal of any kind, domestic, wild, or exotic. There are so many things to watch for: body posture, pupil dilation, nasal flaring, breathing, and fur/plumage adjustments, to name a few. Reacting to the animal’s stress and adjusting your own body language to set the patient at ease is a very tough, yet important, skill. Trying not to panic when an animal could really hurt you is a hard thing to remember. Because mishandling one of our patients could send you to the hospital, I see it as my job to make sure no one gets hurt, human or animal.
There is this horrible reaction that plays out in high-stress wildlife cases called capture myopathy. It arises in the wild when a prey animal, like a white-tailed deer, is intensely pursued by a predator. When captured by the predator, the prey animal will die. Unfortunately, this reaction can happen when we are trying to help an animal. It is frequently my job to tell a well-meaning caller that the injured adult deer they are trying to help will most likely die from capture myopathy if pursued and captured.
There is one thing I am grateful for every day working with wildlife and that is the concept of ownership. Technically, all native wild animals are the property of the State of Texas. Because I am not caring for someone’s pet, I don’t have to limit what I am doing by what an owner tells me I am allowed to treat or not treat or by what can be afforded financially. The only limiting factors are what resources I have available at the center and the veterinarians whose expertise I call upon so frequently. There is a certain peace in not having to explain to an owner why my everything wasn’t enough to save their precious baby, but there is also a new level of humility when I realize what little I can do to save some.
None of the animals we take in arrive perfectly healthy. Everyone coming into our care is orphaned or injured to the point of capture. The orphaned babies are severely dehydrated, and the adults have often been hit by cars or mauled by dogs. I would estimate that at least 90 percent of the wild animals coming into the center need help because of something people or their dogs and cats have done.
At All Things Wild, we focus on public education, and for good reason. I love my job, but I also realize that, if it weren’t for the horrible things that happen to wild animals, I wouldn’t have this job. I want to encourage all the kids who come in with their parents to pay attention to their surroundings and to take care of the world that we all live in. I want everyone to WANT to make this world a better place to live in for everyone.
About the author: Amber Ringwood, a longtime Georgetown resident, has worked as a veterinary technician for over 20 years. We are fortunate to have her experience and expertise for the wild patients at All Things Wild.
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