Massachusetts Wildlife Rehabilitator Practice Exam

What is the first action to take when providing care to a juvenile woodchuck with moderate emaciation and dehydration?

1. Provide Lactated Ringers solution, warm the animal, and feed it watermelon.

2. Feed it Ensure immediately to help with recovery.

3. Warm the animal, provide Lactated Ringers solution, and feed an easily digested diet.

4. Warm the animal and feed it Ensure.

The correct answer is: Warm the animal, provide Lactated Ringers solution, and feed an easily digested diet.

The correct answer emphasizes a comprehensive approach to caring for a juvenile woodchuck exhibiting signs of moderate emaciation and dehydration. Initially, warming the animal is crucial because cold stress can significantly impede its ability to recover. A hypothermic animal often suffers from reduced metabolism and impaired organ function, making any subsequent treatment less effective. Providing Lactated Ringer's solution is the next vital step, as it helps address dehydration and restores electrolyte balance, which is essential for the body's metabolic processes, particularly after a period of insufficient nutrition. Feeding an easily digested diet is also key, as the animal’s digestive system may be weakened from its emaciated state. Easily digestible foods will help to reintroduce nutrition without overwhelming the animal's compromised digestive system. This sequence of actions establishes a foundation for recovery that addresses both immediate and longer-term health needs. Each step is interdependent: warming prepares the body to receive fluids and nutrients effectively, hydration addresses systemic needs, and nutrition supports overall recovery.