WEB Vetnews May 2015

Article I Artikel

Can we save our wildlife from going to the dogs?

Ms Angelika Loots & Dr Emily Lane Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) infection is a well-known life-threatening disease affecting the domestic dog population worldwide.

T he past two decades have seen the emergence of mass mortalities in African wild dog, bat-eared foxes, lions, spotted hyenas, silver-backed jackal, palm civets and many others. In 1994 an epidemic swept through the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, killing 30% of the lion population and causing deaths in

several other species. More recently, CDV was the suspected cause of neurological symptoms in bat-eared foxes and lions in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (2009), killing at least 4 lions in the span of 3 weeks. Since 2011, more instances of CDV cases have been seen in captive caracal, snow-leopard, African wild dog and black-backed jackal. Canine dis­

logical form) and the high symptomatic overlap of CDV with other diseases such as rabies, feline panleukopenia, toxoplasmosis, canine parvovirus, coronavirus and bacterial enteritides make reliance on clinical signs problematic. Ante-mortem diagnostic tests that have been developed for the detection of CDV in domestic dogs often do not work very well or at all in wildlife, and there is no accurate validated diagnostic method for CDV detection in wildlife. In the case of endangered animals such as the African wild dog, this lack of early stage diagnosis causes life losses we cannot afford. A fast, sensitive, specific and rapid molecular test is needed for the detection of CDV infections in wildlife. The National Zoological Gardens of South Africa (NZG) and the University of Pretoria (Department Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science) are currently conducting molecular and pathological research on CDV infections in wildlife. Parvo- and corona viruses are also included due to their high symptomatic overlap with CDV. To support this, we request samples of any confirmed or suspected cases of CDV, parvo- or corona viruses in wild carnivores. If you are interested in participating in this research, please

temper has a high mortality rate and is readily trans­ mitted between

susceptible hosts. Initial

diagnosis of CDV is mostly reliant on identifying

63 Kayburne Ave, Randpark Ridge Ext. 8 PO Box 1311, Randpark Ridge, 2156 Specialist Referral Hospital We offer: - Full range of orthopaedic procedures incl. TLPO and THR (total hip replacement) - Neurosurgery - Specialist internal medicine referrals - Specialist veterinarians on call 24 hours a day - Diagnostic imaging incl. access to CT and MRI - daily: • CR Digital Radiography

the clinical symptoms including

diarrhoea, respiratory congestion, fever, nasal and conjunctival discharge, immuno­ suppression and neurolo­ gical damage. varied clinical presentations of the disease (particularly in its neuro­ However, the many

• Ultrasonography • Echocardiography

contact Dr Emily Lane (emily@ nzg.ac.za) or Ms Angelika Loots

(angelika@nzg.ac.za) at the NZG and we will gladly provide you with further information as well as sampling kits. v References are available on request

Tel: (011) 792 6442/3 (011) 791 6278 Fax: (011) 792 0409 Email: admin@jsvc.co.za • Web: www.jsvc.co.za

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Mei/May 2015