Canine Distemper and Lions
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 10:38:40 -0600 Subject: FEL-L: canine distemper vaccine
Concerning the question of vaccinating big cats for canine distemper, Joe Taft, of the Exotic Feline Rescue Center, in Center Point, Indiana, was advised by Dr. Tom Burke, of the University of Illinois Veterinary college, to use Fervac-D made by United Vaccines Inc., of Madison, WI, on all his panthera species. His facility houses mostly lions and tigers, but he did vaccinate his couple of leopards as well, with this product in 1998.
Fervac-D is a modified live vaccine made for ferrets, an animal that apparently, is more susceptible to contracting this disease from the vaccine than dogs are, and so it has been further modified to make is somewhat safer to use. In Joe's case, none of his felines contracted any symptoms from his vaccination protocol last year.
According to the information Joe passed on to me, there will be a special vaccine available soon, made especially for lions.
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 19:26:02 -0800 Subject: FEL-L: canine distemper
This is in response to the recent posts concerning Canine Distemper in exotic cats. There is a lion (Simba II) at the Texas Exotic Feline Foundation (nka International Exotic Feline Sanctuary) thought to have the virus. They believe the virus is dormant now, but he has permanent neurological damage because of the virus. Melody Roelke-Parker, a veterinarian at the National Cancer Institute worked with the sanctuary to test Simba II approximately 1 year ago. Dr. Parker was the head veterinarian of Tanzania's National Parks Service at the time many of the Serengeti lions were wiped out by the Canine Distemper virus. She has since continued her research at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland. She works with Steve O'Brien who is also familiar with the virus. Another knowledge person is Max J.G. Appel, a virologist at Cornell University. Appel is the vet responsible for identifying the virus as Canine Distemper. Here is Melody Parker's address:
Melody Roelke-Parker
National Cancer Institute
Building 560, Room 11-10
Frederick, MD 21702
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 08:47:16 -0800 Subject: FEL-L: Fw: canine distemper
Just thought I would post this from my friend, Dr. Jenni Spencer...
>There are no commercially available killed canine distemper vaccines. Max Appel at Cornell can make it if it is needed. CD is only a threat to captive felids if they come into contact with raccoons etc that bring it into the cats. This is what happened to the zoo cats that got CD. The East African outbreak was a whole different ball game.
Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 01:23:13 -0400 Subject: FEL-L: FIV among lions
I recently recieved an email from a visitor to my lion site. She has a page set up that discusses the TB and FIV problem among the lions in South Africa.
I think we all are aware of the TB problem amongst lions, buffalo and other wildlife in South Africa, especially around Krueger National Park. But, this person also referred to a massive FIV epidemic.
Is there an FIV epidemic among South African lions? Is this a serious long-term threat? What is the epidemiology of FIV, especially among lions. I have a feeling that the problem is real, but not nearly as bad as it is made out to be. You can visit her website at: http://www.corelight.org/lions/lions.html
DISCLAIMER: The spiritual views expressed there are not necessairly my own!
Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 02:11:30 -0500 Subject: Re: FEL-L: FIV among lions
Well, my info is way out of date, but I thought I read an article in Discover magazine a few years ago that said that not only the lions but most of the wild cat species have FIV, but their immune systems had learned to deal with it and it didn't seem to affect their health or life spans. Is this information incorrect?
Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 09:41:37 EDT Subject: Re: FEL-L: FIV among lions
I was watching a show on APL the other day that said something to the same effect. But they were testing a bunch of lions to see how many of them had it, and to see how long they were living with it. Lauri