The Wildlife Docs Season 1 Episode 9 Spikes and Stripes

In the ninth episode of The Wildlife Docs, entitled "Spikes and Stripes," viewers are taken on a tour of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, a theme park and zoo in Florida. The episode highlights the park's animal care specialists and their efforts to provide medical care and attention to some of the park's most intriguing animals.

The episode begins with a look at an African serval cat with a broken back. The cat is brought to the park's animal care facility and examined by Dr. Mike Burton, one of the park's veterinary specialists. The veterinarians perform a CT scan and discover a fractured vertebra. Dr. Burton and his team decide to try a different method of treatment that they have not used before - acupuncture. The episode follows the team as they work with the cat, named Avery, over the course of several weeks, administering acupuncture treatments and monitoring her progress.

Next, the show introduces us to Bhanu, a Malayan tiger who is known for his distinctive stripes. Bhanu is brought to the park for a medical check-up and is found to have an infection in his paw, which is causing him pain and making it difficult for him to walk. The veterinarians anaesthetize him so that they can clean out the infection and closely examine his paw. The team discovers a deep cut and decides to use honey as an antibacterial ointment. The episode follows Bhanu's recovery and shows how the team works to promote healing and prevent any future infections.

Later in the episode, viewers are introduced to a very prickly patient named Mr. Pickles, a prehensile-tailed porcupine who has been experiencing dental issues due to his love of chewing on wood. The staff anaesthetize him and take him to the park's animal hospital for a series of dental procedures, including cleaning and root canal to save his teeth. The episode features a number of interesting facts about porcupines, such as how they defend themselves with their quills and how their tails are used for balance. The audience is shown how the veterinarians work to save Mr. Pickles' teeth and ensure he has a speedy recovery.

Finally, the episode concludes with a trip to the park's bird department, where we meet a group of flamingos. The park's staff has been closely monitoring one member of the flock, named Rusty, who has been showing signs of weakness and reduced mobility. The team anaesthetizes him and performs a range of medical tests, including blood work and an ultrasound. The team discovers that Rusty has an enlarged spleen, which is causing his lethargy. The team decides to perform surgery on Rusty to remove the spleen and monitor his progress during the recovery period.

Throughout the episode, the park's animal care specialists display a great deal of dedication and expertise in their work. They work tirelessly to ensure that all of the animals at the park are healthy, happy, and have the best possible quality of life. The Wildlife Docs is a family-friendly show that provides an up-close look at animal medicine and the incredible efforts of veterinarians and caregivers who work to provide a high level of care to all animals in their care.