How do you give an 800-lb. muskox a manicure? Very carefully
Why clipping a muskox’s hooves is the most dangerous thing these vets do
In the wild, muskoxen hooves get ground down by the rocky terrain of the tundra, but in captivity that doesn't happen, so the oxen need their hooves clipped. Easy enough, right? Wrong.
For the vets at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, this is one of the most dangerous tasks they must perform. To safely clip a muskox's hooves, the animal has to be asleep, and anesthetising a muskox is a tough task in and of itself. These are large animals that can weigh up to 450 kg (1000 lb.). You can't always tell if the tranquilizer dart has fully discharged because of their thick coats of fur. And muskoxen often become aggressive when coming out of anesthesia.
During one hoof trimming, the animal regained consciousness early. Intern veterinarian Kelsey McClure almost didn't get out of its enclosure in time, and had to be pulled out by vet tech Megan Desai.
"We thought he was completely anesthetized," says McClure. "Megan pulled me out and saved my life."
So when the team has to trim the hooves and inspect the cracked claw of Chloe, an 800-lb., six-year-old muskox, it's all hands on deck, and they have to work fast, before she wakes up.
"A muskox is a very dangerous animal on anesthesia," says Enright. "They react aggressively. As soon as she gave us a twitch, everyone out for safety. "
Also on episode 1 of Arctic Vets, Dr. Chris Enright goes to Churchill, Man. for the dramatic rescue and release of a wild adult polar bear, and Storm the rescue polar bear is struggling to walk.
Watch Arctic Vets, Fridays at 8:30 p.m., starting Feb. 26