Hospital helps Werribee Open Range Zoo

The equipment became available after the hospital installed state-of-the-art new monitoring equipment in their operating suites, courtesy of a $385,000 grant from the Department of Human Services. 

After upgrading their operating theatres the hospital was left with several older style monitors that were no longer suitable for human patients, but that are ideal for monitoring a hippo's blood pressure or a lion's heart rate.

Carmela Joyce, Mercy's Operating Theatre Manager said, "Once we had installed all our fabulous new equipment we were left with the decision of what to do with the old monitors. We are very grateful for the support the hospital receives from the local community and so we thought it would be great to help out another local not-for-profit organisation."

The zoo will be using the donated equipment during operations on their animals and when they have been immobilised for health checks or routine health care procedures.

Natalie Rourke the Zoo's vet said, "The new equipment will enable me to monitor animals more accurately and adjust the dosage of anaesthetics to ensure the animal does not regain consciousness at an inappropriate time. When you are doing root cannel work on a lion's tooth you do not want it waking up half way through!"

Natalie often works on animals in the field that have been 'knocked out' with an anaesthetic dart. The smaller portable monitors will enable her to monitor the animals without having to take the animal back to the Zoo's surgery.

"Most of my work is on healthy animals that have been immobilised to enable me to do routine checks and perform small procedures, like trimming hooves. Just as you take your dog or cat to the vet for an annual check up we like to check our animals regularly, but given most are dangerous we need to anaesthetise them first. I am over the moon about getting this equipment, it will really add to the way we care for our animals," Natalie said.

Werribee Open Range Zoo sent Natalie and a safari truck to Werribee Mercy on to pick up the equipment, which would have cost over $140,000 to purchase new.

Carmela gave the delighted vet a few tips on how to set-up and operate the monitors before helping to load up the truck.  Natalie is now faced with the task of reading the manuals that come with the high-tech monitors and working out how to connect all the cables and tubes!