Access to high-quality veterinary care is a fundamental welfare requirement for zoo animals; advances in zoo medicine have significantly improved health outcomes, but preventive programmes remain inconsistently implemented.
Veterinary care in modern accredited zoos has advanced enormously, but the challenge remains identifying illness in species that evolved to mask weakness. Behavioural monitoring integrated with regular health assessments provides the earliest intervention opportunities. Positive reinforcement training for veterinary procedures — voluntary blood draws, injections, oral exams — eliminates the additional stress of chemical restraint for routine care.