Prognostic factors in bushfire-affected koalas-Kangaroo Island bushfire response 2020.

Abstract

This study presents a retrospective analysis of clinical records data from koalas presenting for treatment following the large-scale bushfire event on Kangaroo Island 2019-2020. The aim of the study was to identify prognostic factors for koalas affected by bushfire. Koalas (n = 199) were grouped based on their burn status in combination with their burn bandaging requirement at triage; those with no burns, with burns that did not require bandaging and with burns that did require bandaging. Overall, 59.8% of koalas had positive outcomes, but this reduced to only 13% of koalas in the most severely affected group (burns that were bandaged). Negative outcomes were found to be associated with several factors, including the timing of presentation, with the worst affected animals presenting in the first 2 weeks of the operation. Also, an increasing number of bandage changes during hospitalisation led to increasingly negative outcomes, with no positive outcomes beyond three bandage changes. In addition, clear associations were found with patterns of burns on feet, with only 4% positive outcomes for animals with all 4 feet burnt. All bandaged koalas with severe dehydration had negative outcomes and body weights decreased over time for hospitalised animals from the most severely affected bandaged burn group. Mild serum sodium concentration elevation at triage was the only clinically significant blood abnormality for koalas with bandaged burns. Overall, this study identified key prognostic factors, particularly bandaging requirements and the number of feet burnt, that will enable more effective decision-making at triage and improve animal welfare outcomes.