WEB Vetnews May 2015

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18 Mei/May 2015 vetnuus•news
The 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
temper has a
high mortality
rate and is
readily trans­
mitted between
susceptible
hosts. Initial
diagnosis of CDV
is mostly reliant
on identifying
the clinical
symptoms
including
diarrhoea,
respiratory
congestion,
fever, nasal and
conjunctival
discharge,
immuno­
suppression
and neurolo­
gical damage.
However,
the many
varied clinical
presentations
of the disease
(particularly
in its neuro­
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
contact Dr Emily Lane (emily@
) or Ms Angelika Loots
) at the NZG and
we will gladly provide you with further
information as well as sampling kits. v
References are available on request
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
• Ultrasonography
• Echocardiography
Tel: (011) 792 6442/3 (011) 791 6278
Fax: (011) 792 0409
Email: • Web:
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.
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