PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG USE IN CAPTIVE WILD ANIMALS

摘要

While a limited amount of data has been published regarding the use of the psychotropic drugs in animals commonly kept in zoo environments, that does not mean that the enormous amount of data that does exist regarding these drugs cannot be cautiouslyextrapolated to help improve the lives of zoo animals. The mammalian brain in particular is remarkably similar from taxon to taxon, so with a knowledge of the neurotransmitters that most affect behaviors and the drugs that most affect those neurotransmitters, appropriate drug choices can be made to assist in improving the welfare of some individuals. While drugs should never be expected to make up for a poor or inappropriate environment, they can be very helpful for animals that are exhibiting maladaptive or malfunctional behaviors regardless of the inciting cause.