Journal of
Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 June 2018 | 10(7):
11916–11919
Parasitological findings
and antiparasitic treatment of captive Jaguarundis Herpailurus yagouaroundi (Carnivora:Felidae) in a conservation center in Brazil
Nárjara Veras Grossmann1, Anderson Silva de Sousa 2, Rebecca Martins Cardoso 3 & Estevam Guilherme Lux Hoppe 4
1,3 “No Extinction” (NEX) Conservation
Center and Environmental Analyst at the InstitutoBrasília Ambiental - IBRAM, Fazenda Duas Pontes - BR 70, Km 34, s/n - ZonaRural, Corumbá de Goiás -
GO, 72960-000, Brazil
2 Agência de Defesa Agropecuária do Tocantins, 104 Sul,Rua SE-11 - Lote-23 Conj. 03 Centro - Palmas-TO, CEP. 77.020-026l, Brazil
4 Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Jaboticabal, São
Paulo, CEP 14884-900, Brazil
1 narjaragr.vet@gmail.com (corresponding
author), 2 andersonssunb@gmail.com, 3 martinz.rebecca@gmail.com, 4 e.hoppe@gmail.com
doi: http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3394.10.7.11916-11919
Editor: Ulrike Streicher, Cascades Raptor
Center, Eugene, USA. Date
of publication: 26 June 2018 (online & print)
Manuscript details: Ms# 3394 | Received 04 March 2017 | Final received 03 April 2018 | Finally
accepted 20 May 2018
Citation: Grossmann, N.V., A.S. de Sousa, R.M. Cardoso & E.G.L. Hoppe (2018). Parasitological findings and antiparasitictreatment of captive Jaguarundis Herpailurus yagouaroundi (Carnivora:Felidae) in a conservation center in Brazil. Journal
of Threatened Taxa 10(7): 11916–11919; http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3394.10.7.11916-11919
Copyright: © Grossmann et al.
2018. Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTTallows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and
distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of
publication.
Funding: None.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Acknowledgments: We would like to thank the head and all the staff of the NEX - No
Extinction Wildlife Sanctuary.
Abstract: Ex situ management of wildlife
provides a possibility for species maintenance, research development and
environmental education. But as
captive facilities are usually much smaller than the area occupied by a species
in the natural habitat, cleaning might be insufficient, domestic species such
as cats might be in close proximity, and wild animals in captivity are
inevitably stressed, animals kept in these facilities are more at risk of
acquiring parasitic infections. Therefore, an appropriate prophylactic protocol and consequent
anti-parasitic therapy of affected animals are fundamental for any wildlife
conservation center. This report
describes the procedures adopted in a conservation center for wild felines in
which four adult Jaguarundis were diagnosed with
severe infection with gastrointestinal parasites and flea infestation. Two animals died and based on the
necropsy findings and fecal examinations, infections with Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara cati were diagnosed, as well as severe
infestations with Ctenocephalides felis felis fleas, all common
parasites of domestic cats. We
discuss the applied therapy and the adopted environmental management, along
with the importance of regular health assessments and a preventive medicine
program for this species in captivity.
Keywords: Ancylostoma, captivity, Ctenocephalides, Toxocara,
wild felines.
Herpailurus yagouaroundi, popularly known as Jaguarundi, is a
small feline of the Neotropics. It was originally recorded from southern
Texas in the United States, where it is now believed to be extinct, to the
outskirts of Buenos Aires in Argentina (Caso2013). This species occurs in a
variety of biomes, including tropical forests, wetlands and savannas (Caso 2013). Its
diet consists largely of small mammals, and to a smaller extent of birds and
reptiles (Oliveira 1998; Guerrero et al. 2002; Tófoli2009). In contrast to most other
wild cats, the jaguarundi has a diurnal activity
pattern (Maffei et al. 2007; Caso2013).
Jaguarundis are
not considered threatened according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
and were only recently included as vulnerable in the Brazilian list of
Endangered species. The naturally
low density of this species in the wild and the potential effects of habitat
loss and habitat fragmentation call for intensified monitoring of this species
(Almeida et al. 2013).
Species that are difficult to study in
the wild can greatly benefit from research developed in captivity. Ensuring
that these animals receive the best veterinary care and husbandry, captive
individuals can be used in educational programs, be founder animals for
wildlife reintroduction projects or serve for genetic re-enforcement of wild
populations (Kleiman 2010). The present study describes the
occurrence of parasitic infections in a captive population of Herpailurus yagouaroundi at the “No extinction” (NEX) Conservation Center and the procedures
consequently adopted at this center.
Material and Methods
The NEX Center is classified as a
conservation center for Neotropical felines, in
accordance with Brazilian legislation (Registry number 232423). It is located at the outskirts of
the nation’s capital, holds most of the feline species of Brazil, and is
constantly receiving animals from and exchanging animals with the environmental
authority of Brazil.
In 2010 two adult Jaguarundis (one male and one female) were brought to the
NEX center from a wild animal rescue center in Manaus in Northern Brazil. They underwent a 30-day long quarantine
that included one parasitological and hematological screening. In April 2011, a second pair arrived
from a rescue center in Pará, also in northern Brazil. The same quarantine procedures were
implemented for this pair.
The Jaguarundienclosures include separate feeding and sleeping areas, places to hide and
trunks and ropes for environmental enrichment. The floor is covered with black
soil. The Jaguarundisare fed once a day with a mixture of beef or pork and domestic cat food. Occasionally, the animals are fed live
chickens. The enclosures are
cleaned daily with manual removal of feces and washing of sleeping chambers
with water and soap. Once a week
the furniture and toys are also washed with water and soap.
Three months after its arrival the
male from Pará died. Due to the advanced state of
decomposition of the carcass at the time of necropsy, the findings were
inconclusive and are not presented in this report. During the second semester of 2011, the
female that had been paired with the male from Parádied as well. Prior to their death
both animals were lethargic and emaciated. The second pair also showed lethargy and weight loss, however, less pronounced,
and mucous feces as well as signs of dehydration such as flaccid skin,
prolonged capillary fill time and sunken eyes.
A necropsy was performed the
following day including internal and external examination for parasites. The
gastrointestinal tract was removed, divided into stomach, small intestine and
large intestine, and each part was individually dissected. The contents of each section were
removed and washed under running water in a steel 150 meshsieve. Internal parasites were
preserved in Raillet & Henry solution and
identified using specific taxonomic keys (Rep 1963; Vicente et al. 1997). Severe flea infestation was
observed. Fleas were kept in 70%
ethanol and identified with the use of appropriate taxonomic keys (Guimarães et al. 2001) (Image 1).
In addition, fecal samples were
collected from the remaining Jaguarundis. They were analyzed using Sheather´s sucrose flotation method (Dryden et al. 2005)
and then by the MacMaster (Gordon & Whitlock
1939).
Results
The ectoparasiteswere identified as Ctenocephalides felis felis and were
concentrated in the ventral areas of the neck and chest and the inguinal
area. Large amounts of flea dirt
were observed all over the fur and skin.
The necropsy did not show any
macroscopic alterations of the cardiovascular, respiratory and reproductive
systems. A large number of
parasites was found in the gastrointestinal tract,
many still attached to the mucosa. Two nematode species were identified: Ancylostoma caninum, with an intensity of 35 specimens (34%
males, 46% females and 20% juveniles); and Toxocara cati, with an intensity of 227 parasites (35%
males, 40% females, and 25% juvenile forms).
In the fecal samples from both the
remaining Jaguarundis, eggs resembling those of Ancylostoma were found. The incidence in the female was 14,200
eggs per gram, and for the male 10,300 eggs per gram (Image 2). The animals were treated with a tablet containing 50mgof praziquantel, 144.0mg of pyrantel pamoate, 150mg of febanteland 0.06mg of ivermectin (Top Dog®, Ourofino Saúde Animal, Brazil),
which was given orally. A second
dose was administered 15 days after the first dose. Fecal samples were collected two weeks
after the second dose. The exams
were all negative.
Concurrently, several strategies to
control the flea infestation were adopted. Jaguarundis were treated with fipronil (Frontline TopSpot®, Sanofi, Brazil); a liquid applied directly on the dorsal
part of the neck. Animals in nearby
enclosures were also prophylactically treated with fipronil. The Jaguarundisreturned to the quarantine unit while their housing was cleaned. The enclosures, toys and furniture were
thoroughly washed with water, soap and sodium hypochloride5%. Lime was mixed with the
soil covering the floor to destroy free-living stages. Only after a 30-day vacation period the
animals returned to this enclosure. New infestations were not observed in the following months.
All employees were advised on the
role of fomites in transmitting diseases and were instructed to not use the same
footwear when moving between different enclosures. Since Toxocara is a zoonosis, instructions were also handed out on personal hygiene
measures.
Discussion
Multi-parasitic infections are
usually detrimental to an animal’s health; each parasite species might have its
own destructive effect on the host and worsen an already negative clinical
situation (Vaumourin et al. 2015).
Experiments have shown that the
introduction of a novel parasite can lead to changes in parasite resistance
afterwards (Petney & Andrews 1998). Also, since different immunological
paths are used to react to internal and external parasites, it might be
difficult for a host to activate both pathways simultaneously (Jolles et al. 2008; Vaumourin et
al. 2015). In wild feline species
there are no reports comparing multi-parasites and single parasite infections;
however, in domestic cats, those who present ectoparasiteinfestation are more likely to host internal parasites (Beugnetet al. 2014).
Both Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara cati have been previously described for Puma yagouaroundi. Toxocara cati was
described by Noronha (2002), and Ancylostoma caninum by Vieira et al.(2008). These reports either
describe parasite specimen from helminthological collections or found in roadkill, and thus do not provide any clinical
information. Other nematode species detected in Pumayaguaroundi include Molineus felineus (Vicente et al. 1997), Ancylostoma braziliense,Ancylostoma bidens, Oncicola oncicola, Oncicola paracampanulata,Toxocara mistax, Echinococcus oligarthrus, Aelurostrongylus obstrusus,Toxascaris leonina (Vieira et al. 2008), and Angiostrongylus felineus (Vieira et al. 2013). As for ectoparasites, Ctenocephalides felis felis has also
been previously described in this species as well as Adoratopsylla antiquorum antiquorum, Rhopalopsyllus lutzi lutzi (Pinto et al. 2009), and Rhopalopsyllus saevus (Villalobos-Cuevas et al. 2016).
In the wild, most parasites cause
little harm, but the stress of life in captivity increases the challenge for
animals whenever they face parasitological infections (Zimanet al. 2004). Aside from stress,
close proximity to other animals and humans and intense management routines
(including the entry of keepers to clean, feed or enrich the environment), can
lead to a greater exposure to parasites. A survey of small wild felines kept in various facilities in Brazil
detected high infestation levels with Ctenocephalidesin Jaguarundi (Adania et
al. 1998) indicating that this is a common problem. The fleas were probably introduced to Jaguarundis in captivity by feral domestic animals
attracted by food remains. Rendón-Franco et al. (2013) detected signs of cross
transmission of Toxocara cati and Trichuriscampanula in captive Jaguarundis and feral
domestic cats, adding evidence to Jaguarundi´svulnerability of parasites associated to domestic fauna. On top of this Jaguarundisoften show signs of chronic stress in captivity, such as stereotypies and
apathy even during environmental enrichment sessions. The small size of the enclosures with
insufficient cleaning results in high levels of pathogen contamination. The combination of these facts can and
in our cases has been fatal to Jaguarundis.
Therefore, the sanitary management
procedures have to be modified to avoid new infestations.
Parasitological
monitoring programs should be adopted by zoos and sanctuaries. Regular examinations
allow the detection and prevent the development of parasitic infections as
severe as the ones presented here. Such examinations are also important to guide the veterinarian in
developing appropriate antiparasitic strategies. Enclosure management is also an
important measure to avoid situations that facilitate infection and
transmission of parasites. Routine
facility wide parasitological screening and therapy, if needed, should be done
and animals found to have co-infestations of several parasites must be given
special attention with regards to the treatment. Effective and safe treatment approaches
need to be tested, especially for species rare in captivity such as the Jaguarundi. In
our case no sick individuals or positive parasitological findings were reported
after the proposed changes were applied at the sanctuary.
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