Pure chaos: giving a reindeer a hoof trim is exhausting for all involved
‘As you let your guard down, the reindeer can spur up and take you for a ride.’
Most reindeer grind down their hooves as they walk, but Lucy, a reindeer who lives at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy in Winnipeg, isn't most reindeer.
"Lucy has an old injury inside one of her knuckles, so it doesn't wear down the way a normal reindeer hoof would," explains head veterinarian Dr. Chris Enright. Allowing the hoof to grow out would cause strains and stresses that Lucy's body isn't designed to handle.
As a result, Enright and his team have to grind down Lucy's hoof manually. He doesn't want to have to anesthetize Lucy for such a quick, non-invasive procedure, since anesthesia always carries a risk. But then again, so does giving a pedicure to a reindeer who doesn't really want one.
"The most dangerous part is those antlers are pretty sharp and you can't predict where a reindeer is going to dart when you go in to catch," says vet tech Megan Desai.
Larger hoofed animals, like the conservancy's 800-pound muskox Chloe, need to be anesthetized for hoof trims because they pose a greater danger to the team. Reindeer, being smaller, are still a challenge, but a manageable one.
It takes seven people to hold Lucy still while her hooves are filed, she receives a little dental check and a vaccination — and yes, one person has to manage the reindeer's pointy end. Even when she starts to relax a little, the team still has to be on guard.
"When you are holding the reindeer, they tend to relax into you, but you gotta be careful because as soon as you let your guard down the reindeer can spur up and take you for a ride," says Desai.
Once the procedure is complete, Lucy is released back into her outdoor enclosure, unencumbered by overgrown hoof. "She's a little put out right now, but she'll get over it," Enright observes.
Also on episode 6 of Arctic Vets, it's intern vet Whitney's busiest day yet when she works with Dr. Charlene and Dr. Chris to remove tumours on two rescued grey wolves. Meanwhile, Heather helps C-Jae with health checkups on nine rescued polar bears.
Watch Arctic Vets, Fridays at 8:30 (9 NT) on CBC, or stream it on CBC Gem.