Case study: training a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) to use a nebulizer to aid the treatment of airsacculitis

Bacterial airsacculitis has been reported in a variety of nonhuman primates, and is widely treated using a combination of surgery and oral antibiotics. This case study details an alternative method of administering antibiotics (via the use of a nebulizer) when the chimpanzee subject developed resist...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Zoo biology Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 570 - 578
Main Authors:	Gresswell, Claire, Goodman, Gidona
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-09-2011
Subjects:	Air Sacs - microbiology Air Sacs - pathology Air Sacs - surgery anesthesia Animals Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use Behavior, Animal captive animals case studies colistin Colistin - administration & dosage Colistin - therapeutic use desensitization Female intravenous injection Nebulizers and Vaporizers Pan troglodytes positive reinforcement primates PRT Pseudomonas aeruginosa - isolation & purification Pseudomonas Infections - drug therapy Pseudomonas Infections - veterinary Reinforcement (Psychology) Respiratory Therapy - methods Respiratory Therapy - veterinary Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy Respiratory Tract Infections - veterinary surgery zoos
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Summary:	Bacterial airsacculitis has been reported in a variety of nonhuman primates, and is widely treated using a combination of surgery and oral antibiotics. This case study details an alternative method of administering antibiotics (via the use of a nebulizer) when the chimpanzee subject developed resistance to all available oral preparations. Training the chimpanzee to use the nebulizer was performed using positive reinforcement techniques (PRT). It took a total of 89 sessions (<7 hr 25 min) to train the chimpanzee to use the nebulizer. The airsacculitis infection was treated using colistin in the nebulizer twice a day for 9 days. Out of 18 potential treatment sessions, full doses were administered on 13 occasions. The final dose of colistin was given via slow brachial intravenous injection under general anesthesia. The infection was successfully treated with colistin. Although there was a training time investment involved, it was felt to be outweighed by the success of the treatment. Also in the likelihood of the infection re‐occurring at a later date, the now learnt behavior of using a nebulizer means that future treatment should now be considerably quicker. This is another example of how PRT is a useful tool in the successful welfare and management of captive animals. Zoo Biol 30:570–578, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bibliography:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.20388 istex:A709BEEA21A51A8D23BB506D25F90DA0FB74A6DF ArticleID:ZOO20388 ark:/67375/WNG-FJL5H91M-P ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0733-3188 1098-2361
DOI:	10.1002/zoo.20388