Last year the Great Ape Heart Project was kind enough to loan us a petMAP device, which is used mostly for companion animals like dogs and cats to get blood pressure readings by putting the cuff’s on their tails or front leg but great ape caregivers have been trying to adapt this to get voluntary blood pressure readings without the need for sedation’s. Check out today’s blog video to see this in action with George!
prt
Big Wins: Training Progress & Happy Reunions
George has been putting in the work with his positive reinforcement training, and it’s paying off. He’s already mastered showing presenting different body parts and participating in Kardia Mobile ECG readings without a hitch. Now, he’s learning to put body presentation to use by placing his hands and feet inside an X-ray box that is set up on the mesh of one of his rooms – we use these whenever we need a quick X-ray of the chimps hands or feet. On top of that, he’s just started practicing presenting his index finger for blood pressure checks—stay tuned for more on that in an upcoming blog post.
As for Dora, she’s taking a little break from Cy’s group for a few days and is off on a girls’ getaway with Mave and Honey B (Willy B is also present). I think it’s safe to say they are having a great time together!
Heart Health Training
A year ago today, we shared about KardiaMobile training with you all for the first time. I had been planning on sharing some exciting Positive Reinforcement Training (PRT) progress today, and this gives me the perfect opportunity to share some of our wins from the past year. We have come so far!
As a refresher, the KardiaMobile is a small, wireless EKG device that records heart rhythm to a smartphone or other device. To record a complete reading, the chimpanzee must sit still for at least 30 seconds, with one finger from each hand resting on the pads of the KardiaMobile device. This sounds simple, but it is no small feat for a chimpanzee to stay completely still for 30 seconds. To make things trickier, readings are easily impacted by interference from other sources. For example, another chimpanzee pant-hooting, displaying, or even tapping on the caging to request a snack can impact a reading. Other devices such as fans, radios, and TVs can also cause interference which can muddle the EKG enough that it no longer provides diagnostic information. Watch the video before continuing on to avoid any spoilers!
Since our first update on this behavior, we have recorded multiple EKG readings with Willy B, Terry, Cy, and…George! Willy B is a quick learner and was the first to successfully record EKG readings. JB made some adjustments to the platform that holds the KardiaMobile device (and keeps it safe from being taken by the chimps), so that Terry’s adorably stubby fingers could reach the KardiaMobile, and he is now unstoppable. Cy needed more time to grasp the behavior, but in the past 2 weeks has recorded his first EKG reading, and several more since then! George impressed us all by learning the behavior in just one session!
Above is one of George’s first EKG readings recorded with the KardiaMobile device. You can see at the beginning where he moved his fingers slightly, and the reading is affected. He then settled in and recorded a very clear reading for Dr. Erin to be able to review.
PRT is one of my favorite parts of my job. Not only is it a fun way to build relationships and incredibly exciting when the chimpanzees make breakthroughs in behaviors, but most importantly it allows them to cooperate in their own care. Through KardiaMobile training, we are able to provide Dr. Erin with awake EKGs on the chimpanzees, which gives her a diagnostic tool to regularly assess their heart health. For more information about KardiaMobile training and other PRT behaviors, check out the blogs linked here, here, here and here!
Willing Patients
Yesterday caregiver Ellen and I found ourselves with some free time in the chimp house while most of the team was busy at a training workshop. So of course we filled our time doing some positive reinforcement training with the chimps, check it out in today’s blog video!
Rayne’s Exam
Rayne took a trip into our veterinary clinic recently for a physical exam. Take a look at what goes into making such a trip possible.
Some of Rayne’s diagnostic results are pending review by specialists, but she appears to be in very good health!
If you’re new to this blog, here’s a primer on the ethical considerations that factor into decisions around physical exams.
And if you want to learn more about the kind of care we can provide without having to take them into the clinic, check out a few examples of our work with cooperative x-rays, EKGs, and ultrasound.
PRT with Rayne and Dora
Rayne and Dora are due for an exam in 2025 so we have started to focus on their injection training during Positive Reinforcement Training (PRT). Both of the girls have their “arm” behavior down already (despite what Dora showed in the video) so they already are comfortable presenting for a practice injection. However, we will need to continue working on hold times with both of them so they don’t pull away as soon as the needle touches their skin.
As you will see in today’s video, Dora was not interested in participating today. She was interested in the reinforcements I brought (some juice and craisins), but didn’t want to present much for the behaviors I was asking for. We want her to want to participate – so it’s totally okay! We will continue training with her so she has plenty of opportunities to practice.
Cy’s Ultrasound
Cy’s last exam showed some testicular edema, which is not uncommon in chimpanzees like Cy with congestive heart disease. His veterinary team and caregivers began training him so that we could gather diagnostic images using ultrasound and share them with specialists. This will help us monitor the amount of fluid around his testicles more frequently than we could with a full exam under anesthesia and thus keep better track of his overall health.
Kudos to our vet and PRT teams for another success in cooperative medical care!
